BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A group of people watched three albino rats leap from small baskets into a big cage on Sunday as other rodents hid in makeshift tunnels or searched for applesauce offered by their keeper through the bars at an indoor hall in the Argentine capital.It’s Ratapalooza, an annual Buenos Aires event that promotes the adoption of rodents raised in animal facilities or used for research in science labs — once the animals are no longer useful, have outlived their purpose or are just surplus stock.To attract adoptive families, Team Ratas, which is Spanish for rats, organizes events such as the Ratapalooza. In Argentina, keeping rats or mice as pets is perfectly legal — as long as they are not wild.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe whole thing turns into something of a fair, complete with stalls selling keychains, mugs, stickers and hair clips in the shape of rats and mice. The money raised goes to veterinary and food expenses for the rodents, which they foster at home before putting them up for adoption.At one of the stands, María Gabriela Aponte held Camamberto, one of the three rats she has adopted, as she sold vegan food, mouse-shaped pins and stickers.All of them, she said, were raised in labs, in what is called a vivarium, where laboratory animals are kept under strictly controlled conditions.“People don’t really know, or they have a very specific perception of, what a pet is,” Aponte told The Associated Press. “Rats are very intelligent and sweet.”AdvertisementAdvertisementDominique Verdier, who represents Team Ratas, says those interested in adopting rodents must have access to a veterinarian specialized in exotic animals, a spacious cage with lots of a …
