UMC denies rat escape rumors
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Residents of the Blenman-Elm Neighborhood just east of the University Medical Center here in Tucson are learning to “look before they sit” according to a recent Arizona Daily Star article, as small, white rats have been swimming their way into residents’ toilet bowls.
While rumor indicates that the rats are actually laboratory animals from the University of Arizona, the university denies that these are laboratory rats, noting that they are the same type that pet stores sell as food for snakes.
Public works officials admit that the problem may never be completely solved. Citing ethics and privacy concerns, they nonetheless immediately declined an offer from the university’s department of herpetology to release a family of camera-carrying snakes (see comment #9) into the sewer system to screen the sewers for any remaining rats.
Meanwhile, an unnamed member of the university’s chapter of Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals denied accusations that a team of highly-trained special forces students released the rats from UMC, utilizing the sewer system to extract the hostages.
Despite UMC’s strict lab-rat monitoring procedures, a spokesman did state that they would pay a little more attention to the rats. Said the spokesman, “We don’t this coming up and biting us in the [expletive].”
Music is "Had a Plan, Had to Change It" by Derek K. Miller of Penmachine.
That is so gross yet so interesting.
Infact special forces “rescuing” rats sounds like the making of a movie. Maybe the U of A should admit to it to get the movie-rights.
Comment by Topher George — January 16, 2007 @ 3:20 pm