Apopo is a Belgian research company that uses highly trained rats to locate land mines.

The rats are not hurt in the process, in fact, as the FAQ explains:

The rats are trained to detect and pinpoint the location of the landmine. Their light weight makes it highly unlikely they would set of a mine by scratching or pointing.

It is a misunderstanding that the rats are trained as Kamikaze to destroy the mines in the field. Trained animals are far too precious to be lost by setting of landmines.

On the contrary, the rats used by APOPO are treated with great care and attention, in order to optimise their physical and mental condition.

They also address that the concept of using working rats “would require a different perspective from humankind, for which rats have traditionally been a source of repulsion and disease. From the APOPO experience however, they have proven to be friendly and clever creatures, able to perform relatively difficult tasks.”

This makes me miss my ratties…