How Bad Are the Rats in New York City?
WouterRats in New York City have long plagued the city. As early as 1865, a New York Times article lamented the city’s “unenviable notoriety” for its rats, describing the creatures as “sadistic and degrading creatures that would menace in broad daylight small dogs.” More than two centuries later, rats are still chomping down on household pets, engaging in cannibalism, attacking pigeons, and injuring people. They also continue to plague public housing complexes throughout the five boroughs. They are everywhere in New York City: in subways, in buildings, and underfoot.
The city has seen a rat problem that is higher than it has in years. In fact, since the city began recording rodent complaints in 2010, it has seen a 70% increase in reported cases. The city has been a major source of frustration to residents, and has begun implementing measures to reduce the problem.
Scientists studied the behavior of rats and found that they developed new habits when there was no trash available to them. They began eating pigeons and hunkered down in cars that had been parked longer than normal. The city’s alternate side parking rules were temporarily suspended. This did not deter the rats from making their way back to their favorite haunts.
In January 2022, the City saw an increase of rat sightings. More than 4,400 New Yorkers contacted 311 to report rat sightings. By October 2021, the number of complaints about rats had reached 2,698 – 74 percent more than the year before. This increased rate is already outpacing the levels seen in the first two years of the pandemic. In January and February 2022, complaints were almost 50 percent higher than the same months in the previous years.
