Yet another reason why we should not look to Australia for inspiration.

Aside from the fact that they're also filming insipid reality shows, I mean. Australia hosts a British* I'm A Celebrity-- Get Me Out Of Here! show, and they put B-list people with presumably recognizable names in icky situations. In one recent one, they cooked a rat, and had the celebrities eat it, or something. Yeah, it's disgusting. But whatever. They're being paid in more camera time, and a shot at money.

The Aussies are now firing up a full-fledged animal cruelty case about this. Over a rat being killed on camera. To be eaten.

Rodent plagues are common in Australia. They also carry fleas, which can spread other plagues, like that little matter that consumed 1/3 to 1/2 of Europe in the 14th century. Rats are truly omnivorous, and are known to attack helpless persons (like babies) when they find them.

Boy, howdy. It's nice to know that the Aussies have managed to quell all real crime, that they've got time to focus their resources on protecting vermin like this. What's next? Mosquito and housefly protection?

_____________________________________
*Julie informs me in comments that it's actually a Pommy British reality show, filmed in Oz.