Kenny Bollwerk's videos are for entertainment. But the influencer occasionally uses his TikTok's to call out businesses hoping their rodent problem gets handled.
Most New York City residents want nothing to do with rats. But not Kenny Bollwerk, who has made a career out of seeking out the city's rodents.
He reluctantly began recording large populations of rats a year ago after his boss pointed out infested areas in the city. The 36-year-old wasn’t sure if there would be an audience for them on TikTok. There was, and “Rat Tok” was born.
“So, I started to film and submit the videos to the City of New York," Bollwerk tells Inside Edition Digital. "The 311 number is the number that you get rat complaints to. So I started submitting those videos.”
The videos became so popular that they morphed into a business opportunity. Now Bollwerk offers rat tours for $50 a person.
“They want to go out with me to these different locations, see for themselves. 'Is it really that bad as Kenny's saying on TikTok?’ And it is,” Bollwerk says. Tours begin at 10:30 p.m. and last about an hour. "We stop along the way to take pictures, videos. And people are just excited to be out in the wilderness of New York City, walking around like a safari and looking for rats. It's awesome.”
Since starting this journey, Bollwerk says he has learned valuable information about rats, including their eating habits and when they are easiest to find.
His quirky hobby has earned him the nickname “Rat Daddy,” which Bollwerk embraces.
“All these funny jokes came of it,” he says.
It’s also scored him a partnership with Infinity Shields Protects, a rat deterrent.
“I started taking it, and I started spraying, and I was like, ‘Wow, this actually works. Rats are staying away,’ Bollwerk says. “They don't want to come out when I start spraying this stuff. The peppermint spray covers up the smell that they use to get around, so they can't smell where they're going. It kind of confuses them.”
Bollwerk occasionally uses his TikToks to call out businesses in the hopes that they address any rodent issues.
“I'm here to actually help the city,” Bollwerk says. “If there's a problem and you're not doing anything about it, and people are still buying food out of your place of business, we have to do better than that.”
Bollwerk's popularity has led to the creation of his “Rat Tok” merch, and in the future, he plans to offer rat tours in other cities that need assistance.
“I love going out in the middle of the night,” Bollwerk says. “I love being passionate and creating videos that show what's really going on. I love learning animal behavior. I love just researching why do rats act the way they act. I've learned so much about how smart they are.”
