#Taxidermist creates ‘high-five machine’ out of rat legs for people who miss high fives

Britain’s wackiest taxidermist has created a solution for loved ones who want to embrace while social distancing – a ‘high-five machine’ made out of rats legs.

Eccentric Jack Devaney has spent more than two years building up a catalog of unusual creations that already include a rabbit toaster, a rat pencil case and magnetic mice.

He has now unveiled his latest work – “Pawtable High Five Machines” – made using limbs from rodents below the knee to the tip of the toe.

His inspiration came from wanting to help people who like to celebrate and greet each other with a “high five” but are concerned about doing so during coronavirus.

Devaney, 26, of Plymouth, Devon, England said: “They’re called “Pawtable High Five Machines” and are made out of rat legs.

“I’d been skinning rats to make other things, but I accidentally tore off one of the legs when I was making an ‘Abumandaball Snowman,’ which have heads made from rat scrotums.

“I didn’t want to waste it or just throw it into my tub of odd toes and scraps of ball-sack, so I thought it might be nice to make a portable high five machine.

“I know that some people still aren’t socializing and I understand that some people like to celebrate with a high five and they’re at a disadvantage right now.

“So, if they buy one of these for themselves and a friend they regularly high five they can simulate doing so with a tiny little rat paw.

“It’s just something new for people to try and to give people a laugh.”

Devaney has built up a worldwide following with his off-the-wall creations that recently included a romantic range featuring mouse bum wedding rings, mouse hearts in little hearts, rat scrotum pendants and kidneys in diamonds.

He has faced a backlash from some animal rights protesters, but he is adamant that all his dead animals are ethically sourced.

He added: “This latest range is from rats that are ethically sourced from pet shops and are frozen feeder rats.

“I’m not really a high fiver myself, but I think I could train myself to give better high fives with one of these.

“Some of them have a toe missing, so in some cases it’s more of a high three, or high four.

“I think that’s good though because it means everyone’s not going to be just having the same thing with the same amount of rat toes on a spring. I’m hoping that’s something that people will really like.

“I’m thinking it’s good for families that haven’t seen each other for a while.”

Devaney said he has been working for more than two years full time running his business, the World Around Ewe since he developed the niche while completing a 3D design course at university.

He said he “misunderstood” the brief of a project and designed a pencil case made out of a dead rat to showcase skills he had previously learned as a butcher.

But while the idea didn’t go down well with university bosses it did spark interest from around the world – and has led to a successful business.

He added: “The most successful items I have ever sold have been the magnetic mouse earring but it is hard to name the weirdest. They are all pretty strange to be honest.

“I try to make stuff that makes me and other people laugh out loud. That’s all I really want to do.

“Throughout the year the reaction has been generally positive. Every couple of months someone will start spreading lies about me and I have had death threats. They wrongly think I have killed the animals myself.

“People who are aware of what I do think they are great. Some people think I am mental and others think it is cruel. But there is no cruelty at all as I buy everything already frozen.

“There are two sides though – you either really like it or not into it at all.”

Devaney said as soon as he listed his latest items they were being snapped up.