A 19 September 1959 launch, Jupiter AM 23, carried 2 frogs along with 12 mice but the rocket was destroyed during launch.

So we might engage a rat, for example, to acquire a new skill or ability that might involve the rat using its paw to master particular manual grasp behaviors just like we might examine a child and their ability to acquire the sub skills, or the general overall skill of accomplishing something like mastering the ability to read.