To think pet rats don't belong in coffee shops?

[Rowena191]

I was a bit gobsmacked today in the queue in a coffee shop. The young woman in front of me was wearing a baby sling and out crawled a pet rat, which ran up and down her arm and had a good sniff about. It didn't poo, wee, bite anyone or run on the counter tops. But all the same I felt creeped out. Rats are not what I am expecting in an establishment serving food. I didn't say anything as frankly I was too shocked.

Was I being unreasonable and pet rats are fine? (I do think pet rats are fine if kept in your own home.) Should I have said something to her? Should I have complained to the manager? Plenty of people bring in dogs after all.

Proof that you are selfish. How can you be so inconsiderate?

Ok, I go to a dog friendly cafe with my dog. She is allowed, and I am doing nothing wrong.
You come in and moan about dogs. How am I the selfish one?
Don't you think you are both idiotic and entitled, to be going into a dog friendly cafe and stamping your feet when you see dogs are there? FFS, maybe instead of a cafe, you should go to shop that sells grips and buy one.
That is like a vegan going into a butchers and moaning that they sell meat.

I took my family of pet cockroaches to a local cafe, honestly, by the reaction of the other customers you would have thought it was a family of hangry velociraptors who had missed out on breakfast. I pointed out that they were behaving beautifully, staying nicely on their plate with their share of our almond croissant ( their favourite) but no, we were literally thrown out. Mrs Cockroach sustained quite serious injury to her left antenna, but said she didn’t think she could face the stress of going to A and E. 🙁

Let's just invite all the predatory animals. Hopefully they all eat each other and order will be restored.

Where are the dog unfriendly cafes, please? Every coffee shop and pub round here welcomes dogs! I did see a 'guide dogs only' notice in one place (it used the correct wording, which I can't remember). But, since the clientele was approx 33% canine, it's safe to say the notice is ignored.

At sixth form college, there used to a student who took her pet rat to class with her. Was always glad we didn't do the same subjects but she was harder to avoid in the common room. Urgh.

No helpful, sorry.

I love domesticated rats. They're so clever and gentle. But I appreciate it would be a bit alarming if you weren't expecting it

A pet hedgehog! We need more details..

Fair!

A stray rat.

Ie: a random wild one.

Wee ratty wouldn't bother me, no different to a dog

Yes, this happened, but didn't take a photo so don't have proof. I prefer not to say where, but a university town and the person did look studenty, so maybe could be considered bohemian. There was no baby in the sling or I think I would have been calling social services.

I'm not the biggest dog fan but used to them being in cafes and at least they stay on the floor. I accept that service dogs need to be allowed in.

Lol at the hedgehog and fruit bat, those are amazing!

Nobody has suggested what I should have done, would a complaint have been warranted?

Thanks for all your perspectives!

Same

I would be a bit surprised to see a rat, a hedgehog or a bird of prey

but it's pretty obvious it's a pet, not a wild rat.

A "no pet' cafe would make sense, but if dogs are allowed, how do you ban others? I can't stand giant snails, but I appreciate it's my problem 😂

There are certainly far more appropriate places to get your rat out…

you could have had a quiet word with the manager and point out you were uncomfortable with a pet rat.

Then it's up to them if they do something about it.

If pets are allowed, the rat owner didn't do anything wrong - as long as they didn't let the animal run and climb all other the place.

True.

YANBU

aside from being vile a lot of people are terrified of rodents. My poor mum would be petrified

Up to you to find one. As a dog owner, it is not my responsibility to find you a dog free place.

This made me smile. President Roosevelt and his family had five guinea pigs, one of which whom sat on his shoulder in the senate meetings.

Can someone who has rats tell me

Do they not just climb off you to go explore? Would you not lose them?

The rat looked healthy and tame, so no animal welfare worries.
Thank you everyone, you have laid my gnawing anxiety to rest. Clearly I should have ratted her out to the manager!

I have had rats. They love to stay close to their owners. Their eye sight is shit, and they are such loving little critters.

I’ve seen several rats on the tube over the years. Pet ones I mean, on someone’s shoulder. I really like rats, but it certainly seemed to make people scatter swiftly away when one massive white one appeared from behind a bloke’s hair.

Omg I would have had a bloody heart attack and screamed