2007-03-31 11:33:54 · 15 answers · asked by Nafertiti 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
lol ''style''
2007-03-31 11:38:16 · update #1
I hope not. I have a history of cruelty to rats.
2007-03-31 11:37:41 · answer #1 · answered by slinda 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
Domesticated rats are protected under law, if you are cruel to a pet rat you will (and should) be charged with animal cruelty. I don't see the reason why they should be exempt - it is common sense and treating animals humanely. It is a welfare question. If dogs and cats are protected, so should rats - otherwise it is just a double standard, if anti-cruelty laws are really that then they should include ALL aniamls capable of feeling pain.
Whether or not it falls for wild (or pest) rats, I don't know. There are many kinds of species of rats, some are endangered so I would assume there would be laws to protect them.
By law you're required to kill pest rats humanely, if you do something like torture one by cutting its toes off one by one then that's cruelty to animals. I don't see how people would find such actions acceptable anyway. Cruelty like that shouldn't be tolerated.
2007-04-03 03:03:51 · answer #2 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes and no. Pet rats and lab rats are protected but wild rats (unless they're endangered) are not. So people are saying it's ok to torture/maim/inflict cruelty to wild rats and if it's a cute dog, cat or albino rat it's not ok.
What a bunch of double standards. Animal cruelty laws are there for a reason. If you don't include all animals then you'd might as well not bother with such laws.
2007-04-03 03:18:16 · answer #3 · answered by gavin1980 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What do you think happens to pet shop owners who mistreat their rats and keep them in inhumane conditions? Of course there are laws protecting them. Anyone who thinks otherwise or don't see any point to extending these laws to rats are condoning animal cruelty.
2007-04-03 03:13:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would be unethical not to protect them. Not as in not allowing them to be killed, because they are a pest, but what about those sickos who torture small animals? If they did it to a rat, would it be right because according to some people here it's "legal" to do it? Rats and every other animal for that matter have the right to be free from people torturing them and being cruel to them.
Use some common sense.
2007-04-03 03:10:02 · answer #5 · answered by Matthew C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes , according to FBI section 311-A-009/u all rats are protected under law and no harm or kalling may be performed to any rats. People failing to adhere to these laws will be prosecuted under federal law.
In short leave the rats alone. Go play with your train set.
2007-03-31 18:39:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Kentucky even fish are protected. Back in the winter we had a woman who owned a failing pet shop simply adandon it. They charged her with one count of animal cruelty for every bird, rat, mouse, fish and so forth that froze to death.
2007-03-31 18:38:29 · answer #7 · answered by bartmcqueary 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think I know where you are coming from with this question. The answer is "no."
I wish there was a law protecting us Asians.
2007-03-31 18:41:22 · answer #8 · answered by perfectlybaked 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes..A few years ago a man was charged and convicted of killing rats in his yard in New England
2007-03-31 18:37:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No sorry nobody cares about rats.
2007-03-31 18:40:58 · answer #10 · answered by chante 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋