Annaopolis, Maryland - April 22, 2023:
African soft fur rat pups huddle together at Paws at the Mall, the SPCA of Anne Arundel County’s store inside the Westfield Annapolis Mall in Maryland Saturday April 22, 2023. The pups and their mother were surrendered to the SPCA because there were too many of them.
Malls faced with empty retail spaces are offering local animal shelters premium storefronts for little or no cost to create consumer friendly adoption boutiques giving rats and other shelter animals a better chance at finding a new home.
CREDIT: Matt Roth for The New York Times
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