New York City, plagued by a rat infestation, is considering using contraception to curb this scourge, reports the New York Times.
City Councilman Shaun Abreu introduced a bill this week that proposes sterilizing rats using pellets that are particularly palatable to the rodents.
“We believe that it takes a shock wave to eradicate the rat problem and that we must try everything,” declared the elected official during a municipal council meeting.
A pair of rats can produce up to 15,000 offspring per year. However, if the bill is adopted, the small salty contraceptive tablets will be distributed in around ten blocks located in two neighborhoods of the American metropolis.
The tablets in question, called ContraPest, are produced by the company SenesTech. The company’s CEO said ContraPest was like “buttermilk” for rats.
“It’s a liquid formula with a high lipid content, which tastes sweet and which is very attractive to rats,” he said in an interview with Fox5.
Loretta Mayer, one of the scientists behind the pellet, says that “ContraPest is going to be more appealing to rats than the trash they’re used to.” It’s better than pizza!”