Rats

  A letter addressed to the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. I personally find it hard to argue against the fact that rats are extremely valuable assets to the field of research, especially medical research. Without these rodents, some of our most important developments such as common cardiovascular drugs, procedures involving implants, and our understanding of psychology or behavior would not be explored as deeply as it is today (Rats). They are very similar to us humans when it comes to genetics, physiology, brain structure, and anatomy (Bryda), not only that, but the fact that their life cycle is so short also allows us to observe them as they age. Many other test subjects like pigs have a much longer life cycle which makes them harder to study. All of this makes rats very valuable as they are undeniably an excellent stand-in for humans; this is especially true when they are treated ethically. Laboratories all over use the 3 Ns of ethical animal research; the ...

It is common for certain groups of animals such as rats to be forgotten. People tend to have a disinterest for the species, which leads to a lack of knowledge of how these animals are treated and a disconnect emotionally. However, there should be a bare minimum understanding that rats can experience pain; they are not devoid from physical or mental/emotional suffering. Much like the animals that tend have higher value in Western society (i.e dogs and cats), rats should be given the right to humane treatment. To improve upon the treatment of rats, a few solutions could be implemented. Rats (and all lab animals for that manner) should be protected under the Animal Welfare Act, and that act should be reviewed and enforced by a reliable, non-affiliated third party. Rats should not be subjected to testing or additional suffering if it is not necessary for medical advancement (such as cosmetic testing) or if there is a feasible alternative. In addition, other daily inhumane acts such as cert...

Rats are a species that is portrayed as disgusting and a pest to society and some cultures, but a major beneficiary to science and the ecosystems. A rodent, medium size in stature and all too keen for their tiny place in the food chain. Seen in movies as the pest stealing food from a kitchen, at pet stores, or in the common American family home as pets, rats as a species originate from Asia and Australia and are classified in the genus Rattus. But, the term Rattus is a very vague category as there as so many variations to the species and many sub-categories to acknowledge when learning about this species. Species Rattus Rattus Despite their location of origin, with there being over 60 species of rats, they are located all around the world. According to Alina Bradford from the Live Science Magazine, mentions that rats are in fact pack animals, which is humorous to think about. When you think of a pack animal, it is easy to think about wolves or lions, but never these tiny rodents that ...

      There is no doubt that when using animals for lab testing, there are pros and cons for each party whether in favor or against. On the positive side, we are better able to advance the medical industry in all realms, but on the negative side, we are using the lives of these creatures and could possibly cause them discomfort and in the worst scenarios death if improperly cared for. Therefore, I think it would be best to determine areas that, if addressed, will improve the outlook for all parties. After interpreting what the concerns are from both perspectives, here are three ways that laboratory testing of rats could be improved.       1. Test groups for experimentation can be made smaller. A maximum number of test subjects for each trial would be a great place to start before beginning. Though, setting a maximum number of subjects does not need to be the same depending on what kind of trial is being done in order to leave room for marginal err...

 Rats are small to medium-sized rodents that are found all over the world, with the exception of Antarctica. They belong to the genus Rattus, which includes several different species. My group members had several key thoughts that surprised and interested them. Like myself, several of my group members mentioned that they did not know how important rats were. Like many people, when people think of rats it's either a brown one in their attic or a white lab rat. Rats have very important roles throughout our society. Despite their reputation as pests, rats are often used in scientific research because their biology is very similar to that of humans. In fact, many important medical discoveries have been made using rats as test subjects.  An interesting point that was discussed in our group was how rats are surprisingly represented in a lot of forms of media. Rats have been portrayed in a variety of ways in the media, ranging from cute and lovable to dirty and disease-ridden. In chi...

 Rats have had a place in religion ever since their existence here on earth. In many religions our furry little friends are viewed in a holy way, while other religions view these creatures as very bad. Many views on rats have also changed throughout history depending on where you look some people had to think twice about trusting these little creatures that they were told to worship. In the 14th century rats were the leading spreader of the bubonic plague. This was a terrible outbreak that was estimated to have killed around 25 million people which caused many people who once worshipped this creature to have second thoughts. The first religion that I would like to go over is very interesting to me and caught my eye as soon as I started my research. The Temple of Rats, Karni Mata Hindu Temple is in India where Buddha taught that all living beings, no matter the form, were our family and friends. This temple was constructed in the early 1900s to honor goddess Karni Mata. Inside of th...

  Rats as almost everybody knows are medium-sized, long-tailed rodents that live in the same environment that humans do. They sometimes live in our houses with us without us even knowing they are present. Rats to some people are pets and to other people are some of the most troublesome rodents in the United States. Rats eat the same food that humans do, but they can also contaminate our food, damage our homes, and transmit a variety of diseases that can be deadly to humans and other animals. Some of the diseases that rats can transmit to humans are food poisoning, murine typhus, and rat bite fever. In some, cases rats can even carry the plague which can be transmitted to both humans and livestock. Rats not only will contaminate and eat our food, but they can also cause damage to our building structures. Rats are destructive animals and can chew on many types of materials such as soft metals, electrical wires, and even wooden structures. Rats are known for thriving in all types of c...

  When we look at folklore, we commonly see the connection between rats, greed, and filth; one example originates in German folklore. Rat kings are described as an undefinable tangle of rats or as many rats who would come together to make some sort of larger rat bound by either their tails or stuck together by filth, blood, and feces. Sometimes they were described as being led by one rat or they all work as one unit. These rat kings were said to control all other rats, sometimes through some variation of psychic power. (2023, January 21) Rat kings were eventually associated with greed and disease. Despite how farfetched this may seem, it's not entirely off base. Rat kings are an extremely uncommon, but very real, phenomenon where up to thirty-plus rats are bound together by their tails. The way in which they are bound may vary. Sometimes their tails are knotted, other times natural fibers weave their tails together, and sometimes filth sticks their tails together. Although it's...

D espite what other people may tell you, It’s important to recognize that rats exhibit a very wide range of emotions. They generally aren't given credit for this because of our perception of them as pests. They experience emotions ranging from joy, sadness, and fear, to more complex ones like the ability to empathize or regret decisions. The ability to regret in rats was a large discovery because, before 2014, no mammal apart from humans was proven to have the capacity to experience regret. A study was done where a rat had the choice to wait in line for a favorite food or to find a less fulfilling meal elsewhere. After choosing to eat something else, some rats were observed going back to wait for the tastier food. The relevant part of this study is that the rats regretted leaving the line. Some may argue that they experienced disappointment only rather than regret, however, their orbitofrontal cortex became active, which is the same part of the brain that activates in humans when w...

Are rats pets or pests, friends or foes? Rats and humans have a rich history of interaction. Rats have found ways to take advantage of human agriculture, infrastructure, and waste, while humans have found ways to use rats for research, companionship, and even military purposes. There are also negative ways we interact such as rats being vectors for disease and humans constantly trying to kill off rat populations with poison and traps. Before rats were domesticated by humans, our two species already had frequent interactions. When humans began shifting from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to lifestyles of agriculture, that opened the door for many human-rat interactions. Rats have been living in the homes of humans, eating food from human farms, and eating food stored in man-made structures for thousands of years, and they continue to do so. Anyone living in large cities can attest to the fact that rats love living in close proximity with humans, and they always find a way into our homes, fo...

Rats, you might think they would be considered an animal not to be involved in art, too ugly, too dirty, not worthy of being included in a historical or modern-day piece of excellence. To your surprise, rats and even mice have been included in paintings, sculptures, and many other artforms for hundreds of years for a multitude of reasons that you may even find interesting or inspiring. Even though these tiny creatures may not hold up next to a cute baby bunny or kitten, they certainly have made their headway in breathtaking pieces of art throughout centuries. Let's take a deeper look at what rats meant to the Roman Empire. Pieces of decor in an upper-class society can be thought of as grandiose, awe-inspiring monuments like life sized marble or bronze sculptures and statues. Not only did the Roman Empire have these unexplainably marvelous pieces of artwork, but they also had minuscule two-to-three-inch bronze statues of rats that were used to decorate lamps, railings, food containe...

  Dear PETA, I understand your concerns about the use of rats in research and I believe they are completely valid. Rats are intelligent, social animals, and subjecting them to painful experiments and torturous euthanasia methods is inhumane. The boring, cramped living conditions lab rats are subjected to are also quite cruel. And for what? Often times the data gained from these experiments cannot even be applied to humans due to biological differences. However, it is also important to recognize the benefits that come from using rats in scientific research. For example, rats have played a crucial role in the development of treatments for many human diseases, including cancer and diabetes. Furthermore, rats have a short reproductive cycle and a high rate of reproduction, making them useful in genetic research where human testing is unviable due to our long reproductive cycles. For these reasons, I don’t think it is reasonable to outright end the use of rats in research laboratori...

Have you ever heard of a rat guillotine? How about a rat gas chamber? Probably not, as the morbid realities of animal research are not often discussed. These are just two of many tools used to euthanize rats after the experiments scientists subject them to conclude. Science is not as glamorous as some might think, especially animal research which can be quite gruesome. However, animal research is critical in science. It has led to countless life-saving medicines and treatments including vaccines, cancer drugs, and organ transplants. The discoveries that result from animal research have vastly improved human lives. The arguments for and against rat research are both very compelling leading to many controversies surrounding the practice. Rat Guillotine Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural- and-biological-sciences/decapitation Rat CO2 Gas Euthanasia Chamber Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Chamber-used-for- carbon-dioxide-exposure-Gas-is-introdu...