BOISE, Idaho — A now-established rat population in Boise isn't going away any time soon — and maybe not ever, health officials say.
This week, Central District Health unveiled its "Rat Response Plan," which includes $250,000 aimed at reducing rat activity in Ada County. Here's how health officials say the money will be used:
- $100,000 will be used to help qualifying households pay for pest control. Officials note the assistance may be capped at $600 per household. It may also include providing snap traps at no cost to residents.
- $55,000 is being spent on a program to test a non-poisonous birth control product to reduce the rat population. The program would first roll out in one Boise neighborhood chosen based on rat population reports and "Nextdoor involvement," officials said.
- $46,500 will go toward "mapping and outreach," including the purchase of the existing Pied Piper rat mapping website. "Resident reports and its heat map will help CDH find areas of high activity and focus outreach," health officials wrote.
- $50,000 for smart traps in public spaces and waterways. "In addition to euthanizing rats (by impact)," health officials say the traps are a tool to collect information about the rat population's movements and size.
"Rats cannot be eradicated from our area now that they are established," Central District Health officials wrote. The goal of the plan is to reduce rat activity and provide residents with practical resources to manage the population.
As Idaho News 6 has reported, Boise neighbors have sounded the alarm on an "explosion of rats" and demanded local action to control the growing population.
The issue prompted Boise local Robin Hadder to create the Pied Piper rat tracking website that CDH now aims to purchase.
Residents have also complained that the rats are costing them money —both for their own pest control measures and fixing issues the rodents cause. One Boise resident told Idaho News 6 she spent $8,000 on repairs after rats chewed through wires in her car.
Concerns have also been raised about the possible spread of disease. CDH representatives have said they are not seeing an increase in disease transmission.
Ada County stakeholders met in early September to discuss moving forward with a plan to tackle the issue.
Sahana Patel shares how rats prompted Boise Bench neighbors to rethink their Halloween decorations this year:
