Johannesburg has a rodent problem. The city is a perfect breeding ground for the pests, and the population has skyrocketed. The infestation is so bad that there have been reports of children having their fingers bitten in their sleep. Recent efforts to trap and kill these creatures haven't seen much success. An initiative to utilize owls to hunt the rodents failed because many citizens were scared of the owls. However, the charity group Lifeline has a new idea. As an incentive, Lifeline is offering one cellphone in exchange for 60 dead rodents. The cell phones were donated by a local cellphone company. So far, the program has been quite successful. A local was interviewed, after catching 23 rats in one night with traps. He doesn't plan to stop until everyone in his family has a phone.
“It’s easy. You put your leftover food inside and the rats climb inside, getting caught as the trap door closes,”
Some animal-rights groups have spoken up, calling the initiative inhumane. While this is the most successful program to date, there has been speculation that some people will take to breeding and raising the rodents for the incentive.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/02/kill-60-rats-get-a-cellphone_n_2065999.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news
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