Tribute to the Mouse
About
Description
It was a few weeks ago at this point, but I had to put down one of my pet mice. Either the day of or the day after, I sketched this. Along with her sisters, she was adopted out after a college program, and most likely came from a lab.
Rats and mice, but especially mice, have been used in a lot of research. But their wild counterparts are considered pests, and many people have a visceral aversion to them. While I wouldn't advocate scooping up wild mice, I do wish more people appreciated these amazing animals and just how much science relies on them. At the very least, it'd be nice for them not to be the sort of pet I have to ask people if I'm allowed to show them pictures of. :'D
The mouse in this drawing is based on my late pet mouse, but also on the C57Bl/6 mouse strain. Many people think of albino animals when they think of research, but the C57Bl/6 strain (named "Bl" after their black coats) is one of the most widely used in research.
Information
Created: