A Tea Garden employee was notified of the problem before Kaede died, and Golden Gate Park proper was notified on the 14th of August. To date, despite having received a bite from Kaede which required medical treatment, and the obvious danger of placing bait traps in the Tea Garden, no Park official has shown any interest in the incident.

Linked are photographs of Kaede, including one of her in death, and of the bait station she was using for shelter. We must warn you these images are extremely disturbing.

In addition, after numerous people examined the photos, we believe Kaede was a wild Rattus rattus, not a feral Norway as previously thought. Her unusual behavior was a result of the poison in her system.

California is an important jurisdiction because the state already has strong anti-cruelty and pet store statutes in place. However, in order to make a profit, animals in pet stores must be treated as commodities, and personnel who work with such animals are under enormous pressure to cut corners and maintain profit margins - often in violation of state and federal law. Rats and mice are especially vulnerable because the rodents are viewed as disposable and easily replaced by the pet industry.

Read the details of API's investigation here: "Little Shop of Sorrows"

The USDA is considering the creation of care guidelines for rats and mice in the pet and feeder trade, which would represent a huge step forward in the humane treatment of rodents. However, to make such a step possible, Paw of Justice needs your research, your ideas, your letter-writing skills, and your moral support. Thank you!

The only sign your rat has a dental abscess could be bad breath - just take a quick sniff (before dinner, please), and keep an eagle eye out for packages of Sen-Sen!