Rats are being trained to help save people’s lives. Before you think, “Rats? Icky.” Let me say that rats can actually be very loving, very cute little critters. My brother had a couple for pets when he was a kid. And they are fairly smart which is why Dr. Donna Kean is training them to wear backpacks that have communications devices and video recorders. Then the rats will search through earthquake rubble for survivors. Once the rats find the people, then the rescuers can talk back and forth with the survivor and see them using the back pack. Again, they’re smart. It only takes about two weeks to train them. And because they’re so nimble, they’re prefect for searching through debris.
If you watch the video, you’ll hear beeps. That’s how the rats find their way back to base camp. You can see how they’re being rewarded with food when they make back. And they almost look like they belong in a Disney movie with the little back packs on. Sort of like they’re going to be in a live action version of The Rescuers.