fenshae
Well-Known Member
I'd be very interested -- at a MUCH more stable time in my life -- in starting a rat rescue, and I was wondering how one would go about that. Let me stress I won't be doing this any time soon; I wouldn't consider starting it until I owned my own house rather than renting an apartment, for one, and until I had a much more sizeable savings account than I do now, and a working relationship with an experienced vet. So it'll be awhile.
But anyway. There aren't any rat rescues in New Mexico; there's some in Colorado and Arizona, and I believe one in Utah, but none here. No breeders, either -- we're like a ratty no-man's land down here. On the bright side, we're also so-far SDA-free :thumbup: hehe. So (assuming I stay in New Mexico and don't move with my boyfriend) I'd like to have a hand in making the first rat rescue. Sometime. Down the road.
How would you start a rescue? Do you need special licensing? How do you begin acquiring animals? Would you be affiliated with the local animal shelters to take any/all of their ratties? How much money should you have in order to start it? I'm assuming you need a non-profit business license....*thinking aloud*
So....I guess, just looking for general info from people who run rescues/do rescue work. I'm an information sponge!
Incidentally, I just sent out a couple of emails to local shelter groups basically asking them to keep me in mind if they get any surrendered ratties....hopefully that will be seen as a kind/helpful gesture and not wildly inappropriate.
But anyway. There aren't any rat rescues in New Mexico; there's some in Colorado and Arizona, and I believe one in Utah, but none here. No breeders, either -- we're like a ratty no-man's land down here. On the bright side, we're also so-far SDA-free :thumbup: hehe. So (assuming I stay in New Mexico and don't move with my boyfriend) I'd like to have a hand in making the first rat rescue. Sometime. Down the road.
How would you start a rescue? Do you need special licensing? How do you begin acquiring animals? Would you be affiliated with the local animal shelters to take any/all of their ratties? How much money should you have in order to start it? I'm assuming you need a non-profit business license....*thinking aloud*
So....I guess, just looking for general info from people who run rescues/do rescue work. I'm an information sponge!
Incidentally, I just sent out a couple of emails to local shelter groups basically asking them to keep me in mind if they get any surrendered ratties....hopefully that will be seen as a kind/helpful gesture and not wildly inappropriate.