--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Based on my time living with rats and…" description: "\"Based on my time living with rats and mice in Washington, D.C., I have always assumed that animals will escape such fires, since their senses of smell,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/bruce-friedrich-35491_ability_based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mi_758574.png" --- # Based on my time living with rats and mice in Washington… ![“Based on my time living with rats and mice in Washington, D.C., I have always assumed that animals will escape such fires, since their senses of smell, wariness of such dangers, and ability to move through almost invisible holes is so impressive, but I think that we should not dismiss the…” quote by Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/bruce-friedrich-35491_ability_based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mi_758574.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/bruce-friedrich-35491_ability_based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mi_758574.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/bruce-friedrich-35491_ability_based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mi_758574.png) > “Based on my time living with rats and mice in Washington, D.C., I have always assumed that animals will escape such fires, since their senses of smell, wariness of such dangers, and ability to move through almost invisible holes is so impressive, but I think that we should not dismiss the possibility that they, also, will be harmed. These reflections do not, of course, rule out burning meat trucks. And they don't mean that when the next slaughterhouse or vivisection lab burns down, I will denounce those who carried out the burning, or that I will feel anything other than joy in my heart ...” [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker notes that while rodents are adept at escaping fires, they can still be harmed, and this does not justify celebrating or condoning the burning of facilities like meat trucks or labs. **In simple terms:** Rats can escape fires but may still be hurt, and that doesn't excuse burning such places. Key Takeaway Recognize animal vulnerability without glorifying destruction. Themes animal welfare ethics fire safety compassion Mood thoughtful concerned Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - urban fire response - animal rescue planning - policy advocacy - facility safety protocols Key Concepts risk assessment moral reasoning human-animal relations Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance empathy for animals with broader safety concerns? - What responsibilities do we have to prevent such incidents? A Different Perspective The claim may overlook broader systemic issues that cause such fires. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Dangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangers/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Labs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labs/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Vivisection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivisection/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think much of a dance step where the girl looks like she was being carried out of a burning building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-think-much-of-a-dance-step-where-the-girl-looks-like-she-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A 'civilization' that makes such a ridiculous fuss about alleged 'war crimes' - acts of violence against the actual or potential enemies of one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savitri-devi/a-civilization-that-makes-such-a-ridiculous-fuss-about-alleged-war/) [Savitri Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savitri-devi/) > [If we really believe that animals have the same right to be free from pain and suffering at our hands, then, of course weÂ’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/if-we-really-believe-that-animals-have-the-same-right-to-be-free-from/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [It would be great if all the fast-food outlets, slaughterhouses, these laboratories and the banks who fund them exploded tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/it-would-be-great-if-all-the-fast-food-outlets-slaughterhouses-these/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [Thinking is the subtlest form of self-polemics, the art of a certain finesse in psychological self-vivisection and self-crucifixion (Hegel of course called the path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/thinking-is-the-subtlest-form-of-self-polemics-the-art-of-a-certain/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [...many vivisectors still claim that what they do helps save human lives. They are Iying. The truth is that animal experiments kill people, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-coleman/many-vivisectors-still-claim-that-what-they-do-helps-save-human-lives/) Vernon Coleman > [Vegetarianism is a link to perfection and peace. But it's a small link. There are lots of other issues: apartheid , vivisection, political prisoners,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/river-phoenix/vegetarianism-is-a-link-to-perfection-and-peace-but-it-s-a-small-link/) [River Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/river-phoenix/) > [What I think about vivisection is that if people admit that they have the right to take or endanger the life of living beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-i-think-about-vivisection-is-that-if-people-admit-that-they-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forbid the day when vivisection shall be practised in every college and school, and when the man of science, looking forth over a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/forbid-the-day-when-vivisection-shall-be-practised-in-every-college/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Throughout the late '80s, me and a handful of friends just like you people here, we started to break windows, we started to slash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-coronado/throughout-the-late-80s-me-and-a-handful-of-friends-just-like-you/) [Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-coronado/) > [Because Christian morality leaves animals out of account, they are at once outlawed in philosophical morals; they are mere 'things,' mere means to any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/because-christian-morality-leaves-animals-out-of-account-they-are-at/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [I had bought two male chimps from a primate colony in Holland. They lived next to each other in separate cages for several months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiaan-barnard/i-had-bought-two-male-chimps-from-a-primate-colony-in-holland-they/) [Christiaan Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiaan-barnard/) > [Gradually I became aware that professing English because I loved poems was like practicing vivisection because I loved dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-donaghy/gradually-i-became-aware-that-professing-english-because-i-loved/) [Michael Donaghy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-donaghy/) > [I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't...The pain which it inflicts upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-am-not-interested-to-know-whether-vivisection-produces-results-that/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) ## More by Bruce Friedrich > [Animals on factory farms and slaughter houses are mutilated, drugged and abused in ways that would be illegal if dogs or cats were treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/animals-on-factory-farms-and-slaughter-houses-are-mutilated-drugged/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [Chickens are interesting individuals who have as much right not to be cooked and eaten as a dog or a cat or even a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/chickens-are-interesting-individuals-who-have-as-much-right-not-to-be/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [It would be great if all the fast-food outlets, slaughterhouses, these laboratories and the banks who fund them exploded tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/it-would-be-great-if-all-the-fast-food-outlets-slaughterhouses-these/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [If we really believe that animals have the same right to be free from pain and suffering at our hands, then, of course weÂ’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/if-we-really-believe-that-animals-have-the-same-right-to-be-free-from/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [Every time I sit down to eat, I cast my lot: for mercy, against misery; for the oppressed, against the oppressor; and for compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/every-time-i-sit-down-to-eat-i-cast-my-lot-for-mercy-against-misery/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [Feeding plants to animals then eating the animals is like filtering water through a sewer then drinking it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/feeding-plants-to-animals-then-eating-the-animals-is-like-filtering/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [Eating meat is not your personal decision, any more than, you know, whether somebody beats their child is their personal decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/eating-meat-is-not-your-personal-decision-any-more-than-you-know/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [There is so much blood on this chicken-killer's hands, a little more on his business suit won't hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/there-is-so-much-blood-on-this-chicken-killer-s-hands-a-little-more/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [Remember that as a vegan, you save dozens of animals every year from the horrors of factory farms, which is great. And when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/remember-that-as-a-vegan-you-save-dozens-of-animals-every-year-from/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [The point at which society moves towards our views is a point where we are significantly closer to the vegan world that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/the-point-at-which-society-moves-towards-our-views-is-a-point-where/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [I'm convinced that welfare reforms deserve our support, both because they are better (or at least much less bad) for the animals involved (the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/i-m-convinced-that-welfare-reforms-deserve-our-support-both-because/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) > [KFC has no excuse for refusing to adopt these basic, minimal animal-welfare standards ... After two years of fruitless negotiations with the company, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/kfc-has-no-excuse-for-refusing-to-adopt-these-basic-minimal-animal/) [Bruce Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) [Explore all 13 Bruce Friedrich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Based on my time living with rats and mice in Washington, D.C., I have always assumed that animals will escape such fires, since their senses of smell, wariness of such dangers, and ability to move through almost invisible holes is so impressive, but I think that we should not dismiss the possibility that they, also, will be harmed. These reflections do not, of course, rule out burning meat trucks. And they don't mean that when the next slaughterhouse or vivisection lab burns down, I will denounce those who carried out the burning, or that I will feel anything other than joy in my heart ...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bruce Friedrich" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mice-in-washington-d-c-i-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mice-in-washington-d-c-i-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/bruce-friedrich-35491_ability_based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mi_758574.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/bruce-friedrich-35491_ability_based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mi_758574.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c8/bruce-friedrich-35491_ability_based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mi_758574.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Based on my time living with rats and mice in Washington, D.C., I have always assumed that animals will…” — Bruce Friedrich", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bruce Friedrich", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-friedrich/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Based on my time living with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mice-in-washington-d-c-i-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-friedrich/based-on-my-time-living-with-rats-and-mice-in-washington-d-c-i-have/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```