May's COTM is Ratbone Rescues

May's COTM is...

Nominated by Veronica of ScrappyRat

presention by Ratbone Rescues, Inc

Ratbone Rescues is a national rescue organization working to rescue and rehome Rat Terriers. Established in 1999, we have grown from a tiny core of four volunteers to almost 150 members across the nation. We take in all kinds of Rat Terriers; old, injured, puppy mill survivors, pregnant and heartworm positive. We are also the official rescue organization of the American Hairless Terrier Association, and you can sometimes find American Hairless Terriers (AHTs) at Ratbone Rescues - as well as the impressive Decker Giant Rat Terriers.

As Ratbone Rescues takes in seriously injured dogs our vet bills are very high. Our adoption fees do not cover the cost of rehabilitating many of our dogs, but we accept them anyway. Many injured dogs that sit untreated in shelters have come into Ratbone Rescue to be cared for and restored to health. Austin, a Decker Giant from the Multnomah County Shelter in OR, needed an intestinal bypass operation to survive. He had two operations before being restored to health and the cost was over $4,000. Austin is now happily adopted and taking care of his owner’s new baby girl. We have many stories like Austin's. Two little American Hairless Terriers were sitting in a cold shelter run in Boise, Idaho; they both had pneumonia. Ratbone Rescues got to them within two days of learning about them. Now fully restored to health, they are leading happy lives in Guam.  A women who was allergic to dogs adopted both of them and now has two wonderful little hairless dogs named Harriet and Crackers.

Austin

Our applications department tries hard to match applicants with dogs that are appropriate for them. We average at least 300 adoptions a year with only a very few returns, so their efforts are paying off. Adopters sign an agreement with Ratbone that if they have to give up their adopted dog, Ratbone Rescues will take the dog back. We are also a resource for Rat Terrier owners who are facing difficult decisions. One of our members, Terry Nickerson, is a professional dog trainer, and she works with individuals who are having problems with their Ratties. Terry has saved many dogs from losing their homes and going into rescue. 

Madeline

All of our fostersRatties are cared for like members of the family in their foster homes. We are not a shelter environment, so our fosters get rehabilitation from their fostermoms, as well as lap time and treats - just like the other family dogs. This helps our foster dogs to overcome the traumas of their previous lives, and to succeed in their new homes. It also gives us an insight on where these dogs should be placed. Our fostermoms communicate frequently with the adopters during the application process, to make sure that the new home is a good fit for everyone.

Cracker and Harriet

Occasionally we take in a dog that cannot be placed for various reasons. Many of our foster homes have made room in their family for the old dog that doesn’t get any applications or the little puppy mill survivor who just can’t adjust to a normal life. We will care for these little dogs all of their lives. Little Susie came from a puppy mill where she was bred repeatedly for six years. Although Susie is not a good candidate for adoption, she will live at her fostermoms where she will be loved and doted on for the rest of her life. Many of Ratbone’s foster homes have these little “unadoptables”.

Suzie

At Ratbone Rescues, we put the dog first !

Ratbone Rescues, Inc.

http://www.ratbonerescues.com