Rat Week: A look into the work of the 'Rat Daddy'
Kenny Bollwerk, the creator of the viral TikTok account “Rat Tok,” has amassed a large following on social media. He documents his rat hunts across the city, and his content has evolved into full-fledged "rat tours," attracting locals and tourists.
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It's estimated that three million rats roam our city. One local man has turned the city's rodent problem into a tour experience.
News 12’s Katelynn Ulrich joined Kenny Bollwerk, better known as the "Rat Daddy," on one of his now-popular rat tours through Bushwick.
“I’m an official rat hunter tonight,” said Ulrich.
Bollwerk, the creator of the viral TikTok account “Rat Tok,” has amassed a large following on social media. He documents his rat hunts across the city, and his content has evolved into full-fledged "rat tours," attracting locals and tourists.
“We're about to see some rats climb onto a fence,” Bollwerk told his viewers on TikTok the night of the tour.
Patience is key to spotting rats. His typical tour runs from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. when rat activity is highest. When News 12 was with him one night, a follower tipped Bollwerk off about a rat hotspot on Jefferson Street in Bushwick.
"That's a nest. When I see multiple ones in a nest like that, it disrupts quality of life," said Bollwerk
Bollwerk and his followers don't just observe - they take action. Viewers often call 311 in real-time during the tours, reporting infestations as Bollwerk documents them. He aims to help address the city’s rat problem one neighborhood at a time.
For Bollwerk, it’s just another night in the life of the “Rat Daddy.”
MORE INFORMATION: Bollwerk's website
