The video has gone viral not only because we see a rat crawling up a man’s leg but also because of the man’s reaction.
A rat encounter in South Boston captured the attention of the internet. It's not only causing people to laugh and scream, but it's also sparking a conversation about how many rats are crawling around the city.
David Gomez, an East Boston resident, recorded the encounter while hanging out and drinking with his friends in the Seaport's Fort Point neighborhood on the day before Thanksgiving. Suddenly, a rat just climbed up his leg.
However, what seems more shocking is that Gomez remained calm throughout and even had the audacity to record it on his phone.
"I was just chilling, I don't know. Yeah, my friends were like, 'Why were you so calm?' and I was like, 'I don’t know'," said Gomez. "I thought it was funny because I had never seen something like that happen before. So, my reaction was to pull out my phone and make a funny video."
It's worth a reminder that rats often carry diseases, including salmonella and rat bite fever, so it's best to stay clear.
Luckily, Gomez wasn't bitten. He said he thinks rats are gross and are a problem in Boston, which begs the question, what is being done about rats in the city?
Earlier this year, Boston City Council President Ed Flynn proposed the creation of a "rat czar," which Mayor Michelle Wu expressed support for. But that proposal seems to have been put on a back burner.
City Councilor Julia Mejia told NBC10 Boston there could be action taken before the end of the year to fund a "rat czar" for next year.
The city of Boston said wherever you see rodents, then there's a rodent issue and you should report it by calling 311 or submit a picture of the issue to the 311 app.
