A Dangerous Spike in the Boroughs
New York City is facing a terrifying 57% increase in rabid raccoon cases compared to last year. By August 20, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island had already logged 20 total cases, as the numbers climb fast. This count matches the entire total for all of 2025, signaling a serious breakdown in how we handle wildlife safety.
Staten Island is taking the hardest hit, accounting for nine of those cases. The borough has recorded 26 confirmed rabies cases in the last five years, ranking second in the city behind Queens. Meanwhile, Manhattan has reported zero cases in 2026, creating a stark divide in public safety across the five boroughs.
Why Staten Island Is Being Left Behind
The city recently launched an oral rabies vaccination effort, dropping fish-scented bait packets in select parks and green spaces. But according to reporting from the NY Post Metro, Staten Island was excluded from this critical initiative. While Brooklyn and Queens got the vaccine bait, the borough with the highest concentration of rabid animals got nothing.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella slammed the decision, stating that leaving his borough out is “playing with people’s well being.” Residents are seeing the animals everywhere. One local noted the creatures are “constantly in my yard,” while another blamed new construction, saying “there are so many houses going up, they have nowhere to go.”
Some New Yorkers seem oblivious to the danger. A family of raccoons in Central Park has become a tourist attraction where crowds film and feed them. Comments on videos include “How cute!” and jokes about “That tree apartment.” It’s a dangerous game when people treat wild animals like pets.
The RapForMayor Take: Common Sense Must Prevail
This is a failure of leadership that we cannot ignore. You do not exclude the borough with the most rabid raccoons from a city-wide vaccination plan. It makes no sense and puts families at risk. According to the city, the animals in Central Park don’t have rabies; one official stated, “If they had rabies, the Park Conservancy would take care of it.” That might be true for the park, but it doesn’t help the residents of Staten Island.
We are seeing a pattern where the administration ignores the outer boroughs until it’s too late. The 57% surge is not a glitch; it’s a crisis. The city needs to expand the bait distribution immediately. Waiting for the next case to turn fatal is not a strategy. We need a plan that covers every neighborhood, not just the ones that look good on paper.
The “war on rats” mentioned by Gothamist might be taking a toll on other wildlife, but that doesn’t justify letting rabies spread unchecked. We need to protect our kids and our pets. If the city won’t act, the residents of Staten Island are left to deal with the consequences alone. That is not how New York operates.
There is no specific vote date listed for an immediate emergency session on this issue. However, the current trend suggests the case count will rise before the vaccination program is corrected. Residents should remain vigilant and report any sick animals to the NYC Health Department immediately. Do not approach the wildlife.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
