"Rat Dragging Pizza on Stairs"... New York Appoints '200 Million Won Annual Salary' Rat Catcher

by Heo Midam

Published 14 Apr.2023 14:50(KST)

Updated 14 Apr.2023 15:06(KST)

Appointment of the US's First 'Rat Pest Control Officer'

The city of New York, which has long struggled with rat infestations, recently appointed a 'rat czar' responsible for rat control and declared war on the rat population.

According to CNN and other foreign media on the 13th (local time), New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Kathleen Corradi, an employee of the city's Department of Education, as the city's rat control officer the day before.

A rat carrying a pizza while moving on the stairs of the New York subway. [Image source=Twitter]

[Image source=Pixabay]

As New York City's first rat control officer, Corradi plans to reduce the rat population and take the lead in improving residents' quality of life and addressing health issues. She will also serve as the overall coordinator across community organizations and the private sector regarding rat-related matters.

According to the mayor's office, Corradi is not a rodent expert but has built her career as an elementary school teacher in Central Brooklyn and as a program leader at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. While working at the Department of Education, she also led the zero waste initiative, which significantly contributed to reducing the rat population. Corradi's annual salary is reported to be $155,000 (approximately 217.6 million KRW).

Kathleen Corradi appointed as the rodent control officer. <br>[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Kathleen Corradi appointed as the rodent control officer.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Corradi said, "Rats are a systemic problem involving hygiene, health, housing, and the economy," adding, "I am pleased to be appointed as the first 'rat control officer' and to introduce a science- and system-based approach to rat control." She continued, "In New York City, which has been stigmatized by the so-called 'pizza rat,' no more rat sightings will be tolerated."

New York City Struggles with Rats Carrying Pizza and Crawling on People

A rat carrying a pizza while moving on the stairs of the New York subway. [Image source=Twitter]

New York has long been troubled by rats appearing throughout the city. In 2015, a video of a so-called 'pizza rat' carrying a slice of pizza down a subway staircase went viral, sparking controversy. In February, a shocking video was released showing a large rat climbing over a sleeping man in the New York subway.

There is currently no precise data on how many rats inhabit New York City. However, according to statistics compiled in 2014, about 2 million rats lived in the city at that time, and in 2016, city authorities estimated that approximately 6 million rats?three times that number?were living in New York City.

Some have pointed out that rats have become much bolder since the COVID-19 pandemic. Right after the outbreak, when New York City shut down restaurant operations, rat populations moved outdoors to search for food, and even after the pandemic subsided, the number of rats appearing on the streets in search of food increased.

As public dissatisfaction with the rat infestations grew, New York City installed locked trash bins throughout the city and distributed rat poison, but these measures had little effect.

Ultimately, New York City sought a 'problem solver' with a high salary. At the time, the city stated in the job posting for the rat control officer position that "a killer instinct and conviction are needed to fight the rat population living in New York."