Before you non-rat fans stop reading, here’s a gentle reminder that, contrary to the image of dirty street animals, ...

Picture the perfect pet that checks off all the boxes: Smart, trainable, highly social, affectionate, clean, hypoallergenic. What if it has all these traits but doesn’t purr or bark, because the ...

Chloe Hedrick’s pet rat Charlotte hides in a bag July 5 in Dallas. Currently, Hedrick has seven rats that she got through DFW Rat Rescue. (Chitose Suzuki/The Dallas Morning News) DALLAS — Standing on ...

When most people think of animal shelters, dogs and cats come to mind. But at many shelters, including Marin Humane, there are lots of other critters looking for their forever homes. One of the more ...

The earliest documented evidence of domesticated rats originates from Japan and dates back to the Edo period (1603 to 1868). The tradition of keeping fancy rats may have originated in Japan, but pet ...

Rats are thin-tailed, medium-sized rodents, and you can find them all over the world. “True rats” belong to the genus Rattus, and around 60 species have been recognized so far, including the house rat ...

On February 6, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Law Enforcement (MSPCA-Angell) ...

Maybe a rat is right for you! Kelli Bender is the Pets Editor at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2013. Her work has previously appeared on MTV, The Frisky, Vice, and Best Friends Magazine ...

When Abby Chronister started college six years ago, she found herself struggling with anxiety and depression. After class, she often retreated to her bed. That’s when she adopted her first two rats, ...