Back in May 2008 we discovered a man/rescue in Moncton, New Brunswick was unable to stop taking in rats and was completely overwhelmed. There was over 100 rats but there wasn’t enough care for all of them. The man was unable to physically clean cages due to his health so the majority of work fell to his young daughter and an older friend (Alex) who posted an S.O.S. to adopt out these rats and fast!
The rats were kept in cages too small for them, too many rats in a cage, not clean conditions, fed whatever they could afford, and most of them had no out time at all. The Specials got fed too much and became obese with no exercise. There was extremely limited vet care and it became overwhelming for all involved.
These rats Alex is holding are all girls...they were obese Specials (my Pea is the beige back rearing up in the middle...she arrived at 615 grams and was a smaller girl that was round and lumpy)
Holly, a wonderful woman involved in rat rescue, decided we needed to make a Rat Train to Ontario as there just wasn’t enough good homes that weren’t already full locally. She drove to Moncton, New Brunswick from Halifax, Nova Scotia three times for this effort. Working with Alex and Clark, the owner of the rescue, Holly took pictures of the rats available for adoption and compiled a brief description of each. Holly posted the pictures and descriptions of 100 rats and two degus on the internet. She later updated this as people were approved for adoption.
Then we created an adoption application and started screening adopters. It sounds really easy but it is not! For most of us with full-time jobs or in school, all of the work had to be done in the mornings and at night…MANY emails to answer, applications to go over, and plans to make. I soon assumed all of the responsibility and work for screening adopters.
We needed enough adopters in Ontario to even consider a rat train (transport, not an actual choo choo train LOL). The Ratshack, jorats, moderators and members and some members on Goosemoose all played important roles .... helping with and supporting the raffle, making donations, volunteering time and ideas, spreading the word and adopting rats.
Once we had an application process set up, we had to figure out the next issues, like HOW we were going to get them there, and where would each leg of the train/transporter be able to go to and from, then arrange timing and oops…forgot about funds for the Transport and any medical bills needed…
It was also decided to use the funds donated to provide each adopter who wanted one with a copy of The “Rat Health Care” book. The rats had been through so much in their short lives that we wanted to ensure they received the best possible new start. Holly took care of the book ordering and distribution.
A Raffle was started on behalf of these efforts. To be honest the Raffle was the hardest part for me, very demanding, and there’s a lot of rules to raffles that have to be followed, that of course we didn’t know about LOL. We were very lucky to have so many talented people donate prizes for the Raffle.
Vansessa was in charge of donations and all funds. She kept the books and reimbursed people for expenses incurred in this rescue effort. Vanessa fulfilled this responsibility from the time we decided to undertake this operation until all receipts were received and funds paid out several months after the actual rat train.
The transport was finally arranged into 3 legs (Clark drove from Moncton to Montreal (Jane/smallvic’s place to stay over) and there it split into Vanessa taking approximately 75 rats from Montreal to the Markham meet up (a doggy daycare facility’s space was donated by Moon, one of the moderators of the Rat Shack) after that individual transports to different parts of Ontario met up there to take home their Train rats and deliver others on the way. Some had to foster a few days until the new owners could pick up
Also in Montreal, Jane held onto the U.S. bound rats that Keltikka & Amanda (NYDaisy) picked up and helped distribute to their new homes… NYDaisy was my U.S, Adoption Coordinator and she was invaluable.
Here are pics from the Meetup on June 20, 2008
Vanessa’s car packed with cages!
This was a long hard trip for Vanessa and the rats. She had to keep stopping to move cages around and get the air flowing in between. The rats were clearly overheating but they had to endure this in order to get to their homes. We took all the cages out and placed them in a cool part of the office where Moon works. (which by the way was the best thing she could have done, donate her time and area for this to all come together, it was in a quiet and private area. She even put up print outs of the adoptions and new adopters/adoptees up for faster identification.)
Here we have the cages with Moon, myself, Mamarat and Nickelrat:
We quickly got to work, watering the rats and trying to hook up extra waterbottles to the cages. We also had to "air" out some rats as well, they were so hot and some were listless. We were worried about Vanessa and Mamarat's bigger groups, but it seems all they needed was a cuddle, and a reminder that they were going somewhere great. They perked up really fast.
Finding cages and carriers were another huge concern for us. We had to find small enough enclosures so they could all fit in the cars. We received many cage donations but even with that, many cages had to be divided into two in order to accommodate more rats.
Jorats getting the water bottles:
Mamarat and Nickelrat watering the rats:
Alicemcmallis, myself and Moon putting Revolution on all the newcomers
Moon holding some of Rat.charmers sweet PEW girls
Peeking out!
All the cars lining up to receive their precious cargo.
Jorats, and Mamarats new ratties all packed up to go home
and a few days later…Amanda and Keltikka’s cars all packed up with their little inmates in Montreal in preparation to crossing the border and taking these lucky little rats to their new homes.
Keltikka had 13 cages/carriers
Not sure how many Amanda had!
And this is the final result of our efforts.
The following is an organized adopted list of the rat train adoptables for the canadian rescue effort.
Note: The liverpool babies were rescued by Holly along with other members of their family from a tank in a shed and were included in this rat train.
adopted by Loraine Speck Canada, Ontario
1. Boy 3 (new cage) - black berk- 5 to 6 months old, black berk with stunning markings, friendly, always looking for attention
2. Boy 8 (new cage) - black hoodie - 4-5 mo, hyper, happy, loves attention, sweet
3. Boy 5 (cage 9)
4. Boy 7 (cage 9)
adopted by Caleb USA, PA
1. Boy 2 (new cage) - beige hoodie - 4-5 mo, hyper, happy, loves attention, sweet
2. Boy 3 (new cage) - beige berk - 4-5 mo, hyper, happy, loves attention, sweet
adopted by Keltikka USA, New York
1. Ianto (cage 2)
2. Owen (cage 2)
3. Jack (in foster)
adopted by Vanessa Canada
1. Bruce (cage 3) - black self - 10 mo, sweet, outgoing
2. Paul (cage 3) - black self - 10 mo, sweet, outgoing
3. Blaze (cage 3) - black self - 10 mo, sweet, outgoing
4. Nicko (cage 11)
5. Adrian (cage 11)
6. Steve (cage 11)
7. Dave (cage 11)
8. Janick (cage 11)
adopted by Cityratt Canada, Ontario
1. Cap'n(cage 4)
2. Smee (cage 4)
adopted by Sara/Odd1out Canada, Ontario
1. Boy 1 (cage 4)
2. Boy 2 (cage 4)
3. Boy 3 (cage 4)
adopted by Jorats Canada, Ontario
1.Jasper (cage 5)
2. Rufus (cage 5)
3. Remi (neutered boy) (cage 20)
4. Calia (girl) (cage 20)
adopted by mamarat Canada, Ontario
1/2/3/4. Hawkeye, Marcus,Walter and Ross- 4 dumbos (Cage 21)
5. Forest (cage 13)
6. Moose (cage 13)
7. Levi (cage 13)
8. James (cage 13) 9. Wyatt (cage 13)
adopted by Donna-Lynne (skinnyhippiechick) Canada, Ontario
1. King Beanbag II (cage 6)
2. Sprite (cage 6)
3. Lucretius (Luc/Luke for short(cage 6)
4. Nietzsche (cage 6)
adopted by Jennifer (ohrats27) USA, New York
1. Monty - Dad
2. Gyro - Beige hooded son
3. Dash - Beige son
4. Jacob (cage 6) - black hoodie, 7 weeks old
5. Dave (cage 6) - himilayan - 7 weeks old
6. Zach (cage 6) - approx 7 weeks old, beige turning siamese
adopted by Gina, PiedPiper Canada, Ontario
1. Mokka (cage 6)
2. Zen (cage 6)
3. Keemun (liverpool babies)
4. Rooibas (liverpool babies)
adopted by Lindy/lj Canada, Ontario
1. Crabbe (cage 6)
2. Goyle (cage 6)
3. Remi (cage 7)
4. Neublus (cage 8 )
5. Minky (cage 10)
6. Neville (cage 16)
adopted by Randy Canada, Ontario
1. Gimli (cage 9)
2. Tobias (cage 9)
adopted by Laura (Bruxxy) Canada, Ontario
1. Oliver (cage 9)
2. Otis (cage 9)
adopted by Amanda (NYDAISY) USA, New York
1. Timothy (cage 9)
2. Homer (Bossman) (cage 17)
3. George (cage 17)
4. Plato (cage 17)
adopted by Deefar USA, New York1. Boyo- (in foster) agouti berk- approx. 8-12 mo, adventurous and very playful
2. Vandike - (in foster) agouti hoodie - approx. 18-24 mo, treated for pneumonia (clearing up wonderfully)
3. Sammy (cage 16)
4. Sampson (cage 16)
5. Lil Mama (cage 2)
6. Ginger (cage 2)
7. Willow (new cage) - black berk - 5 to 6 months old, black berk with stunning markings, friendly, always looking for attention.
8. Willis (new cage) - beige berk - 4-5 mo, hyper, happy, loves attention, sweet
9/10. Harriett and Henrietta 2 female degus
11. Ella (cage 3-females) - beige hoodie - 8-12 mo, Abby's sister
12. Abby (cage 3-females) - black hoodie - 8-12 mo, Ella's sister
adopted by Kent Canada, Ontario
1. Tesla (cage 14)
2. Darwin (cage 14)
adopted by Karen/trillium Canada, Ontario
1. Hobbes(cage 14)
adopted by Viven (Rat Charmer) Canada, Ontario
1. Tennant (cage 1)
2. Simms (cage 1)
3. Tesla (cage 1)
4. Lucy (cage 5)
adopted by Carol Ann Rowland Canada, Ontario
1. Jessie (cage 5)
2. Sniffles (cage 5)
adopted by Shelagh/lilspaz68 Canada, Ontario
1. Phlox (cage 2)
2. Hazel (cage 3)
3. Sweet Pea (cage 4)
4. Calla (cage 4) - black hoodie - 9 mo, sweet, friendly
5. Lily (cage 2) - black berk - 4-5 mo, sweet, friendly
6. Laurel (cage 2) - black hoodie - 4-5 mo, friendly, sweet
7. Alyssum (cage 2) - black hoodie - 4-5 mo, sweet, socialized
8. Poppy (cage 2) - black hoodie - 4-5 mo, sweet, socialized
adopted by Random Rat Canada, Ontario
1. Bambi (cage 4)
2. Beauty (cage 4)
adopted by Jenn Wilson (Jennw) Canada, Ontario1. Carn (cage 4) - black berk - 15 mo, Mom, sweet and friendly
2. Midge (cage 4) - black berk - 12 mo, daughter, sweet and friendly
3. Pint (cage 4) - black berk - 12 mo, daughter, sweet and friendly
reserved for Taunya A.
1/2. 2 degu girls
adopted by Patrica/Rodentist USA, New York
1. Caspian (liverpool babies) - black hoodie - 4-6 wks old, sweet
2. Rilian) (liverpool babies) - black hoodie - 4-6 wks old, sweet
3. Trilian (liverpool babies) - black hoodie with a kissy spot on his back - just above his tail. He is half the size of his better fed brothers as rescued weeks later by SQ/Holly
6. Clive (liverpool babies) - black berk - 4-6 wks old, sweet
5. Staples(liverpool babies) - black hoodie - 4-6 wks old, sweet
adopted by Dahlas Canada, Nova Scotia
1/2. Tory and Ace (bonded, elderly so must go together within martimes)
adopted by Theresa Canada, Nova Scotia
1/2. Mr. Bigg and his PEW brother, Rollie
adopted by breakthenight Canada, Nova Scotia
1. Keiran (cage 1)
2. Gallagher (cage 1)
Adopted/permanent foster by Raven (Twitch) Canada, New Brunswick
1. Chop Suey
2. Magi
3. Serraphim
4. Zen
Adopted by WOSMU Canada, Nova Scotia
1. Michelangelo (liverpool babies)
2. Raphael (liverpool babies)
Boy 4 (cage 16) - adopted through clark Canada, New Brunswick
Boy 5 (cage 16) - adopted through clark Canada, New Brunswick
male gerbil-reserved
Girl 2 (cage 5) died
Bruce (cage 19) died
and the numbers involved
Actual Miles Clocked...
All miles listed are One way, as time spent with rats traveling.
Raven/Twitch - St. John to Moncton (3X) = 286.8
Twitch's Uncle - Moncton to St. John = 95.6 & St. John to Halifax (2X) = 512
Godmother - Moncton to Dartmouth = 159 & Fredericton to Moncton = 111
SQ/Holly - Halifax to Moncton (3X) = 489 & Halifax to Dartmouth = 14.5
Dahlas - Bridgewater to Halifax = 64.4
Clark - Moncton to Montreal (2X) = 1228
Vanessa - Montreal to Markham (2X) = 668
Jorats - Sudbury to Markham (2X) = 476
moon - Markham to Toronto = 55
Lindy/Lj - Markham to London = 126
Karen/Trillium - London to Windsor = 119
Total for Canadian Mileage was 4, 403 miles!
Fosters
Dahlas -fostered Liverpool boys
Twitch - fostered The Fosters
Jane - overnight for transporters and short-term foster for rats (Thank you also to her volunteers who came in and helped clean up the chaos after all the rats departed! )
Amanda - foster for a week for U.S. ratties
Moon - fostered Gina's boys for 2 days
Cityratt - fostering the Himi boys for Sara
Shelagh - fostering for a week for Kent
Special Thanks to Moon - Hostess with the Mostest (offered us the best place to all meet up and take care of the rats and do the pickups for the rest of the deliveries...Thank you Moon!!!)
And some pics of the ladies I took in from this rescue...Laurel, Sweetpea (Pea), Calla and the Moncton Monster or Partygirls.
Partygirls (that's my sweet Poppy in Moon's hands)
My lovely Calla (Pea is hiding)
Pews!
This project was a huge undertaking. The rat community rallied together to help one rescue who needed our help.
Every bit of effort from everyone involved made this happen.
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