New York City Mayor Eric Adams has unveiled plans for a special event, the National Urban Rat Summit, set for September. This summit aims to tackle the city’s worsening rodent problem.

The announcement follows a notable increase in human leptospirosis cases last month, a disease linked to contact with rat urine. NYC is home to one of the largest brown rat populations in the US, with an estimated three million rats as of August 2023.

In a recent press release, Adams emphasized, “The best way to defeat our enemy is to know our enemy.” He revealed that the summit will bring together top rat experts from cities like Boston, New Orleans, and Seattle to deepen the understanding and management of urban rat populations.

“Many New Yorkers might not know this, but I despise rats, and I’m sure most residents share this sentiment,” Adams remarked. “We’ve seen a 14% decrease in rat sightings in our Rat Mitigation Zones over the past year, showing progress, but we’re far from finished.”

Kathleen Corradi, NYC’s first director of rodent mitigations, or “rat czar,” expressed pride in hosting the event, noting, “There’s surprisingly little research on urban rats and their control despite their prevalence in cities.”

Additionally, the New York City Council has proposed a bill mandating the use of salty pellets to sterilize rats in two neighborhoods as a pilot program.

However, animal rights group PETA has criticized Mayor Adams for “villainizing rats” and urged him to show compassion. They announced plans to send him an “empathy kit,” including a “rats have rights” mug and a guide to fostering kindness.