Rat complaints are soaring, and D.C. is doubling down on its efforts to kill them Rats are overrunning D.C., and the city has tried everything from dry ice to solar trash cans to control the population. By Rachel Chason, John D. Harden and Chris Alcantara Aug. 23, 2018 They scurry across alleyways. They chew through trash cans. They make a sound that’s something between a hiss and a chatter. And despite the District’s efforts, the number of rats in Washington seems to be growing. Complaints to 311 about rodents in the nation’s capital reached an all-time high in 2017 —...