The seedy underbelly of Danville, Iowa

[4th and Long]

Sheriffs Shut Down Iowa Bar's Mouse Racing
Mice Kept As Family Pets When Not Racing

DANVILLE, Iowa -- Sheriffs are fighting their way through the seedy underbelly of Danville, Iowa, taking aim at unregulated gambling in its most adorable form -- mouse racing.

Officers raided the Bucktail Lodge last week in search of code violations and shut down the popular races.

The owners said the censure is as silly as their pastime.

"We don't consider it gambling at all, it's just people having fun. The money goes back to them. If you win, you win; if you lose, you lose," said Scott Beach, owner of the Bucktail Lodge.

The sleepy country bar was also cited for several health violations from the on-site rodents, old food and trash in the building's basement. The owners said those citations were absurd too.

"Nobody gets beyond the pool table over there, even if they're drinking a beer, so if a mouse can jump out of there (race track) go run and drop a turd in his beer he's doing something," said Beach.

When the mice aren't competing, they are adored as pets in the family's apartment above the bar.

"It's not like they are getting ate, 'If you're a loser you die.' It's not like that," said Beach.

For now, the races are on hold, but the mice racers said they will be in court to fight for the right to their rodent-race night. They said the incident makes it clear that the local police have little to do.

"There's no meth heads or makers around here, you just gotta mess with the mouse racers," said Beach.

http://www.kmbc.com/irresistible/28048202/detail.html

[whoman69]

Sounds like they didn't have anything else to do, or somebody got too rowdy and made too much noise.

[4th and Long]

Sometimes you win ...



and sometimes you lose. (woman in white)

[Extra Point]

The sheriff's office won't quite like the fruitcake with the special currants, courtesy of the Bucktail Lodge, this coming Holiday season.

[gblowfish]

Shocking. Homeland Security should get into this....

[milkman]

This sounds like a job for Barney Fife.

Scott Beach, who used to occupy an apartment above the bar is now a resident of cell block 4 and hosts cock-roach races in his bunk when anybody is able to smuggle a little weed inside.

[ChiefChick]

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by 4th and Long

Sometimes you win ...



and sometimes you lose. (woman in white)

[mikey23545]

Well, you have to put your foot down somewhere. The next thing you know, they'll be having Iron Rat Triathlons...