Pet rat in HS Science Fair

I was looking at some of my the science fair projects at my high school this year and I was horrified to see one in which a poor little rat was traumatized in front of a dog to see how it affect his memory! It could have been hurt or even killed! Not to mention its cruel anyway to do that to him.

My bio teacher (who was helping me found out more about this) and I had always thought that animals were NOT to be used at all for sci-fair projects. I was even more disgust when we found out from my genetics teacher that the student was given permission by the head of the science department! That is the same teacher that experiemented with goldfish and kept them in an un-airated and filthy tank (luckily I saved one and brought him home).

I kept trying to get some of the kids in his classes to tell him that was cruel and should never be done. But I always got the same answer "Its just a rat"...I wanted to cry. I told my friends and they agreed with me, but I think its because they know how I feel about about animal rights. No one understands me:(

No one understands you? I do. I hate when I get that same reply. "It's just a..." this or that. It so ticks me off. My mouth is always speaking my mind. I see someone abusing their dog, I'll say something. Over populated fish tank at the store, I'll be saying something. Hell, I've even changed many betta's water at a Wal-Mart store before. I went to the water aisle, got some clean water, the fish nets were conveniently next to the bettas, my mom held the bettas while I quickly poured their old water down the sink in the aquatics department and put in the new water. I've even stood in the road on a partially busy road to wait for a slow duck to cross, cars beeped at me to move, but I didn't. They don't care about these animals, afterall, It's just a duck, or a squirrel or a rabbit. When I buy bettas at the store... I don't buy the prettiest, or the most active... I buy the ones with the dirty water, or fin rot, or another disease. I help them. Oh, but who cares, right? It's just a fish. Yeah, I hate those people. And trust me, I understand you.

I used a mouse for my science fair prodject. I made it run a maze to see how fast it finshed for different foods. I think he rather liked it :D.. I kept the mouse and named him Sam-I-am. I loved him so much, he died a half a year later :(

I think you should have taken the rat and told the owner that is WAS crule and inhumain to treat an animal that way, it he argued, run with the rat.. I would have done it. :p .... I am just like that.