FOR RELEASE:
July 28, 2026
PRESS CONTACT:
Deanna Shoss, 773-478-8417
The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its audit of the Department of Streets and Sanitation’s (DSS) Rat Abatement Program, led by DSS’s Bureau of Rodent Control (BORC). The objective of the audit was to evaluate whether BORC’s approach to addressing the harms of rat infestation aligns with the widely accepted principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which BORC has embraced as guiding its work. IPM emphasizes long-term prevention by addressing the root causes of infestation and using pesticides as a last resort, thereby reducing risks to health and the environment.
OIG found that DSS’s rodent control program is complaint-based, not integrated with other City services, and unlikely to achieve long-term control of the rat population. Further, BORC’s primary method of abatement involves the use of rodenticide known to contribute to environmental harms. OIG concluded that there is opportunity for DSS to proactively monitor for rat activity and the root causes of infestation. In that effort, DSS could incorporate information from other City agencies that provide services that could address root causes. With such efforts, and further intentional alignment with IPM, BORC could target interventions based on impacts to quality of life, economic activity, or public health.
“Chicago’s rat control team relies on poison to respond to reports of rat sightings and infestations,” said David Glockner, Inspector General for the City of Chicago, “but the City’s approach doesn’t consistently target sources of food and shelter. This audit shows the need for a unified strategy, coordinated across City departments, to cut rats off from the resources that let them thrive and multiply. Without a change in tactics, it will be nearly impossible to make lasting progress, and Chicagoans will continue to face fresh crops of rats.”
OIG recommends that DSS implement a comprehensive rodent control strategy aligned with IPM, including proactive surveying, establishing meaningful thresholds for intervention, prioritizing non-toxic methods such as sanitation and habitat modification, and evaluating outcomes of abatement efforts. BORC should also coordinate with relevant City departments to address the root causes of rat infestation. OIG further recommends that DSS establish policies and training on safe rodenticide use.
OIG thanks DSS for its cooperation throughout the audit and encourages the department to adopt a preventive, coordinated, and data-driven approach that provides long-term solutions to the public health, quality of life, and economic impacts created by rats.
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