Chicago has been named ‘the rat capital of the US,’ according to a new study published by online apartment search service ‘RentHop.’
The survey found that 50,963 complaints were made to the city last year about the pesky rodents – far more than any other city in America.
‘[When] comparing the number of complaints per 100,000 residents,’ RentHop said, ‘Chicago topped the list with 1876.09 complaints per 100,000 residents.’
The survey found that 50,963 complaints were made to the city last year about the pesky rodents – far more than any other city in America
New York City came in second with 19,152 complaints, followed by Washington, D.C. (5,036 complaints), and Boston (2,488 complaints).
The study also found that the number of complaints made by Chicago residents jumped 55 per cent since 2014.
‘It’s part of living in a city,’ Norma Rios-Sierra told The Chicago Tribune. ‘Even during the day, you’ll see them fly through the alley.’
Logan Square, Englewood, and West Ridge marked the epicenters for most complaints called into Cook County, with data suggesting that the rats tended to gravitate towards neighborhoods with higher concentrations of dog poop.
Disputing the figures, however, was the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, who claimed to have received 42,670 requests for rodent abatement from residents in 2017.
The department attributes the lower figure to screening out duplicate calls and not counting cases where the city has taken proactive abatement measures following a complaint.
‘Rodent complaints are not an accurate indicator of the rat population in an area, however they do show that Chicagoans care about the health and safety of their communities,’ said department spokeswoman Marjani Williams.
‘(Streets and Sanitation) encourages residents to report rodent activity to 311 so that our crews can quickly investigate and address every sighting.’
The study also found that the number of complaints made by Chicago residents jumped 55 per cent since 2014
Graph showing the city of Chicago and areas most affected by rat infestations. The areas in dark red have recorded the most complaints: At the top is West Ridge; just below that is Logan Square and at the bottom is Engelwood
Williams said that at least 26 crews are baiting rats city-wide, and boasted that the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation addresses complaints in five days or less.
Despite efforts made by the city, Chicago residents are still unsettled to see the sheer volume of rats populating the area.
‘I’ve never seen anything like the rat infestation that we have in Chicago,’ said Veterinarian Dr. Dylan Frederickson, noting that he administers treatments to dogs multiple times a year due to rodent activity.
Rat bites ‘can cause acute kidney failure, which is sometimes fatal,’ he said.
‘It’s relatively easy to prevent your dog from getting into a fight with a rat, it’s much more difficult to prevent them from taking a drink from a random puddle that might be contaminated.’
According to the Tribune, areas with the fewest complaints included Greektown, the Museum Campus and Millenium Park.