Local
Brighton Residents Report Rise in Dead Rats, Point to Food Waste and Poison
Residents of Boston's Brighton neighborhood say they're seeing more dead rats on sidewalks and near homes, with concerns that rodent poison and restaurant food waste are driving the problem. Local officials and residents are calling for safer, more effective rodent control.
Residents of Brighton are raising alarms about a growing number of dead rats appearing on sidewalks and around homes, a situation they say has become increasingly common and is prompting concerns about public health and the use of rodent poison.
Deborah Valianti, who has lived in the neighborhood for four decades, said she has noticed an uptick in dead rats. She believes the concentration of restaurants along Washington Street is a major factor, with food waste attracting rodents and subsequent efforts to eliminate them.
"There are a number of food businesses on Washington Street," Valianti said. "I think that's what they're attracted to and they just stay here."
Others see the problem as part of a broader citywide issue. "I feel like it's typical Boston," said resident Maddie Richard. "I guess because there's a lot of trash everywhere."
The concern is not limited to sightings. A dozen traps have been set around one property on Oak Square Avenue, and multiple 311 complaints have been filed for dead rats in the area. Those cases are marked closed, according to the city's 311 system.
For some, encounters with dead rats have become almost routine. Kevin Carragee described walking on Faneuil Street toward Market Street in the evening when he inadvertently kicked a rat as it scurried across his path.
State Rep. Jim Hawkings highlighted a less obvious danger: the impact of rat poison on wildlife. He explained that rats often do not die inside bait boxes but instead wander off sick and disoriented, making them easy prey for predatorsâmost commonly owls.
"The rat doesn't die in the bait box," Hawkings said. "It takes a while for the rat to die so it leaves the bait box and it's kind of stumbling around sick, and it's easy prey for predators, which the most common predator is an owl."
The issue has gained attention amid broader concerns about Boston's rat population. Thousands of rodent complaints have been filed this year, and some residents have reported costly car repairs after rats chewed through wiring. In Massachusetts, advocates have also blamed rat poison for the deaths of at least six bald eagles since 2021.
Alternative control methods exist, including rodent birth control products and traditional traps. However, loose poisons are not permitted; they must be placed in tamper-resistant bait boxes, according to regulations.
As Brighton residents grapple with the visible signs of the infestation, the debate over how to manage rats without harming other wildlife continues. For now, residents like Valianti say they simply want to see fewer dead rats on their streetsâand a cleaner, safer neighborhood.