Residents in North Riverdale say rats have taken over garbage collection areas, becoming such a persistent presence on certain strips that some pedestrians are avoiding the sidewalks altogether, with others noting the rodents are burrowing into the neighborhood’s rocky terrain.
The growing concerns, particularly around Fieldston Road and Mosholu Avenue, have prompted repeated 311 complaints and drawn the attention of Bronx Community Board 8 and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. An analysis by The Riverdale Press of city 311 records found that rodent-related complaints across Community Board 8’s district increased approximately 20% during the first 10 months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
Kathy Estrella, owner of Bongo Nail Lounge at 5806 Mosholu Ave. and a Fieldston Road resident, said she has become so accustomed to encountering rats along her walk home she now takes precautions…