Connecticut City Lands On “Rattiest Cities in United States” List

I've stated more times than I can remember how much I love living in the great state of Connecticut. Yes, I realize it's one of the most expensive states in the country. Orkin, one of the most prominent pest control companies throughout the U.S., recently released their "Rattiest Cities Top 50 List" for the ninth consecutive year. Unfortunately, one Connecticut city made it into the Top 20. Remember this movie line? "Come out and take it you dirty yellow-bellied rat or I'll give it to you through the door!

Sadly, Hartford ranked #17 in the country, with Chicago being crowned the rattiest city in America. Orkin used the following criteria to determine which U.S cities were the "rattiest."

• Droppings 
• Gnaw Marks
• Nests
• Rub Marks
• Strange Noises

My question is, who signed up for this gig, or was it a form of discipline administered to underachieving employees? According to ctinsider.com, Hartford city officials are saying that "it might be a good thing" because it could motivate residents and businesses to make more of an effort to eradicate the little buggers Your thoughts?  

To determine their results, Orkin looked at the number of new rodent treatments in both residential and commercial properties in metro areas performed over a period of 12 months, specifically from Sept. 1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023. The top five cities with the worst rodent problems were Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. How about some rat 'fun facts' thanks to the website rspca.org?

• Rats laugh when they're tickled...
• Believe it or not, rats are very clean animals...
• Rats need their whiskers to help them balance and find their way around...
• Bet you didn't know that a group of rats is called a mischief!
• Rats are social animals and need other rats for companionship...