If you have ever been to a dog park or walked by one, you’re keenly aware of the species the park accommodates — and even then, the patrons don’t always get along.
But throw another animal into the mix and you’re sure to have a canine commotion on your hands.
That’s what happened for parkgoers at a New York City dog park recently when one of the infamous New York rats decided to stroll directly through the park.
Whether the rat was sick or simply a brazen big city dweller, it certainly drew a lot of attention — first from the dogs, then from the owners, and then from the internet, as a video of the incident has gone viral and sits at over 6 million views.
Live from New York City pic.twitter.com/ziN3NZrWhR
— dinny (@dinfowars) May 24, 2022
The video, posted on Twitter on Tuesday, shows the large rat hopping along despite the pack of dogs intrigued by the live squeaky toy.
At some points it appears to leap at the dogs, leading some people to label the rat as aggressive.
The dogs are almost as unphased by the rat’s advances as they are by their owners’ desperate attempts to keep them from getting to the rodent.
Owners swirl around, kicking up dust as they try to put themselves between their pups and the rat or lead their dogs away from the scene — but the dogs aren’t about to let the free entertainment just leave.
One particularly eager pup dives for the rat and flips it through the air before her owner is on her and forces her to back away from the rat with a pointed finger.
— a girl named hello (@coolhats34) May 25, 2022
According to the New York Post, that dog was later determined to be a 4-year-old Jindo mix named Zoey.
A friend of Zoey’s owner, referred to in the comments as “gray sweatshirt guy,” eventually surfaced online to let people know that Zoey was OK after her brush with the questionable creature.
“I’m posting on behalf of my friend in the video, Jonah (now known as hoodie man) and his dog, Zoey — both of whom are ok and not sick,” Danielle Koire tweeted on Wednesday.
I’m posting on behalf of my friend in the video, Jonah (now known as hoodie man) and his dog, Zoey — both of whom are ok and not sick ?
CC @whatisny pic.twitter.com/nvgaF9RbfN
— Danielle Koire (@DanielleKoire) May 26, 2022
Some commenters wondered aloud why the owners didn’t just let the dogs handle the situation, but others pointed out that the rat could have been diseased or poisoned and the owners were doing the responsible thing by not letting their pets dispatch the wayward rodent.
A renaissance painting pic.twitter.com/aacEe4XEl4
— Diavolo? (@Glohansrevenge) May 25, 2022
Others are focusing on the absurdity of it all.
“You know it’s a New York rat because it fought back,” one person commented. “Ready to risk it all.”
— katrina (@katreennuhh) May 25, 2022
Still others pointed out the nearly poetic arrangement of subjects during certain moments of the clip, likening the scene to a Renaissance painting.
In the end, the rat appeared to make it out of the park under its own power, thanks in part to the owners who intervened on behalf of their dogs.
If nothing else, it certainly was a very New York moment.
