CAIRNS RAT WINS PETA’S ‘CUTEST ADOPTED COMPANION ANIMAL’ CONTEST

For Immediate Release:
8 November 2016

Meet Apollo, the Rat Who Will Have You Over the Moon About Adoption

Cairns – After pawing through hundreds of photographs of adorable rescued animals, PETA has chosen the winner of its Cutest Adopted Companion Animal contest for 2016: Apollo the rat, who lives in Yorkeys Knob!

Photos of Apollo are available here, here, and here.

He was in need of a home after the employees at a pet store in Cairns failed to separate any of the rats by gender. His mother gave birth to eight babies when only a few months old herself and died of health complications shortly afterwards.

He was adopted and, in his guardian’s words, “now lives the luxurious lazy-rat lifestyle with two rat friends, getting to snack on pasta and relax in his favourite hammock. He will never have to face neglect at the hands of a pet store like his mother did”.

“Apollo’s story serves as a great reminder to avoid pet stores and breeders that sell animals for profit”, says PETA Australia Associate Director of Campaigns Ashley Fruno. “Every year in Australia, hundreds of thousands of animals are born in unwanted litters – far more than can ever be placed in good homes. Those who are not adopted – whether cats, dogs, or rats – must be euthanised.”

In addition to being adorable, rats make fantastic companions, giving kisses to their human friends and looking after each other when they’re in trouble or unwell. They’re also extremely clean and can spend hours grooming themselves.

For more information about Apollo or PETA’s Cutest Adopted Companion Animal contest, please visit PETA.org.au.