More than 200 pet rats are being rescued from a studio apartment in Ohio.
The Humane Society of Greater Dayton said there might even be as many as 300 of the rats – also called "fancy" or "pocket" rats – inside.
The humane society is at the apartment on working with a rescue group out of Cincinnati called "Rattie Tattie."
"They make great pets for children," said Sheila Marquis, of the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. "They are very durable and they are very sweet and very nice; however, you don't want to have 200 of them. What becomes a problem is, you have one or two and with small pocket pets like that, if you don't spay and neuter, they breed quite rapidly.
"They have large numbers of litters," she sad. "So you may have one or two but in a couple of months, you will have 13 or 14 and become quickly overwhelmed."
The housing inspector was also called out because of the condition of the apartment. The renter is no longer living there and has turned over the animals.
A neighbor said the owner loved the rats.
"He's a good guy," said Darryl Tucker. "And you know, he just chose to raise rats. He's real close to his rats, he can tell you anything about them."
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