Animals

Pretty cool. Well-done, Stephanie. I am going to share this article. :)

I think the idiocy in the comment section of the article is engendered by the lack of direction in the article itself. As I read it, I asked myself: What's the point?

Or more accurately, the fundamental "Why?" must be answered and, unfortunately, this article didn't entertain the question at all. Why are these three people (Stephanie included) pursuing this issue? The author should have at least approached some of the fundamental "animal rights" premises as a groundwork, because without them, people are left to assume whatever absurdities they would like about "motivations" and go from there.

I hoped the author would have begun a discussion about the institutional pressure against helping adoptable rats as well. Stories abound about otherwise adoptable rats who are needlessly killed without reason or remorse. This kind of story would have rightfully shifted some of the sympathy back to the three individuals being profiled.

You rock Stephanie!!! =)

Reading the comment section was heartbreaking. Why don't people realize that all the plagues were not caused by the rats but the filthy living conditions humans subjected themselves to like peeing in streets and dumping waste out of your window, people used to live in filthy conditions (and in some places still do); typical human behavior always blaming the less fortunate and most often innocent for the downfalls of life.

I hope you liked the video starring three of my seven adopted lab rats. They are so sweet and so cute! I am delighted to have them in my home.

I have two pet rats that I simply adore them. They are such smart, sweet animals when they aren't forced to scrounge in sewers! Love the article!

This is outstanding, and the more exposure animal "rights" and PCRM gets, the better.  People have to start understanding the  cycle of violence, and how our slavery and abuse of animals spills over into the rest of society.  The Nazi's continued to elevate their torture and murder by first starting with animals by expanding slaughterhouses and the enslavement of animals.  After that it was experimentation and torture of the developmentally disabled and women.  From their they expanded to the death camps.  It's not rocket science.  Peace begins at the dinner place>  Ahimsa to all!

I adopted two former lab rats that were the sweetest, & most loving animals you could ever meet. They were tortured for nine months in a lab before I adopted them from The Humane League of Philadelphia. Both of my rats died this week at about age 2 ( one from cancer & one from a breathing issue). I love them with all my heart. This testing on rats ( and all animals) must stop! These animals have feelings, and deserve to live in peace. I think it is wonderful that people are speaking up for the rats and all lab animals. We must boycott these torture products that come from the labs and speak up for those animals without a voice!

Can we make a petition ??? for the rats ??? 

any alive creature should be treated as should be !!!

Our family have lived with a total of nine companion rats.  They are like dogs -- friendly, intelligent, affectionate and they come running when you call their names!  I would love to join a movement to get all animals, and especially rats, out of the lab. They should be pets only.

Rats are AWESOME!!! I have had many rat companions over the years and they are wonderful, loving, smart, playful little angels! Vivisectors--and ALL animal abusers-- need to grow up and join the rest of us in the 21st century!!!

I have had rat companions for over a decade, close to 80 in total because I am involved in rat rescue, and they are one of the most agreeable creatures on the entire planet.  I put them right up there on par with pigs.  They are just a pint sized version.
Rats are loving, caring and kind to each other and their humans, they are extremely intelligent, and they grieve horribly when they lose a cagemate.
It is criminal what we do to them.

Can we make a petition for the rats ??? 

Any alive creature should be treated as should be !!!

added my two cents at wsj.  one apparent researcher commented that rats have no rights, but  humans have an obligation to behave responsibly.  i agree that humans will always decide what rights animals have because animals will never be able to protest.   but it is irresponsible to kill a sentient being without absolute necessity.  treating an animate object as an inanimate one defies common sense, and signals a lazy intellect.

Rats deserve their lives as much as any of the rest of us.

I had pet rats, hooded, as a child. Even entered in a home town parade with my "snuggles".
He was the greatest little friend:-)
Animals of all breeds must HAVE RIGHTS!!

I have 5 pet rats- 3 were saved from a lab when they were babies. Rats are intelligent and loving little creatures...no different from the dogs & cats i've had over the years. Unfortunately, rats are some of the most despised creatures on this planet- and this is exactly why they need our protection the most. If humans cannot sympathize with the most lowly creatures on earth, there's no way we'll ever learn to love each other

When my son was 4, I took him to a reptile store(I won't visit a zoo) as wanted him to see in person, critters that he had been watching on animal planet/national geographic channels.  We were given a tour of the 'back room', where 'food' was kept.  Amongst a myriad of cricket cages, was a rat, that had been 'ordered' for someone's albino burmese python.  The owner let me take him home after I offered him everything in my wallet: $24.  Stuart Little was the most amazing family member we've had(amongst snakes, tortoises, fish, birds, dogs, cats, a tarantula, a chameleon........He was unbelievably intelligent, and appeared to have a sense of humor.  It's a shame that more people just don't know what they're missing out on.  EVERY classroom, should have one, to dispell the myths/prejudices.