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.

Katelynn Ulrich

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Sep 12, 2024, 10:55 AM

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Updated 100 days ago

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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