A new trial program has commenced in New York City that aims to remediate the city's rat infestation problem using birth control pharmaceuticals.
Instead of poison, the Big Apple, starting on Jan. 1, 2025, will begin placing contraceptive pellets inside special rat-accessible containers throughout the city. When the rats enter the containers and eat the pellets, it sterilizes them so they cannot reproduce.
Proponents of the scheme say this is the most humane way to deal with NYC's rodent problem.
"We can't poison our way out of this," said city council member Shaun Abreu back in April when the initiative, known as "Flaco's Law" after the Eurasian eagle-owl of the same name that escaped from the Central Park Zoo last year and was later found dead with rat poison in its system, was first proposed.
"We cannot kill our way out of this," Abreu added in a statement.
(Related: NYC is experiencing record numbers of leptospirosis cases due to the Big Apple's rat infestation problem.)
PETA excited about rat birth control scheme
Prior to Flaco's Law going into effect, the city spent 12 months trialing its effects on rodent populations throughout New York City's boroughs. City inspectors went around checking the traps during this time to see if the rats were eating the contraceptive pellets.
"During such monthly inspections of the pilot program areas, the department shall track the amount of rat contraceptive in each rat contraceptive dispenser," the bill's provisions state.
As usual, a pharmaceutical company, in this case Senestech, is benefitting from the new law. The firm manufacturers a "plant-based" product called Contrapest that supposedly prevents rats from reproducing for 45 days, effectively reducing (or so we are told) the rodent population in a "humane" way without damaging people or the environment.
It is no secret that NYC has a rat problem. Estimates suggest that about three million of the rodents live in the Big Apple, this according to a pest-control company called MMPC that cited a 2014 study from Jonathan Auerbach.
The extremist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is celebrating Flaco's Law, claiming it to be an "innovative approach" to a very serious and longstanding problem.
PETA praised city leaders for choosing "birth control over cruel, lethal methods such as poison and suffocation."
Last year, the city attempted to pilot a smaller rat contraceptive program only to deem it a failure. This time, city officials are hopeful that the updated plan will reduce the city's rat problem and restore some semblance of normalcy to the lives of visitors and residents alike.
"NYC now has many restaurants with 'outdoor seating' and the rats run under customer tables and scare them," one commenter wrote about what dining outdoors in New York City is often like.
"Are they going to start putting birth control in cafeteria food?" asked another, concerned about the prospect of it being this easy to lace food with contraceptives.
"The real rats are in the U.S. Congress," suggested another about America's even more serious rat infestation problem.
What about the possibility that contraceptive-laced rat food ends up in people food? The implications of this new scheme are ominous from that perspective, don't you think?
"Is this a trial run for the people version, perhaps?" is how one commenter put it.
"So New Yorkers eating out will still be eating poison and rat droppings," wrote another. "But hey, it's too late: the rats have won."
"Knowing the ability of rats to adapt to 'poisons,' I would imagine they will soon adapt and continue reproducing!" said another.
New York City is a filthy cesspool for more reasons than just rats. Learn more at Corruption.news.
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