I've seen so much hate going around against rats for...well, forever. Not just rats either but mice and other species as well(spiders, bugs, reptiles, etc).
Honestly though, it wasn't until I joined CS that I really began to roll my eyes, when I saw people over the years saying "Ew" at rat adoptables, mere pictures, even making groups or naming them "Ew", "Ick", "Disgusting" and other such things, completely refusing to trade for rats at all, talking about how CS just "Shouldn't have rats because they're gross" and all sorts of other bullcrap.
So let's break some myths and hate-fest ranting about them, shall we?
"But rats caused The Plague!"
Caused by fleas, not rats. Yes, rats carried the fleas. So did other animals. Your pet cat or dog can carry fleas, ticks, and other insects that transfer these diseases just as well as any rat. Rats were just a convenient scapegoat to have something to hate on and blame for it.
And let's not forget that it was also partially because of rats that the plague ended, as certain types of rats were immune to carrying the fleas which carried the plague and therefor did not transfer them to humans as other types of rats had in the past.
"They've got these disgusting hairless tails!"
Most of your body is hairless. Enough said.
"But rats swim around and live in filth and sewers!"
Need I remind you all where said filth and sewers originally came from? Oh, that's right, humans.
That filth. Was created. By humans.
Sewers? Created(and filled) by humans.
Garbage dumps? Created(and filled) by humans.
Garbage, in general? Created(and also filled) by humans.
And let's not forget the fact that we've destroyed most natural habitats which leaves very little places for animals of any kind, rats included, to live in, much less areas where they're safe from predators.
"Well it's just a stupid rat!"
And you're just a stupid human. Need I go on?
"But rats are pests that need to be exterminated! They overpopulate so much!"
Humans are the biggest pests on the planet, if you've been paying attention. Humans are the most abundant species on the planet, and use up the most resources, and produce the most filth.
Really, you can think of any argument of why rats are "Disgusting, eeeew" creatures and I can think up twice as many of why humans are more disgusting and more worthy of the measures we take against rats or any other species than those people hate on and scream "CALL THE EXTERMINATOR!" for.
Might want to think about that next time you feel the need to scream "EEEEEEW" at another species. Because I can throw it right back in your face and then-some.
Coincidentally enough, I was listening to Hampster Dance while drawing this xD