I had a narrative bubbling in my head at the time; can't remember exactly, but it was something like: "Jaak Panksepp was just here, and you know his work better than I do, which over several decades has established the rich emotional lives of mice. It seems to me that, given that, laughing at the terror you've caused these animals seems inappropriate. What do you think?"

It's worth noting that I don't think saying that would have affected my career. I didn't say it because I didn't have the guts to stand up to the mob. Thus the guilt.