Rodents On The Rise: How NYC Is Losing The Rat Battle

Written By: Jake Offenhartz

In late summer of 2019, Eric Adams stood over a pile of oily rat corpses, outlining his ambitious plan to rid the city of its vermin problem.

“Many people have normalized having rats in their community,” lamented Adams, then Brooklyn Borough President. “The unwillingness to think outside the box and look at new technology is what’s really holding our city back.”

He looked approvingly as Rat Trap Distribution unveiled their innovative solution: a file cabinet-sized contraption that lures rodents with Oreos and sunflower seeds before plunging them to their liquid grave.

Nearly three years later, the city is overwhelmed with rat complaints – and the man behind the rodent-killing machine Adams once hailed as “amazing” is still waiting on the mayor’s call.

“He has a lot on his plate, I believe in time, God-willing, he’ll get around to it,” said Pat Marino, leasing the boxes through Rat Trap Distribution. “Maybe he puts a big light in the sky with a rat and I put my cape on and I run to City Hall.”

New York City’s rat problem has only worsened. In 2021, rat sightings complaints increased by more than two-thirds compared to 2019. Last month alone saw the highest number of rat complaints for any April in at least a decade, according to city data.

Despite efforts, the city’s Health Department has struggled to return to full strength, with 20% fewer pest control inspections conducted during the first four months of this year compared to 2019.

Meanwhile, Marino’s Maspeth-based company leases 300 units across Yonkers and all five boroughs, with each Italian-made device capable of holding dozens of rat carcasses – an improvement over poisons that let prey wander off to alert other rats to danger.

“Every rat in New York City hates my guts,” boasted Marino, before conceding, “We’re making an impact, catching many rats. But there are millions more. I don’t want to scare anyone, but there are a lot.”

With warmer weather approaching, experts fear New York City is heading towards its rattiest summer ever, with limited solutions to prevent and combat the rodent invasion.

“It’s definitely gotten worse. There are so many rats,” said 19-year-old Zary Rivas, recounting a recent encounter with scores of rodents on the Lower East Side. “We were just chilling, then like a thousand rats appeared, just walking around without fear.”

New York City’s history of battling rats dates back centuries. From guns and birth control to scented trash bags and terriers, various methods have been employed.

Adams, who once ridiculed Mayor Bill de Blasio’s rat plan, has largely continued the strategies of his predecessor. These include placing rat poison in public spaces and using dry ice to fill burrows, a promising yet labor-intensive method.

The city’s Health Department attributes increased rat activity to the abundance of food waste, exacerbated by outdoor dining. The agency is expanding enforcement and education efforts, urging property owners to reduce food sources for rats.

Despite Adams’ promises, city officials and rodent experts argue the administration isn’t doing enough to curb the rat population. Efforts to expand composting have stalled, while sanitation rules requiring waste containment at large buildings have been abandoned.

Estimating the city’s rat population remains challenging. While one analysis suggests up to 2 million rats, others estimate around 250,000.

Timothy Wong, an exterminator at M&M Pest Control, insists the rat population has reached unprecedented levels. He’s advocated for new technology and training in rat control, with no response from the Health Department.

Without a significant overhaul of waste management, Wong believes the city is conceding defeat in its rat war.

“You have a building with 400 residents and 300 trash bags out for hours,” Wong said. “What do you think will happen?”

Sandy Nurse, chair of the City Council’s Sanitation Committee, shares frustrations, calling for an aggressive rat mitigation strategy, particularly in areas like public housing.

The Council is pushing for a $22 million budget increase for twice-daily basket pick-up and an additional $5 million for rat control services.

Adams’ office did not confirm support for the increase, but reiterated the mayor’s commitment to clean streets.

“I’m open to exploring innovative and effective new tools to keep our streets clean and rat-free,” the mayor stated. “New Yorkers deserve cleaner streets, and rat mitigation must be part of that.”