CHS reader informs:
Hey, CHS. I live on 10th Ave E between Republican and Harrison. I swear for the past 6 months or so I have seen a progressively worsening rat infestation on the block. I’m used to seeing a rat scurry across the side walk or under a Julia’s dumpster at night, but lately they have been frolicking in my backyard, brazenly lounging in the middle of the sidewalk in broad daylight, taking my turn at bowling, etc…I have theorized that this may be due to all the construction going on and displacing them from their hereditary underground estates, but it’s also possible that I’m just developing some weird rat paranoia.
Have you all noticed or had any other reports of a booming rat population here or elsewhere on the hill?
Yours truly,
Allergic To Cats
Last fall, the pest industry hyped a coming “ratpocalypse” from vermin displaced by the Seattle waterfront tunnel project. This summer, one pest control company claims it has caught and killed “double” the number of rats than normal around Pioneer Square.
On the Hill, we’ve heard about mini rat infestations before including displacements when Bobby Morris got it shrubbery chopped away. We’ve also seen freaky things like rats using powerlines as their own aerial tramway. City life.
Let us know what you’ve seen. Are downtown rats displacing Hill rats? Is the wave of construction on the Hill forcing more vermin into the streets? Are you secretly a rat commenting on a neighborhood news blog?
As with most things, we’re betting this comes down to the weather. The funny thing about reports of things like increased airplane noise or more mosquitoes on Capitol Hill than ever is they tend to coincide with the kind of weather we’ve had this summer — unbelievably gorgeous. The kind of weather that makes you want to walk around your neighborhood more — and visit your friendly neighborhood rats more frequently.
UPDATE: The City’s twitter voice says you can, indeed, use the Find It, Fix It app to report vermin issues on the Hill — and beyond. You can also call King County Health at (206) 263-9566 or check out the county’s “How to get rid of rats” page for more information.
