Rats! Tip reveals 51 rodents at home

Des Moines animal control officers this week removed 46 pet rats from a south-side home after receiving a tip about conditions in the house.

The move left the rodents' 15-year-old owner feeling sad.

"They were part of our family," Faith Watkins said. "It hurt, especially since they took all the boys."

Des Moines animal control officers went to the Watkins' house in the 600 block of Southeast Hackley Avenue on Monday after receiving an emailed, anonymous complaint.

The family does not know who contacted authorities, Faith Watkins said. She said her family learned about the complaint when animal control officers arrived at their house on Monday.

"They said that they were basically here to take the rats cause somebody complained, saying that their child was in our house and they felt that something was wrong," Watkins said.

The Watkins allowed officers to enter. Though conditions in the house were poor — officers wore respirators and a city zoning official helped the family clean the house on Wednesday — the rats appeared well cared for, officials said.

Watkins said the rats were "very well-cared for" and that she did extensive research on them before she got her first six rodents about a year ago. Watkins, who will be a Lincoln High School sophomore, wanted the rats to help with her anxiety.

"They were therapy rats," said Rhonda Watkins, Faith's mother.

It didn't take long for the rats to multiply. Male rats kept sneaking out of their cages and impregnating female rats, Faith Watkins said.

This summer, the family had 51 rodents. Faith Watkins said she was trying to find homes for the rats, but she was afraid they would become snake food. "I wouldn't have had an issue giving them to the ARL, but I was worried they would take them all away if they saw how many we did have," she said.

Watkins said "it was really kind of hard to keep up with the cages because there were so many and they would get dirty so fast. ... We knew we had too many, but we wanted them to get homes, not sit in a cage for the rest of their lives."

The Watkins were "very accommodating, very polite," Des Moines Police Sgt. James Butler said.

Butler, who said he had never been in a house with so many rats, said city code does not limit the number of rats a person can have. No charges will be filed against the Watkins, he said.

The Watkins were allowed to keep five female rats; they also have a dog and two cats. The rest of the rats were taken to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, where they will be medically examined and then put up for adoption, Butler said.

Watkins said she does not plan on getting any more rats while she still lives with her parents.

"Maybe when I have my own place, but not when I'm here," Watkins said. "I'm probably going to get boys because they are just so much more affectionate than the girls are."