(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Activists in league with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals instructed New York City residents on how to change their garbage habits to spare the lives of the city’s many “sensitive, intelligent” rats.
The organization admitted that no one wants to deal with the packs of rats, but they still shamed citizens advocating for extermination despite their valid concerns over disease and contamination.
“The rats you see on the streets are still sensitive, intelligent animals and they deserve better than to be killed in gruesome, painful ways,” said PETA’s communications director, Ashley Byrne, who lives in the city herself.
According to the Daily Caller, Byrne argued that the rats are in the city “through no fault of their own” and the city is responsible for cutting off their food source.
“As long as the garbage is there and unchecked the rats will be there,” Byrne said “We have a disgusting human behavior problem, not a rat problem.”
Mayor Eric Adams faced public criticism over his mishandling of the problem, with citizens heckling him over his lack of action.
The city hopes to chemically sterilize the rats, instead of implementing measures for better trash pick up and cleaning up the city’s streets.
Adams recently appointed Kathleen Corradi as the citywide director of rodent mitigation, or “rat czar.”
“New York City has done a lot recently when it comes to fighting public enemy No. 1: rats. But it was clear we needed someone solely focused on leading our rat reduction efforts across all five boroughs,” said Adams said at a press event announcing the news. “… Kathy has the knowledge, drive, experience, and energy to send rats packing and create a cleaner more welcoming city for all New Yorkers.”
According to the now-removed job description, the position required “a general aura of badassery,” who was “somewhat bloodthirsty.”
Adams did not elaborate on how Corradi fit this particular description.
