Scabby is the “true rat czar of New York City,” said WGA East communications director Jason Gordon, referencing the more fun title for the city’s new director of rodent migration.

As New York City deals with an influx of actual rats, Scabby the Rat has become that rare thing, like Pizza Rat or Buddy the Rat — a rodent New Yorkers can rally behind. But in the era of ...

“One thing that Scabby the Rat does is draw attention to a problem. If there’s a big Scabby the Rat there, there must be a labor issue there. Naturally, passersby will stop and ...