25/06/2026
Been mulling over saying something since seeing the NFRS 50th anniversary plastered everywhere...but I can't stay silent whilst watching so many people celebrate a club that is far from what people claim it is.
Over the last couple years, I've taken a step back and reflected on my experiences within the community, along with other people who have done the same. In my view, poor behaviours and ethics have been tolerated and excused far too often. Those experiences are what changed how I view the organisation and many of the people who continue to support it.
I believe it's important to speak openly about these experiences because people considering joining the NFRS deserve to be aware of the culture they may be stepping into. The NFRS is so frequently recommended to new rat owners and breeders as the gold standard of the UK rat fancy, but I believe people deserve to hear more than just the public facing image of the organisation. It's far from gold standard. People deserve to be aware of the experiences, concerns, and issues that some members and former members have encountered so they can make informed decisions about whether the club aligns with their own values. Silence only benefits those who are comfortable with the status quo.
Part of what ultimately pushed me away was the gap I saw between the organisation's claims around ethics and some of the practices I personally witnessed, experienced, or saw defended within the community. I have seen situations involving the culling of rats, the rehoming of rats with significant health concerns, colony breeding, the rehoming of pregnant baby rats, homing out does to buck only homes because apparently theyre 'too old to get pregnant' - shock horror, they got pregnant, culling adult rats that get taken back to the breeder because the owner cannot keep them anymore, and a lack of meaningful support or accountability when problems arose. These are not practices that align with my own standards or ethics as a breeder.
What concerned me even more was (and still is) the willingness of some people within the community to excuse, defend, or minimise these issues. If you deem yourself an ethical breeder, why are you defending such unethical practices? Why are you so aggressively promoting a club that does not promote decent ethics? Why are you turning a blind eye to bullying, and even transphobia? That makes you just as bad. I guess people do it to stay relevant in the fancy and get more clout so they can do, and get what they want.
Now, as a trans ally, I simply cannot support a community that is essentially run by TERFs. How can any NFRS event, or even the forums, be a safe and inclusive environment when you've heard and seen firsthand the awful comments made towards and about a specific group of people?
Allyship is more than words. It is reflected in the people and organisations we choose to support. In my view, those who continue to ignore, excuse, or enable bullying and anti-trans attitudes within the community need to reflect on what allyship actually means. You're just as much of a sh*tty person as them if you continue to stay a part of the community and turn a blind eye.
Based on my own experiences, I cannot recommend the NFRS to anyone. The club has become, in my view, deeply toxic and disconnected from the things that should matter most: rat welfare, ethical breeding, education, inclusivity, and treating members with respect. It's a hierarchy - you aren't at the top, you're wrong.
At this point, I believe the organisation either needs fundamental reform under entirely new leadership or to be replaced altogether by something built on better values. The NFRS promote breeding standards for rats, yet those at the top operate in the exact same way as backyard breeders.
I am not someone who can be pressured into silence. Throughout my time in the rat community, I have always spoken out when I have seen practices or behaviours that I believe are harmful, unethical, or simply poor welfare, and that will not change. This has of course, caused the usual barrage of abuse from those who are heavily invested in defending the NFRS and those at the top, which honestly? Further proves my point - people will defend ANYTHING, even if it's incredibly wrong, just to stay relevant and on side of the people at the top of the food chain.
My priority has always been the welfare of rats and maintaining my own ethical standards, not avoiding conflict or trying to win popularity contests.
The easiest thing would be to stay quiet. I have no intention of doing that. People deserve to know.
I will continue to speak up when I see poor practice, poor welfare, bullying, exclusion, or behaviour that falls below the standards I expect from an ethical community. I will continue to share my experiences and concerns so that others can make their own informed judgments.
One things for certain, I will never change. I love my rats - my pets. I adore them. Breeding with high standards is something I am proud of and I will never stoop as low as others to be a part of a club.
