Mice and rats are curious, social animals who can make excellent pets.

Sadly, because they can carry disease, wild mice and rats are often subjected to cruel extermination methods like glue boards (which cause a slow death by starvation or suffocation) or poison. Purpose-bred mice and rats are used in painful research experiments and, unlike other animals, are not covered by even the minimal protections of the Animal Welfare Act.

cute rat looking out of her cage
Kathy Milani
/
The HSUS
Mice and rats deserve to live free from cruelty.

Both mice and rats are social animals who enjoy the company of others—rats even “laugh” when playing and care for sick members of their group—and, if tamed, love being petted. Despite their reputation as sewer dwellers, mice and rats are meticulously clean and groom themselves for several hours each day.

mouse being held in a research lab
Olena Kurashova
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iStock.com
Did you know?

Mice are very talkative and communicate through ultrasonic sound. Rats can be trained to run obstacle courses, fetch and roll over.

Rabbits in stocks being tested on for cosmetics

Please contact your legislators and urge them to support the reintroduction of the Humane Cosmetics Act to prohibit animal testing for cosmetics manufactured or sold in the U.S.

Siqui Sanchez / Getty Images