KTyne
Senior Member
Oh I'll definitely want to be able to check in on them (photos or actually going to their place), but going just to visit them only would be too hard.
Sad News.. (keeping them!)
- Thread starter KTyne
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victoria
Well-Known Member
I little over a year ago I was looking for more rats because my old girl passed and I wanted some buddies for my two younger, very energetic girls to share their double CN with. I sent emails to a few shelters in the area I knew of, searched online classifieds, and asked my vet's office to keep their ear to the ground for girls or neutered boys needing homes. Nothing panned out so I ended up adopting three rats when I went to Ontario one weekend.
Fast forward ten days and my vet contacts me because they have two girls that need to be rehomed quickly and ask if I can help. Unsure, I took the owner's name and number and gave her a call. It turned out her dad, who was allergic to the rats, had just found out he had heart disease and needed a quadriple bypass. Because of his condition, the allergy had become life threatening and she needed to figure something out fast. They were being boarded at the vet while she reorganized her basement to see if she could keep them there and not affect her father but if that didn't work, they needed to go. I felt bad for her because it sounded like she legitimately had to get rid of these girls, so I told her to call me if she was rehoming them and that we would likely take them. I talked it over with my husband and we decided that even though we had two groups that needed to be intro'ed to each other already and one rat with pneumonia, we would take these girls.
She called me two days later and said they needed to go, her dad was having too much trouble breathing. We worked out the details (initially she had mentioned a long term foster or adoption but I wanted to clarify the terms) and she agreed loan me her cage until I was finished intros.
At the time, it was supposed to be a clean break. She thought it would be too hard to see them but not have them with her and I didn't want to agree to have a stranger come over regularly. The only exception was that if we could, we would call her and notify her that the girls were being PTS and she would be there if possible.
The day she brought them over she brought them with this HUGE cage the size of a double CN/FN, 3 garbage bags of supplies, and a three page typed letter detailing their history. We talked, I showed her my guys and their cage, told her how I cared for my rats, let her meet them, etc. We exchanged contact information and I did offer at the time that she could come over from time to time to see them if she wanted. Still thinking it would be too hard, she declined.
She went home, we got to work setting up the new cage and then she called to tell us she forgot to give us the ramps for the cage. I told her it was fine, we had already figured out a way around the missing ramps, and agreed she would come over the next day to drop them off. Somewhere along the way we became friends, she would come over and see them from time to time, pet sit for us, and give me rides to the vet when my husband couldn't. Grace passed away in August and Sophie two weeks ago, but Sarah and I are still friends.
My point, after a long, drawn out story, is you don't know how things are going to turn out. I think it's prudent to have a contract because if you don't and you are not happy with how your girls are cared for, you have no recourse. (I know so many people that have not done this and lived to regret it.) But, it may turn out that there is a way you can still be involved in your girls' lives after they are rehomed. (Trustworthy pet sitters are hard to come by.)
P.S. Sarah's dad had his bypass a few days after we adopted Grace and Sophie and when they opened him up they found his aorta was partially torn. As sad as she was to see them go, she knows he may have died had they been in the house any longer. He spent many weeks in hospital recovering but is now back home and in good health. No more pets for Sarah until she moves out though.
Fast forward ten days and my vet contacts me because they have two girls that need to be rehomed quickly and ask if I can help. Unsure, I took the owner's name and number and gave her a call. It turned out her dad, who was allergic to the rats, had just found out he had heart disease and needed a quadriple bypass. Because of his condition, the allergy had become life threatening and she needed to figure something out fast. They were being boarded at the vet while she reorganized her basement to see if she could keep them there and not affect her father but if that didn't work, they needed to go. I felt bad for her because it sounded like she legitimately had to get rid of these girls, so I told her to call me if she was rehoming them and that we would likely take them. I talked it over with my husband and we decided that even though we had two groups that needed to be intro'ed to each other already and one rat with pneumonia, we would take these girls.
She called me two days later and said they needed to go, her dad was having too much trouble breathing. We worked out the details (initially she had mentioned a long term foster or adoption but I wanted to clarify the terms) and she agreed loan me her cage until I was finished intros.
At the time, it was supposed to be a clean break. She thought it would be too hard to see them but not have them with her and I didn't want to agree to have a stranger come over regularly. The only exception was that if we could, we would call her and notify her that the girls were being PTS and she would be there if possible.
The day she brought them over she brought them with this HUGE cage the size of a double CN/FN, 3 garbage bags of supplies, and a three page typed letter detailing their history. We talked, I showed her my guys and their cage, told her how I cared for my rats, let her meet them, etc. We exchanged contact information and I did offer at the time that she could come over from time to time to see them if she wanted. Still thinking it would be too hard, she declined.
She went home, we got to work setting up the new cage and then she called to tell us she forgot to give us the ramps for the cage. I told her it was fine, we had already figured out a way around the missing ramps, and agreed she would come over the next day to drop them off. Somewhere along the way we became friends, she would come over and see them from time to time, pet sit for us, and give me rides to the vet when my husband couldn't. Grace passed away in August and Sophie two weeks ago, but Sarah and I are still friends.
My point, after a long, drawn out story, is you don't know how things are going to turn out. I think it's prudent to have a contract because if you don't and you are not happy with how your girls are cared for, you have no recourse. (I know so many people that have not done this and lived to regret it.) But, it may turn out that there is a way you can still be involved in your girls' lives after they are rehomed. (Trustworthy pet sitters are hard to come by.)
P.S. Sarah's dad had his bypass a few days after we adopted Grace and Sophie and when they opened him up they found his aorta was partially torn. As sad as she was to see them go, she knows he may have died had they been in the house any longer. He spent many weeks in hospital recovering but is now back home and in good health. No more pets for Sarah until she moves out though.
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
That's a great story Victoria. Good things do happen.
KTyne
Senior Member
Definitely a good story, thanks for sharing. :')
I'm not sure how I would write up a contract but I'll see what I can do. I don't want to figure out afterwards that she's taking horrible care of them and refuses to give them back or to someone better suited. :|
I'm not sure how I would write up a contract but I'll see what I can do. I don't want to figure out afterwards that she's taking horrible care of them and refuses to give them back or to someone better suited. :|
victoria
Well-Known Member
Ask some of the rescues on here if you can use theirs or adapt it to meet your needs.
KTyne
Senior Member
That sounds good.. I'll try that.
Moon
Well-Known Member
If you are in a situation where you really feel it is pertinent to rehome your girls, I do think you should be giving their cage with them if you are confident with the home they are going to. Just something I wanted to throw out there. I know you want to recoup funds but a good home is a good home.
victoria
Well-Known Member
Moon said:
I forgot to mention in my story that the cage Sophie and Grace came in ended up being given to me. I know have a really nice cage for foster or noobs until they are intro'ed to my crew.
KTyne
Senior Member
I just don't want to offer a free cage because LMR told me in their e-mail reply that people will take animals for the free cage and then re-home the animals and sell the cage that they got for free. :|
victoria
Well-Known Member
Don't advertise the cage for free but if you find someone you think is good and they don't have a suitable cage, offer it for free.
KTyne
Senior Member
Ahhh ok, makes sense. She hasn't replied to me since the other day so we'll see if she even still wants them. :|
KTyne
Senior Member
So I was wondering if anyone in the Lower Mainland area or around the Fraser Valley would be willing to just take Bijoux by herself? I just am not trusting myself to find these girls good homes on my own even after asking all these questions and taking precautions. I just don't trust humanity as a whole I guess, lol.
I'm going to ask the breeder I got Penelope and Pashmina from to take them back, and then I'll just have Bijoux to find a home for and I don't want her to be waiting for a long time by herself. I know taking on one rat is much easier than three so hopefully SOMEone can help or something. Bijoux is my heart rat and I NEED her to go to someone I can trust 100%.
*edit-
How can you deny that face?! :stickpoke:
:cheeky:
I'm going to ask the breeder I got Penelope and Pashmina from to take them back, and then I'll just have Bijoux to find a home for and I don't want her to be waiting for a long time by herself. I know taking on one rat is much easier than three so hopefully SOMEone can help or something. Bijoux is my heart rat and I NEED her to go to someone I can trust 100%.
*edit-
How can you deny that face?! :stickpoke:
:cheeky:
victoria
Well-Known Member
I think splitting them up at this point is the worst thing you can do for them. They are bonded and should stay together. It would really be unfair to Bijoux to take her away from everything she knows.
You will never be able to find someone you trust 100%, on or off forum, so all you can do is try your best to screen. Sending Penelope and Pashmina back to their breeder also does not guarantee they will be well cared for, you said it yourself, you no longer hold their breeder in high regard and she will just be placing them instead of you. If you really can't find someone who you can trust, you should consider keeping them. Your boyfriend should be your partner and understand how important they are to you. It is very likely they will not live longer than another 18 months, it's not a super long commitment. It may mean you have to sacrifice other things in order to keep them (e.g. new clothes, cable TV) but that's the price for peace of mind.
You will never be able to find someone you trust 100%, on or off forum, so all you can do is try your best to screen. Sending Penelope and Pashmina back to their breeder also does not guarantee they will be well cared for, you said it yourself, you no longer hold their breeder in high regard and she will just be placing them instead of you. If you really can't find someone who you can trust, you should consider keeping them. Your boyfriend should be your partner and understand how important they are to you. It is very likely they will not live longer than another 18 months, it's not a super long commitment. It may mean you have to sacrifice other things in order to keep them (e.g. new clothes, cable TV) but that's the price for peace of mind.
KTyne
Senior Member
I don't trust the breeder to breed rats ethically and responsibly, but I do trust her to provide good care of the rats she has. I've seen her set up and she takes excellent care of all the rats she has. I know she'd find them great homes and take really good care of them in the mean time.
For Bijoux, she's the type of rat that I'm 99% sure would bond with any person/rat she met as long as she was liked in return. She's a very laid back rat that loves everyone so I have no doubt that if she went to a home with rats and was accepted bu the current rats she'd bond with them just as much as she has with Penelope and Pashmina.
I don't want to seperate them, but I honestly just don't feel comfortable re-homing them on my own. :|
For Bijoux, she's the type of rat that I'm 99% sure would bond with any person/rat she met as long as she was liked in return. She's a very laid back rat that loves everyone so I have no doubt that if she went to a home with rats and was accepted bu the current rats she'd bond with them just as much as she has with Penelope and Pashmina.
I don't want to seperate them, but I honestly just don't feel comfortable re-homing them on my own. :|
victoria
Well-Known Member
I think you're being naive thinking the breeder will be more capable of finding them a good home - she's certainly less invested in their happiness and well being than you are. Bijoux may very well be able to bond with anyone but you will be doing her harm by splitting her from EVERYTHING she knows. Have you asked your vet and local shelters for help?
zenia wulfe
Well-Known Member
I wish I could help since I live sort of close by... but I am not allowed to have rats here. 
She looks like a wonderful girl.
She looks like a wonderful girl.
Rachael
Well-Known Member
This is a difficult situation. Your bf is not willing to pay for the girls treatment if they need it?
I don't think it's fair to split her at all..... you have to do the right thing for the girls and I think no matter what, they have to stay together.
I don't think it's fair to split her at all..... you have to do the right thing for the girls and I think no matter what, they have to stay together.
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
Oh my... those three girls really need to stay together. It would be so unfair to rip them away from Bijoux. I'd definitely not ever let them go to the breeder either, unless it was SITH rattery. Then I'd ask her to take all three together and keep them together. Have you contacted LMR? (Little Mischief Rescue)
In the end though, I think those girls are far better off with you, being that you are taking the time and effort to find the right home for them.
In the end though, I think those girls are far better off with you, being that you are taking the time and effort to find the right home for them.
jennifervb
Well-Known Member
jorats said:
I fully agree with Jo. If Bijoux is your heart rat then it will be really bad for her to part company with you. You will add to the grief by taking away her friends. Don't go there KTyne. Depression can kill her if its bad enough. :sad3:
What, exactly, has your boyfriend told you about the rats? Do they actually need veterinary care right now or are you worried that they "might" need it?
Your girls are not young if I'm understanding this correctly so their time with you is already limited. Do you really want and need to take the step of rehoming? Is this all really necessary or are you just giving into peer pressure?
What is your boyfriend's relationship with the rats?
Give all this some serious thought before you venture to trust your heart girl and her friends to someone else. Don't let your family browbeat you into a decision without a fight. I don't know what your character is (sensitive, accommodating, shy, etc) but if it is.... learn to find some kick. It will show those around you that you are not a doormat and will earn you the respect you deserve.
I just don't yet get the impression that your rats have to go anywhere. :rose:
Guest
I agree that they all need to stay together ..it's mean to tear them apart ..if I were you I would be keeping them and going without things for myself to care for them properly.
