If you live in a major city, chances are you’ve seen rats scurrying around dumpsters or along alleyways. Urban rats are found around the world, and wherever they go, people work to get rid of them — and for good reason. Rats are infamous for their ability to carry a number of “pathogens,” or disease-causing organisms. They can also infest our homes, damaging infrastructure and keeping us up at night. But what if our approaches to pest control actually increase some rat-associated risks?

I stare at the carefully folded package on the kitchen table. Neat straight edges in the paper wrapping protect the contents inside. Every year, my partner’s father gifts us this way with deer sausage. He has been involved in all stages of its preparation; from hunting the animal, to smoking the meat in his backyard, to shipping the products of his work across three provinces for us to ration until the arrival of our next treasure. But this year I am hesitant to open the package, and I stand here wondering – are these safe for me to eat?

It’s dark and I’m parked in an alley near a lopsided compost bin. I have a notepad, binoculars and a lukewarm cup of coffee — everything needed for a successful stakeout. I am waiting for them.