Draining the swamp, clearing the burrows: DC’s war on rats
WASHINGTON — Andre Pittman and Gregory Cornes are on a mission to rid Washington of opportunistic vermin.
But their target isn’t corrupt officials or shady political fixers; it’s Rattus Norvegicus, the common Norway Rat.
The nation’s capital is facing a spiraling rat infestation, fueled by mild winters and a human population boom. Washington’s government is struggling to keep pace, with the pest control department fielding a record number of calls.
On one recent day, Pittman and Cornes, both veteran Health Department employees, are working within sight of the Capitol, shovelling dry ice pellets into suspected rat burrow entrances. On another, they’re summoned about six blocks north of the White House, at 16th Street and M, where residents have complained of an outbreak.