Mouse racing is an activity in which live rodents are coaxed to travel through a miniature racecourse at fast speeds. The races generally take place at taverns, fairs, or fund-raising events and are popular in several countries. Mouse racing has also attracted criticism from animal rights groups, who believe the activity is too stressful for the mice.
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There are several different types of mouse races. Some races use elaborate sets built to resemble a horse racing track[1], while others are more like obstacle courses, with wheels and other challenges[2]. In 1940s England, mice were sometimes made to propel miniature boats by running on treadmills, which were connected to the boat's paddle-wheels[3].
In many contemporary races, an individual mouse trainer organizes the event using his own animals and invites spectators to make bets, with the proceeds often going to some specific cause[4]. In the United States, one of the most well-known charity-race organizers was Harvey Coffee. He organized events throughout the American Midwest and was mentioned in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch[5].
The famous World War II movie, Stalag 17, features a scene with mouse racing in a barracks.
More competitive versions of the activity have existed; for example, a Western Australia Mouse Racing Association was founded in the 1970s to organize competitions among mouse owners, who trained their pets to break speed records[6]. Australia continues to hold a national Mouse Cup in rural Bylong, which attracts about 800 participants[7]. Rats are explicitly banned at the more competitive mouse races[8].
Mouse racing has received criticism from animal rights groups since the 1940s, when the RSPCA condemned the English aquatic races. They declared, "Anyone who knows about boys will know that [...] the mice will be prodded unmercifully to ginger them up"[9]. An advocate of the activity replied in defense, "No cruelty is imposed on the creature since experience shows that mice derive much enjoyment from their wheel turning activity"[10]. More recently, animal rights societies in New Zealand criticized mouse races at local taverns, noting that the often-loud audiences could frighten the mice with their cheering. However, one race manager replied, "If they can't take a joke in the world, then what's wrong with them?"[11].