Of Rats and Men

Pandolfi was a good sport. As the self-proclaimed "Rat Chick"—some California gal had previously staked her claim to "Rat Lady"—she's heard it all before. And more often than not, in the course of her rat-rescue mission, she dispels "the myths" about her favorite rodents. She adopted her first rats some two decades ago—during her "punk rock" days—and once hosted 40 that she rescued from medical experiments. Through her "Rat Chick Rat Rescue & Advocacy Group," she's turned rat haters into rat lovers. So, delving into my psyche for some repressed horror—none was found—that's what she tried to do with me. "This is good for you," Pandolfi said in a shrink's tone, as she let a couple rats scurry out of their cage, which sits on an end table right next to her couch.

...rat myth busters