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.

I'm the same.

Took 3 replies...well done

What's your problem?

Yes I never eat at a friend's house after seeing her cat lick its bum while sitting on her chopping board on the worktop. Absolutely minging. She didn't seem to care. Vom.

I'm a dog owner so I know about licking but they do it on the floor or their washable beds!

Eh?

Just how long do you think a rat can swim while holding its breath?

I don't think rats are incontinent? Mice are for sure but pet rats are apparently very clean and like to keep their homes clean, I believe.

Half the feral kids (and adults) you see running around these days don’t belong in public indoor spaces yet here we are.

@CorduroySituation no idea, it's what she told me. Maybe hers in particular where incontinent.

I think it's cruel to take small pets on outings for the sake of it. They're going to be stressed by all the noise and it's of no benefit to them, just the owner.

Rats can come up inside toilets via the drain.

A lot of people have rat phobia. I wouldn't be able to eat after seeing one.

Apart from the S-bend, aren't drainpipes empty until you flush?

@XWKD nope. There have been real incidents of a rat coming up through the toilet

@CorduroySituation I absolutely hate when people allow cats on the counters in the kitchen it's disgusting, especially cats that go outside

I know. What has this got to do with what I said?

Yes, they'd stay with their owner. They're quite intelligent. I can't imagine them running off in a strange noisy, potentially dangerous place just for food

I would far prefer rats to dogs in a coffee shop. Rats would be quiet, stay with their owners, mostly out of sight. Dogs bark, approach you, lick, sniff and slobber on people.
FWIW, I do absolutely love dogs but right now, very poor behaviour from dogs is being tolerated and defended and I don't love thar.

A pet rat is probably a lot cleaner than a dog. They're pretty friendly, obedient, don't slobber everywhere, aren't noisy. Usually toilet trained and tend to stick with their owners.

If the place allows pets then it wouldn't be a problem. If it doesn't then of course a rat shouldnt be in there but tbh I'd a million times rather someone's pet rat than their dog.

That’s disgusting. Have to say that I’m not 100% sure I believe this thread though.

Also generally humans are pretty unclean.

When you go to a public cafe unless the rat is actually preparing the food its not posing anymore risk to the cleanliness of your food than the person on the table the next to you, and is much less likely to carry any disease that makes you sick. Your eating off a clean plate not the table, which will be wiped down between customers anyway and presumably the rat stays in the sling or on their human.

Even if the human hadn't had the rat on them there's a reasonable chance they'd touched an animal and not washed their hands.

I'd rather a rat than a dog, I'm a dog owner and love rats/have had them, but I hate dogs inside cafes, unless they are impeccably behaved (mine is not, so I won't take her to a cafe unless we can sit outside and away from other customers!)

Animals of any kind don't belong in coffee shops.

Me too. What is next, a pet scorpion?

@feelingrobbed - that’s nonsense. Mice do that, not rats. Rats will happily use a litter tray. They are not incontinent and are very clean.

As long as rat was in a pouch or on her shoulder I would not have any problem with that. Any hint of an animal getting onto the surfaces is unhygienic and would put me off, but a nice tame rat sitting on its owner is fine.

Much as I love cats, the local cat café is revolting as the cats wander all over the tables and nose at the plates. But if the surfaces are kept clean I don’t have a problem with well behaved animals under their owner’ control.

@XWKD sorry I was trying to reply to the person you quoted. I'm not very tech savvy apparently 😂