I had a pet rat for more than two years. She was one of the sweetest animals I have owned. She would sit with me when I watched TV in an old robe I would later wash. She was cuddly and would lick me when I stroked her, etc. When she was very old and had trouble walking, she would nonetheless drag herself toward me when I entered her room. She made constant eye contact — treating these intelligent animals as though they don’t suffer from poisoning seems small-minded. — Katherine Conant, Washington →