No:
When rats are in a flat it’s called an “infestation” not an “invitation”. Are students really so desperate for animal interaction that you’d be willing to befriend the nasty little critters that your landlord has set traps for?
I’m sorry, I just can’t. I spent too long in flats plagued by the pests, twitching with paranoia that one would jump out at me when my flat would finally do something about the towering pile of Domino’s boxes and sticky RTD cans. I’d be woken up in the middle of the night by the sounds of scuttling and scratching from inside the walls behind my bed, sometimes making its way into my dreams – nay, nightmares. Just the thought of a rat sitting on my shoulder wrapping its creepy little tail and digging its claws into my skin sends a shiver down my spine.
I’m sure that there’s a logical argument for having a pet rat, one I would only consider if put in the position of pretending to like a good friend’s pet rats. I would tell them they could be kind of cute if they’ve had a bath, were a little on the pudgier side and had that sleepy demeanor that made them a sweet cuddle companion. In another life I might have found them okay – Ratatouille is one of my favourite childhood movies and I’ve been known to avidly defend pigeons and possums, two other animals that have been demonised under the label of “pest”. But that all goes out the window when they trigger my gag reflex.
Ratatouille is fun in a reassuringly fiction way. As a viewer watching from the comfort of your (hopefully rat-less) couch, you can self-righteously judge the staff of Gusteau's who hang up their hats at the revelation that it was a rat behind the restaurant’s success. “Snobs,” you scoff. But do you really think that you wouldn’t be holding back a small barf at the sight of a nest of rats swarming a kitchen? Chances are you’ve been known to set a trap or two in your time.
Rats have long been considered a pest, nibbling their way through the native species of Aotearoa, one bird egg at a time. “Rats” is a swear word, causing your mouth to curl into a sneer. Rats are what you associate with the spread of disease, festering waste, and poison. Rats can stay in the walls where they belong, not my lap.
Yes:
If you're anti-rat, I'm anti-you (but not you, Nina, you get a pass because I work for you). There's so much undeserved and ignorant stigma against these beautiful little guys, and it has to end.
First, I’d like to say that the nasty connotations that come to mind when thinking of rats aren't at all justified in my opinion. No, they aren't to blame for the spread of the plague. Look it up, nerds. They're not the genocidal little goblins that so many people consider them to be. Do they need to be cleaned every now and again, considering that they are wild rodents, capable of transmitting some illnesses? Yes. Is that a big problem? No. People clean their pets, that's just part of your job as an owner of basically any animal.
Rats are also quite shockingly intelligent, much more so than guinea pigs and bunnies, it seems. You can even teach them to drive little cars. There's another thing for you to Google. It's amazing! They're also so much more social than these other rodent alternatives. I think that if you're going to have a pet, it may as well be a clever one. This way, bonding is a lot easier and there will be so many more fun activities to do with your little companion. I sometimes try getting one of my guinea pigs to hang out with me, but all Mechagodzilla does is provide cuddles and eats food. I love the wee bugger for that, but golly, sometimes I wish he'd play with me :(
My next point is perhaps the most relevant one for students who may be wanting pets, but don't really wanna hang around dirty Dunners for much more than their degree’s duration looking after them. This point is, of course, their lifespan! On average, rats live about two or three years, so in all likelihood, depending on when you get them, you won’t have to go through the process of abandoning your pet when you eventually leave the city or country.
My opponent has stated that rats are pests in our country… well, so are cats! “Oh no, rats are killing birds!” Sure they are, but YOUR pet rats won't be, unlike so many pet cats out there that go and murder an innocent bird every chance they get. (I love cats, don't get me wrong, but goodness they're still a tremendous issue, even when they're pets!) It's not like by having pet rats who spend most of their time in an enclosure, you're part of the pest problem. Having free range cats on the other hand…