When I moved to New York City, I fell in love with the boundless energy and dynamic culture. However, there was one thing I didn’t love—the pests! Commuting one morning, I got off the train onto a crowded Penn Station platform, getting ready for my walk to work at Village Print & Media on 5th & 39th, only to hear screaming. Trying to walk up the steps, I could hear what they were yelling: “Rat! Rat!” Men and women started scrambling away. I was being pushed backward, finding myself on the edge of the platform, about to fall onto the tracks.
I pushed back. When the crowd finally dispersed, a pigeon with a broken wing was revealed. I couldn’t believe it—I could barely hide my anger. All the commotion? After all, it was only a pigeon.
In the five boroughs, there are 32 million rats for a total of 8.3 million people— that’s a whopping four rats per person! [1] They also seem to work at “New York Speed.” Bedbugs have even been found in the Empire State Building. If you have lived in New York for any length of time, I’m sure you have your own vermin or pest story.
Tell us your stories! Share in the comments section below.
–Marina Moca, Village Print & Media Sales Manager
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[1] Statistic from Wikipedia, “Rats in New York City, Prevalence”.