[09bjb]

Mice strike the best balance for science of animals who are decent proxies for humans, are inexpensive to breed and genetically manipulate, and who don't trigger much ethical backlash.

It seems to me though that the extent to which mouse biology and behavior translates well to human biology and behavior might also be the extent to which it's totally immoral. "Yes, but think of how many future lives I'll save by vivisecting this sentient or semi-sentient being..."