2 days ago we went to a pet store. There were "feeding" rats, and it was such a terrible sight... 5 of them in a cramped cage, no toys, nowhere to climb on, overfed, looking miserable and obese... And worst of all, it was 4 males and 1 female. And the lady of the store didn't even care to know the sex of these rats.
I honestly wanted to cry, but instead grabbed the female, looked at the lady and told her that the rat was probably pregnant, and there was no way I was leaving a pregnant living being to be abused and fed to snakes.
I took the rat home. The woman only made us pay for a "small rat" instead of a big one.
The little thing now has her own cage, a wooden little house, food and water, plenty of toilet paper to make her nest with, and we take her out to play with our other 2 female rats often.
Her fur is already starting to shine, and she lets me scratch her behind the ears.
Small victory, but victory nonetheless