October 15, 2026
Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash.com
PETA is urging Philadelphia to use birth control in response to rat infestations in Northeast Philly, saying it is a more humane way to control the rat population.
Animal rights activists are putting pressure on Mayor Cherelle Parker to invest in birth control programs for the city's rats in lieu of extermination efforts that they say are "ineffective" and "cruel."
PETA President Tracy Reiman sent Parker a letter asking her to consider a more "humane and effective" approach after City Council approved a measure designed to control rodent infestations in the lower Northeast.
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"We respectfully urge you to move away from any ineffective and cruel killing methods to control rodent populations and to consider the use of rat contraception programs, which are more humane, effective long-term solutions," Reiman said in her letter Wednesday. "Even though rats may be among the city's least popular residents, they deserve humane treatment."
In a statement, Reiman said rats are considered empathetic, family-oriented and compassionate creatures. She also sent Parker a complimentary mug that says "Rats Have Rights" to celebrate the "remarkable rodents."
Advocates with PETA sent Mayor Cherelle Parker a mug that says 'Rats Have Rights.'
The Department of Public Health's Vector Control Department handles rat control measures in residential and public areas. The Office of Food Protection responds to rat infestations in businesses and food establishments. Both agencies provide investigative, treatment and prevention services.
In her letter, Reiman criticized the city's recent purchases of rodenticides, saying they cause a "slow and painful death."
"Poisons and other lethal methods, like cruel glue traps, create a temporary vacuum that nearby rats will quickly fill, fail to address the root of the problem and lead to an endless cycle of killing," she wrote. "When paired with common-sense prevention measures … rodent contraception can help reduce rat populations without causing animals to suffer."
Rat contraception is ingested either as a liquid or a solid and works to curb reproduction in the animals. Baltimore, Chicago and Washington are among the cities that have implemented birth control programs by placing contraception in bait stations in affected areas.
PETA's plea came one week after City Council unanimously approved a resolution that prompts city agencies to coordinate their efforts to address a "growing rodent infestation" in neighborhoods like Oxford Circle and Castor Gardens.
Residents have reported "persistent" rodent activity due to improperly stored trash, neglected properties and abandoned vehicles. Some have reported damage to the wiring of their vehicles and cited repair costs due to the presence of the rats, the resolution states.
The resolution declares the infestations a "urgent public health and quality-of-life emergency" and calls for the proper agencies to prioritize inspections, treatments, sanitation enforcement and property remediation efforts.
Reiman expressed her support for the interdepartmental collaboration, but stressed that a campaign to address the infestation should be a "proactive, compassionate" one.
"Poisoning and trapping rats is a cruel and ineffective approach that inflicts painful deaths on animals who are just trying to eke out an existence, yet fails to address what's attracting them in the first place," she said in a statement. "PETA is calling on Mayor Parker to focus on a long-term and humane solution via prevention and rat contraception."
The Parker administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
