News

August 2018

The Health Department and NYC Parks recently discovered raccoons infected with distemper in Central Park. Distemper is a viral illness that is not a health risk for humans. The virus spreads when animals make contact with infected saliva, feces, respiratory discharge or urine. Raccoons with distemper act disoriented and lethargic. They can become aggressive. If you own a dog, make sure their distemper and rabies vaccinations are current. If a raccoon bites your dog and its rabies vaccinations are not up-to-date, the dog may need to be quarantined.

No raccoons have tested positive for rabies. Test results have not discovered any risk to human health. The Health Department will continue to monitor the extent and duration of the condition. If you see a sick or injured raccoon, call 311.

July 2018

Mayor de Blasio and Borough President Oddo Announce New Tick Control Initiative on Staten Island
July 23, 2018

STATEN ISLAND—Mayor Bill de Blasio and Borough President Jimmy Oddo today announced a new initiative that will enhance tick surveillance, outreach and control measures on Staten Island to reduce the risk of Lyme and other diseases that are acquired from tick bites. The City will increase spending by approximately $600,000 a year.

November 2017

New City Ads Coming to Subways, Buses to Discourage Wildlife Feeding
11/6/2017
Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced a new phase of WildlifeNYC – a campaign launched last October to teach New Yorkers how to live responsibly alongside the wild animals that inhabit the city. The citywide campaign will now focus on a specific action: "Please don't feed NYC's wildlife." Starting today, new ads will be visible on buses, subways, phone kiosks and street pole banners in all five boroughs. The ads will feature mallards, deer, raccoons, coyotes and red-tailed hawks.

May 2017

WildlifeNYC to Bring Animal Education to All Boroughs
5/8/17
Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the expansion of WildlifeNYC, an education campaign launched last October to teach New Yorkers how to live responsibly alongside the wild animals that inhabit the city. Previously, the campaign focused largely on deer awareness on Staten Island and in the Bronx. The revamped campaign – now citywide – aims to educate residents in all five boroughs about red-tailed hawks, piping plovers, raccoons, coyotes and deer.

October 2016

WildlifeNYC Introduces New Yorkers to Urban Fauna
10/21/16
Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the launch of WildlifeNYC, a citywide education and awareness campaign teaching New Yorkers how to live safely and responsibly alongside wild animals including deer, raccoons, and coyotes.

June 2016

Health Commissioner Bassett, Staten Island Borough President Oddo Launch Citywide Social Media Tick-Borne Disease Prevention Campaign
6/9/16
As part of the de Blasio Administration's Deer Impact Management Plan, the Health Department and Staten Island Borough President James S. Oddo today launched a comprehensive tick-borne disease prevention campaign to remind New Yorkers to protect themselves against ticks and tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease.

May 2016

Mayor de Blasio Announces Multifaceted Deer Impact Management Plan for Staten Island
5/10/16
Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP today announced that the City has proposed aggressive actions to control Staten Island's white-tailed deer population and its impact on public health, traffic safety, and natural resources.

November 2015

NYC DOT Announces Deer Corridor Signage Program
11/13/15
The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Polly Trottenberg today announced the implementation of a deer corridor signage program.