When I was teaching 2nd grade in Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2023, my students and I took a field trip to APOPO, a school that trains rats how to smell for unexploded ordinance(UXO), landmines mostly left over from the Vietnam War, and yes there are still a lot in Cambodia and Laos! My students and I LOVED it! The rats were very friendly and we were able to hold them 🙂
“Hero Rats” were my inspiration to start DangerRat Graphic T-Shirts here in Bellingham Wa. Rats are lightweight so they won’t set off the bombs. Hero Rats are Highly taken care of and Greatly respected. They put sunblock on their tails and nose and limit the amount of sun they get. They also see the veterinarian regularly and have a retirement program for the rats. When the rats’ olfactory(smelling) senses no longer work correctly they retire them to the visitors center as rat ambassadors, meeting the public and showing them how they find explosives through smell. It’s very cool, as are the rats 🙂.
Rats are naturally edgy and mysterious, some say creepy but I like them. They’re very intelligent, very social and are ticklish! Yes they laugh! They are also very social and can get lonely and become depressed if kept alone. Rats smile with their ears, seriously. Their whiskers are more sensitive than our finger tips, and rats dream 🙂 . There are many more interesting facts about rats. Check ‘em out.
