# rat abuse



## RatGirl4 (Oct 31, 2007)

http://www.northstarrescue.org/news.html

This is so sad!!! I cried when I saw it. Just because of some stupid person those poor animals had to suffer! 

I hope people in California will adopt those poor rats.


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## magickat (Oct 19, 2007)

OMG! That is the saddest thing I have ever seen.   
Those poor rats. They just look so sad and lethargic.


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## Schmea (Sep 21, 2007)

I feel sick to my stomach.

Just as a sidenote: I work as a behavioral therapist, and have experience working with hording type behavior. It can be a heartbreaking situation, and a very hard one to deal with.

That said, from the details in this story, this does NOT sound like a true case of hording as a compulsion. I say that because a) the person "tried to contact the shelter but could not afford the surrender fee" and seemed to be looking for was to get rid of some of the rats. This is behavior that, while it is possible, I've never seen before in my line of work: most cases I've been involved in I can honestly say there's no way they'd be searching for a way to get rid of some of the rats. It just doesn't fit with the disorder as I've seen it.

So... urgh. To me I have to conclude that this was someone who did have control over their behaviour, and let this happen. 

As a further side note... this is very much an argument as to why you don't breed rats without proven lineage. From the rats that survive this ordeal, within two generations their descendants (from further oops litters in homes/etc.) it will most likely not be known to their owners what has happened here, and they could even end up in pet stores or the like. Read the article again, and look at how negatively the inbreeding effected their overall health... my rats came from a pet store, and I love them to death. They're the two sweetest, tamest, most beautiful rats in the world... but they'll never be bred, because you just can't KNOW if something like this is in their lineage... maybe not this severe, but inbreeding oops litters are very common, and you just can't know for sure without a proper history going back generations.


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## magickat (Oct 19, 2007)

I have a friend who hoards paper. I didn't even think of this hoarding in the literal sense. I guess that happens too. 

I just don't understand why this person didn't reach out into their community and ask for help. At the very least they could have put an ad on Craigslist asking if anyone could take some rats to the shelter and pay the fee. 

I just don't get people sometimes. How could someone let things get that bad?


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

simple, the mindset is "they're JUST (insert animal type here)". i hate it but that's normally the response you get when you ask.


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## dreadhead (Mar 1, 2007)

that's very sad... it's sick anyone could treat any living creature like this.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

my understanding is that this is an old story & a very large number of the rats had already been adopted or were in rescues that could better care for them


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## RatGirl4 (Oct 31, 2007)

This wasn't too long ago. There are still quite a few of those rats needing homes.


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## Ratty_Mama (Oct 29, 2007)

That is soooo sad. I cant stand people who do things like that to their pets. I feel bad whenever I forget to let my rats out one day, or my dogs water bowl is empty. I cant believe they could let that happen to their rats. I spoil my rats to death. It makes me sick when I look at things like that. If you cannot take responsibility to take care of an animals basic needs you do not deserve to have one.


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## CaptainFlow (May 16, 2007)

The crazy thing is a lot of hoarders don't even know they have a problem! They honestly think that they can provide care for these animals that no one else can, usually emotional care, and won't give the animals up because "no one else will love them" like they do. 

I don't know if that's the case here, since rats can multiply out of control a lot faster than even cats or dogs. But these poor rats. I hope they all found good homes. 

I almost cried when I read that they were all "chattering and happy" the whole time they were being bathed and treated for mites/fleas/etc, even though that can't be a fun process. It shows that they were still so whole in spirit that they reveled in human contact at last!


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## Katie_Renee (Nov 12, 2007)

Thats the saddest thing I have ever whitnessed in my entire life....


I need to go cuddle my ratties and make them feel loved now..


that is so effing horrible


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## Gary26Uk (Oct 2, 2007)

Horrible , especially the poor rat having to chill out on a poop pile.


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## magickat (Oct 19, 2007)

twitch said:


> simple, the mindset is "they're JUST (insert animal type here)". i hate it but that's normally the response you get when you ask.


Yeah, I guess that's why it is so unbelievable to me. I love all living creatures. We even have an ongoing catch-and-release program going on at our house for everything from moths to mosquito hawks to spiders. (We let the daddy long legs live with us though  )


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## AustinXAPMX3 (Oct 23, 2007)

OMG did you see how small cages they were in! I swear there was like 10 rats in a small little cage! Thats so sad!


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## toxic_tears1990 (Oct 7, 2007)

ahhhhh this makes me sooo mad!! poor ratties , aww and i got all teary seeing the one with half a tail ....gah those people should be put in cage too small for thme see how they like it!!


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## yashu (Sep 14, 2007)

That is a LOT of rats... I thougt I was bad with 6.


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## Squeak (Sep 4, 2007)

That is heart breaking! Many people mistreat their pet rats and that saddens me, but this one was out of control! Straight after I read that little story, I ran to my ratties and gave them a hug .. atleast I know their safe!


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## yashu (Sep 14, 2007)

We have rats that have been raised from little tiny guys, and rats that were bought full grown... and it is those rats, the older ones, that behave the most grateful to us. They boggle the most, they cuddle the most, they may not be 100% trusting all the time, but they show their appreciation, because they remember what it was like for them before they came here. The ones that have only known "here", they are certainly the most trusting... but act a little ungrateful sometimes. I know that I can't know these things for sure... but it's a feeling that I get.

The rats in the situation the OP presented to us, I hope that they know a good home, even if it is only for a short time. So many people underestimate the mental capacity of rats, and assume... well they are just rats. This case is that plus OCD hording. I have OCD, but ****... as we say here on the 3rd coast... some peoples jus ignint.


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## Hippy (Jul 23, 2007)

This was actually kind a while ago, it started early August and there are rats CONSTANTLY being taken out of the home still. The aninal control people aren't really caring and they cant MAKE the lady give up the rats nor care if she does is that Northstar said, so they come in every now and then and take rats she is willing to part with.

There is a rat in the first picture in the center that has some grey/brown on his face, he is looking STRAIGHT at the camera. Ive wanted him since I saw him but no rescue seems to have him. :[


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

I feel horribly for the rats, but I do feel for the people in hoarding cases too. They are so mentally ill they do not understand, in most cases.


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## Meliss (Sep 1, 2007)

That is so sad I wasn;t expectin to see all thos rats all in those cages not even seperated. My sister is currently fostering nine rats that were from an abusive home. We send her things when she needs them.


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## kaylaface (Sep 6, 2007)

That is so sad. I wish I could help them all.


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## madonnaswimmer (Jul 31, 2007)

AustinXAPMX3 said:


> OMG did you see how small cages they were in! I swear there was like 10 rats in a small little cage! Thats so sad!


If you think that's small, never go into research.

The containers they keep the rats in for research are just way too small. It's like the size of a shoebox to house 3-5 rats.

I saw a cart full of them the other day at school. I feel so bad for them. If you need to use them for research, at least provide them with a happy home, you know?


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