"Rattus norvegicus?" Grace says, reading the letter. "What's that?"
"I'll check." Her mother opens up an internet browser on the PC, searches for the species on Google. The first results are pictures of rats.
"A rat? I'm going to be a rat?!" Grace begins to weep.
"Hey, hey, listen honey." Her mom is devastated, too, but she has to hide her own emotions. She had hoped that Grace would be given a housepet role. She'd hoped to take her daughter out on walks, or to be able to buy her toys... instead, Grace would be a rodent. It was still possible that she might have the chance to come home, if she was put up for sale immediately, but she would have to be kept in a cage. Her mother had wanted a cat since the Act had be introduced, and it wouldn't be her daughter. She could still get a cat, though. But would it be sensible to have a cat around if her daughter was a rodent?
***
At the Regeneration Center, Grace sat languidly with a collar around her neck denoting her new species. Someone from a school, a very attractive young woman named Yasmin, entered, and sat down beside Grace similarly collared.
"What did you get?" Grace asked.
"It's such a bummer. I really wanted to be a pony. I only got a housecat. I'll be sitting around at home all day, yawn", Yasmin moans. "How about you?"
"Nevermind," Grace mutters.
"No, go on," Yasmin continues. She spies Grace' collar. "Rattus norvegicus? Is that... a type of rat?"
Grace looks away sheepishly. "I think so."
"You'll make a cute rat," Yasmin struggles to cheer her former schoolmate up.
"Grace Francis?" A nurse says.
"Well, looks like you're up next. I guess I hope for your sake we don't meet again," Yasmin laughs.
"Yeah, I guess..."
Grace shuffles off to her new life.