It's about two in the morning, and you're looking through the windows of Boston restaurants. Watch. Yup. It's a rat.
And there's another one. And another one. Another restaurant: another rodent. Another restaurant: a mouse. And another. And another.
Boston Diner"Yuck."
Boston Diner"Disgusting."
Boston inspectors do check local restaurants for health violations like rodents infestation and Inspectional Services is now fighting an all out war on rats. A team hunts them down with bait, traps them, kills them and hands out big money tickets for rodent attracting filth.
Hank"So you don't need to see a rat to know they're there?"
John Meaney, Boston Inspectional Services "No."
But even then our investigation found for some restaurants it could be a losing battle. And this restaurant owner who wanted to hide his identity admits it.
Hank"If someone said I saw a mouse in your restaurant would you be surprised?"
Restaurant owner"No."
Hank"You would not?"
Restaurant owner"No."
Hank"Why?"
Restaurant owner"Because they do exist at times."
Watch this rat headed towards a restaurant in the Fenway. It seems to know right where to go. Although this hole in the building looks way too tiny this guy crams himself through.
Here's a white table clothed dining room in the North End and here's a late night visitor. A bar near Park Street Station this four-legged unwelcome guest.
Restaurant owner"I wish it didn't happen, but it's the reality."
We patrolled the late night streets of the city checking windows with flashlights. In some restaurants, we found nothing.
In others, something else, rats, mice, more rats and more mice.
This rat leaped out of the garbage and ran toward that hole in the Fenway establishment
This restaurant near Haymarket had rats both nights we visited here's one and another and this is a different one.
We warned every restaurant owner where we found rodents.
They complained about trash on the streets, the Big Dig construction, the age of the buildings in Boston and the change of seasons all contributes to the pest problem.
Watch inside this dumpster in a city suburb.
This shows what can happen and how fast when garbage is left to accumulate. Rats know when the people leave the buildings at night that's their time to take over.
Restaurant inspectors on the job during the day when the rats are in hiding, usually just find evidence like rodent dropping like these and these, or damaged packaging indicating infestation. If there's a problem, officials may shut the restaurant down.
Hank"Is it ever acceptable to have rats and mice in restaurants, we saw them!"
John Meaney, Boston Inspectional Services"No. Again, based on the information, no. We want to see restaurants that are rodent free."
Hank"Does it concern you?"
John Meaney, Boston Inspectional Services"It concerns me."
But when we pulled the inspection reports for all the restaurants where we found rats and mice most showed investigators found nothing. Officials encourage customers to report rodent sightings so inspectors can move in.
John Meaney, Boston Inspectional Services"We need to know. We need to know. We can only take action based on the information we have."
It's the disturbing reality of big city restaurants some after hours dinner guests are disease carrying scavengers.
Hank "And experts know, this time of year it's likely to get even worse November is a peak season for rats and as the weather gets even colder, the rodents head inside for shelter.
If you want to report a rodent problem or sighting to the City of Boston wants to hear from you:Call: 617-635-5300 or go to: http://www.cityofboston.gov/contact/default.asp
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