Mess Of The Week Part Deux: Rats Gone Wild On New Utrecht

Reader Linda S. says she’s been having some major problems with rats after a recycling center opened on New Utrecht Avenue between 78th Street and 79th Street.

We’ve been trying to help Linda get in touch with Assemblyman Abbatte’s office and in the meantime asked her if she could send us over some photos to illustrate her problem.

Well, Linda came through like a champ. She braved the rat infested streets after dark to capture these images of rodents that seem to have the run of the place.

Hopefully some publicity will hasten the city to take action.

From Linda’s e-mail:

Hi Joe,

I have attached 3 pictures I took tonight outside the recycling center.  As you can see these are big rats and there must have been a dozen of them running in and out.  The gate to the recycling center doesn’t go all the way down to the ground so they just keep running in and out, back and forth to the curb.  People are trying to walk by and they can’t, women, old people and kids are all being terrified by this situation.  I will try to get a picture of the building during the day also.  You will not believe the amount of bottles being handled in there.  This is so inappropriate for a residential area

This picture has 5 rats coming out from under the gate

The dark spot on the side walk to the right of the orange barrel is 1

1 right in the middle of the sidewalk