The Rat Patrol Comes to Town

Boston just got its own food scare thanks to tabloid TV show Inside Edition. They brought their "Rat Patrol" into several restaurants, including the Quincy Market McCormick & Schmick's, Ruth's Chris, China Pearl, and other establishments.

After having to sit through some crap about Anna Nicole's momma, we discovered that Inside Edition really does have a dedicated "Rat Patrol" of five people standing around and looking tough while they sniff out rats under the cover of night.

One thing's for sure about the "Rat Patrol" - they love their jobs. The "Rat Patrol" spokesman was giddy with joy when discussing McCormick and Schmick's, proclaiming, "It should come as little surprise that we found a rat having a midnight snack right in the middle of the filth!"

In one "revolting rat revelation" (these people love alliteration!), the "Rat Patrol" annoyed Ruth's Chris employees by zooming in on them as they went back and forth from the Dumpster. They're lucky they didn't get punched, but Ruth's Chris got written up for the rats.

The city health inspector is already promising to keep cracking down. The owners of China Pearl and Il Panino Express are saying that the Big Dig stirred up the critters, but we doubt the health inspector buy that now that the cameras have come calling.

In a report from WCVB, a food inspector also blamed regular residents who are a little too comfortable with the rats: "Everybody calls the city and says, 'You are not doing anything.' But people have to be responsible -- the tenants, the landlords. They have keep their (trash) lids closed. You have to call your exterminator when you are supposed to -- every three or four months to be able to regulate the problem."

Yeah, close your lids - because the last thing you need is the Rat Patrol bringing a cameraman and rooting around in your garbage.

Image of the Rat Patrol from Inside Edition. Note how some of them look eagerly at the ground.