Rats in Chicago have been an ongoing issue for many years now. The rat infestation problem has not decreased, instead, it has only increased even more. This has caused issues amongst communities and frustrated people all over the city. Not only is it a health issue, but the rats are also causing serious damage to homes, businesses, and rental properties.
Chicago has tried just about anything to try to stop the rat population and failed. Now, finally, they are turning to one specific woman who has been leading the city’s war on rodents for years.
Josie Cruz and Her Goal for Chicago
Josie Cruz arrived at the Department of Streets and Sanitation in 1998. She is the leader in charge of her team, who responds to tens of thousands of rat-related calls annually. Cruz is a licensed exterminator and very knowledgeable as well.
Her mission with this organization is to help Chicago minimize the rodent population doing damage to the streets. Additionally, Cruz is interested in “finding the root of the problem.” She makes it her mission to know how and why these rats are infesting the streets and residents in Chicago. Cruz believes that if she can find the primary cause behind this issue, she can better address it.
Rat Reports Over the Years
People have made a significant number of rat reports to 311 over the years. Despite the number of calls being steady and under control in 2019, the rat calls spiked in 2021. Since then, the calls for rats have only increased. As of April 30, there have been 11,700 rat reports made to the 311 number. This means that rat complaints have jumped up 40% this year.
Rat complaints also increased during September, with over 27,000 complaints of rats made by people. Also, looking back to 2017, there were over 50,000 rat-related complaints, which was an increase of 55% from 2014. Overall, this just goes to prove that the rat infestation in the streets of Chicago has been going on for years. Not only is it still happening, but it’s only increasing as time goes by.
How They Are Addressing This Issue
The plan of action for the extermination of the rats comprises many steps. First, when a 311 call comes in, Cruz’s team goes out to assist with the issue. Normally, this is done within five days of getting the call. After the call has been reported, the team assists with the problem.
They look for signs of rats. Anything that is able to prove rats has been there. For example, the burrows these rats live in. Additionally, if they can find evidence of a rat infestation, they will bait the sighted area.
Cruz’s Thoughts on the Problem
Despite Cruz’s enjoyment in fighting this problem, she and her team want to help communities fight the problem themselves. She stated, “The rats are not there just because they want to be there. There’s a food source, and it’s important that we cut that food source out.”
Examples of food sources include garbage, like accessible, damaged cans. Animal waste and unharvested vegetables are extremely accessible to rats and desirable food sources for these animals.
Cruz wants to be able to do more for her community and provide resources that will actually help with the situation. For this reason, she wants to look more deeply into the issue and rule out all the different possibilities for this problem. Cruz also said, “I’m so happy that they picked a woman. You don’t have to be a man to be out there killing rats.” She is proud that as a woman she can help her community and aid them with this big problem.
Chicago Community Member’s Input
Many people are upset about this rat infestation problem in their communities. A community member named Maria talked about what she thinks about this issue. She mentioned that, like anyone else, this problem is frustrating her, and she just wants the rat population to decrease. Also, she added that there have been multiple incidents in which rats were causing her problems.
This was because rats will chew on anything and go into a person’s home. Maria said that she has already had car wires destroyed by these rats, seen rats outside her porch, and found a small piece of excrement left behind by these rats. Maria also said, “It’s not only the fact that rats are everywhere, it’s also a sanitation issue.” Rats can carry a lot of diseases with them, which can affect the health of people living in the community.
Furthermore, when asked about her thoughts on Cruz finally addressing the issue, Maria said that she was content that the problem was finally being taken care of by a trained professional. Also, she finally had hope that the outbreak was going to be resolved because of the determination of Cruz and her patience with her job.
By Nohemi Sanchez
Sources:
Chicago Sun-Times: Rodent Control gets its own bureau – again – in war on rats
Interview: Little Village Community Member Maria; May 8, 2023
WBEZ Chicago: Note to NYC: Chicago already has a rat czar, and her name is Josie Cruz
The Wall Street Journal: Chicago Mobilizes Its Rat Patrol
Featured Image courtesy of Paul Sableman Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image courtesy of Ken Yee Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
