Giant Rat Spotted in New York Grocery Store Causes Stir
New York, NY – Shoppers at a popular grocery store in Manhattan were startled yesterday afternoon when a massive rat was spotted scurrying through the aisles. The rodent, described by witnesses as “the size of a small cat,” caused panic among customers and prompted an immediate response from the store’s staff.
The incident occurred around 3:00 PM at a well-known supermarket on the Upper West Side. Several shoppers reported hearing screams before seeing the large rat dart between shelves in the produce section. “It was huge—definitely not your average city rat,” said one shopper, still visibly shaken after the encounter.
Store employees quickly sprang into action, attempting to corner the rat while customers were urged to move away from the area. “We take sanitation and the safety of our customers very seriously,” said a store representative. “Our team immediately began efforts to capture the animal and prevent any further disturbance.”
The store was briefly closed while a professional pest control team was called in to handle the situation. By early evening, the rat had been captured and the store was thoroughly sanitized before reopening.
Rats in New York City are built different😳 pic.twitter.com/IkbfTTlDkE
— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) August 8, 2024
Health officials are investigating how the rodent managed to enter the store. In the meantime, the store has reassured customers that additional measures are being implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.
While New Yorkers are no strangers to the occasional rodent sighting, the size of this particular rat has sparked considerable discussion online, with social media users sharing their disbelief and humorously dubbing the rat “Ratzilla.”
Despite the scare, no injuries were reported, and business has since returned to normal. However, for those present during the incident, it’s a grocery run they won’t soon forget