by Stephanie Cameron
As a volunteer with Rattie Ratz Rescue, a non-profit pet rat rescue located in the Bay Area of Northern California, I have witnessed first-hand the affects Covid has had on the running of a rescue. Of course, as soon as Covid became publicly known, keeping the volunteers and animals safe was the Board’s primary concern. All public events were canceled as soon as the shelter in place was ordered back in March 2020, and they will remain cancelled for some time to come.
by Stephanie Cameron
2020 was a difficult year for many people around the world, but even during a pandemic there are animals that need saving. Rattie Ratz Rescue is incredibly grateful that during a time of great difficulty and sorrow the support for our work and our rats never ceased. We are now a year into the pandemic and Rattie Ratz was able to help many rat owners in need thanks to this unending support. Many pet owners had to move or took large financial cuts, so there were a lot of pets needing to be rehomed. Rat owners have fewer resources and for many of these people, Rattie Ratz Rescue was their last hope.
by Stephanie Cameron
This month I’d like to introduce a beautiful love story between two rat brothers and their human mom. The goal of Rattie Ratz Rescue since its inception 22 years ago has always been – and continues to be – finding loving forever homes for domesticated rats, a very misunderstood pet. Many do not understand the attraction of having rats as pets, but for those who have experienced the captivating playfulness and amiable nature there is no other animal companion quite like a rat.
by Alyssa Nader
Rattie Ratz mission is to find loving forever homes for all the rats who come our way. Many of our volunteers (including myself!) enjoy our own personal ratties just like the folks who adopt from us. Since we are in the business of rescue, we often come across our future pets at unexpected times and in unexpected ways.
by Stephanie Cameron
As a volunteer with Rattie Ratz Rescue I have come across my fair share of unique- looking rats: Russian blue, dumbo blaze, double rex albino, hairless, mink possum and even a tail-less rat! I had certainly heard of and even seen dwarf rats a few times in the past but had never had a chance to really interact with them.
by Alyssa Nader
Our mission at Rattie Ratz is to find all ratties who come to us to find a loving, forever home. An important step along the way is often a foster home.
Not everyone knows that Rattie Ratz is an all-volunteer, decentralized organization. There is no central, large, rat-shaped building with a big sign that says “Rattie Ratz” (maybe one day!). Rather, we base our rescue efforts on volunteers’ love and homes.
by Stephanie Cameron
With most of the world on lockdown, having only yourself for company can get old pretty fast. Thankfully, lots of people are finding creative ways to keep themselves busy. Personally, one of my favorite methods to pass the time is by enjoying the company of my pets, and I know I’m not alone in this. Many people are spending their extra time pampering their furry friends or opening their hearts and homes to one or two new family members. Emily had this same idea, and now has two rat brothers keeping her company.
by Alyssa Nader
Rattie Ratz mission is to find loving forever homes for all the rats who come our way. We reached out to Gradiva and Zehara to hear about how their new boys are doing now that they’ve had some time to settle in.
by Stephanie Cameron
This month I wanted to share a bittersweet adoption story. Many people who have to give up their animals do so, not because they want to, but because they have no choice. I am incredibly thankful for organizations like Rattie Ratz Rescue, whose mission is to help pet rats in need by providing a safe space for families to surrender their rats when they can no longer care for them.
by Alyssa Nader
Kelly got Remington (Remy, a black Berkshire boy) and Ralph (a variegated gray boy) on her birthday weekend this January.
“They were a gift to myself after losing my two boys in the fall of 2019, one being my heart rat. I was very excited to get babies again, and boys are my absolute favorite!”
by Diana Hockley
Having a pet is a commitment, not something for which you beg your parents and then, two weeks later, are forced to care for. Parents should always remember that they will ultimately be caring for the animal! A decision to have a pet, therefore, needs to be a parental decision.
by Stephanie Cameron
When people think to adopt from a rescue, what some may not realize is that for every animal adopted, there are many more still in foster care and some of these animals may never leave the rescue. Groups such as Rattie Ratz, a non-profit dedicated to rescuing and rehoming domestic pet rats in the San Francisco Bay Area, developed a sanctuary program so that these animals will always be safe and taken care of, even if they can’t find a home outside the rescue.
by Alyssa Nader
Jennifer and her family adopted two rattie boys from Rattie Ratz in December. We spoke to her (and heard in her kids’ own words!) about how they’re doing in their new forever home.
by Stephanie Cameron
A little over a year ago Rattie Ratz was asked to help with a hoarding situation. A woman had gotten in over her head and had far too many pet rats living in her home. There weren’t enough cages to separate genders, so the females were getting pregnant indiscriminately. The local authorities had to get involved and from young pregnant females to old males, the rats made their way to the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. The shelter asked Rattie Ratz to help and between December 2018 and January 2019 Rattie Ratz took in almost one hundred rats.
