My younger daughter -now 16 (don't start!) - still gets mildly offended because I tend to tell people what wonderful pets rats make, a "good will" ambassador, so to speak.  So far I've only gotten some disbelieving looks, although I did get one very negative response - one out of about 15 or so - when I had two boys with me at work who needed to se the vet at lunch time (5 minutes from work, 20 minutes from home. )

I've gotten that comment from someone at school once. 

They told you to tell them when the mom eats the babies?!?! That's just mean. Ratties make wonderful mothers. Hehe I wanna kiss little rat babies! *envies you*

the more people i meet, the more i like my animals...seriously.

people can be so rude and hurtful and on purpose! i have a lot of animals that most people do not like. i have snakes, bearded dragons, a savannah monitor, rats and my worst most deviant offense: i own bulldogs. i foster pits, am staffs and american bulldog puppies for the animal shelter and i've had a couple "failed fosters". including one pit mix with terrible cropped ears. someone decided to crop the ears themselves instead of at least having a trained vet do it. after they mangled the poor boy, they dumped him at the animal shelter. you can probably imagine the rude comments and dirty looks i get daily when i take my boy out to the vet and out in public. this dog is the biggest sweetheart. he won't even hurt a fly. actually he "smiles" at them. if they buzz around him, he shows his teeth at them, he doesnt try to catch them!
i took him to the vet once for his annual exam, and a lady waiting in the wait room kept giving me dirty looks. finally she said "how could you be so cruel!" she pointed at his ears and said "how could you do that to him?" i said i did not do that to him, he came to us that way. some other idiot took shears and chopped his ears off. now he has little nubbies. i don't think she believed me, she went to the counter and spoke to the receptionist. next thing i know, one of the kennel techs comes out all concerned....until he saw it was me and my pit bull kid. he knelt down and played with him and said the vet would be ready in a minute. my vet loves my kids and us. if it weren't for people like me, dogs like him wouldn't have homes at all. he was slated for euthanasia. no one else wanted him, because he's not perfect, he's not pretty. but to me, he's perfect.
my all time favorite is when i took him out to an adoption booth and some idiot with her children was playing with him and commented on how sweet a dog he was and how good he was with the kids. and then she just had to ask what breed he was...i said he's a amstaff/pit mix. she grabbed her kids and snatched them away from him. "OH! pits are DANGEROUS! i don't trust pits they kill people!" and she took off. and my poor boy just layed there all confused, like what just happened, one minute they're playing with me loving me, the next they are afraid of me?
some days i really don't like people. i believe that when it comes to some things, animals are far superior to people. 
i'll endure the dirty looks and rude comments. because i know people like that are just plain stupid.

I just saw this thread and felt the need to add to it.  I was at a vet's office with my girls a few months ago and after meeting the vet for the first time, he looked me up and down and without even a smile on his face said, "You don't look like a witch.  Most rat owners look like witches."   What does THAT mean?! 

I think the original post is just one of countless stories that exemplify the misconceptions the public at large has about rats.  Had you been with your dog the lady would never have thought to ask that question.  Yet when it's a rat, well, you know the drill.  My mom was watching the show "Petfinder" a few weeks ago and mentioned a family on the show that was searching for their perfect pet.  After going through dogs, cats, turtles, etc. etc. the family was introduced to a pair of homeless ratties and fell in love with them.  I think we need more shows like this one that clear up these horrible misconceptions about rats and the people who make them part of their families. 

Speaking of Pits being friendly - I know they are, I love 'em, I just don't have TIME for one.

I was walking our elderly Golden and elderly Mastiff mix many years back.  Always walked the pokeys together   Everyone would beg to swarm the Golden, and ignore the Mastiff.  Otherwise, they'd cross the street and yell that I shouldn't walk such an aggressive dog.  Duchess was slightly shy and VERY protective of family - she was ok if she could lean on me, but if they got between her and me, she'd get pissy.  She'd defend her house, yard and family with her life if she had to.  My mom NEVER worried about us in the yard with her with us.  Winston loved the world and everyone in the world and no one could do no wrong.  If someone broke in, he'd offer to help carry anything out, and then probably leave with them.  Oh, you want the kids, sure, have them, can I come too? would have been his motto.  Both were world's finest pound dogs.

Duchess was the Golden.  Winston was the Mastiff mix.  He never could understand why the world loved Duchy and hated him.

I've got a good comeback for anyone that tries to insult my rats..
If they just say some obnoxious thing,while they're talking (if you have your rat with you),just start paying attention to your rat,pet them,cuddle them,anything and when the person is done talking,just say rather loudly "Oh I'm sorry,I was too busy loving my rat,what'd you say?" If that doesn't quiet them,then well,just find some other smart reply. Well,that's all I got for now.

How terrible for someone to say such a thing to you grrrr    Still, reading through this entire post....my questions still lingers, was she there for a check up or did she actually have a pet with her?    Considering that I have a variety of pets that includes several strange species and having gotten almost every negative comment there is to get, my answer to them is always the same... "It really is a shame when a person can't help but pronounce their ignorance in front of so many people...an education might actually do you some good...you might check the phone book for your nearest college...ask admissions if they have a course specializing in social manners and etiquette".  Usually does a great job at shutting people up 

Not bad! I still like mine. 

The vet said that??  Wow.  Totally unprofessional.  What does that mean?  I look like a soccer mom . . . ya know, on the outside.   

What a tool... 

*choke*   disease carrying monsters?  Her daughter is more likeley to be carrying diseases than your rat!

Your parents are likely to hear from her after a response like that - although I fully understand your irritation. You might want to prepare them, if you think there are likely to be consequences.