If it squeaks, it's welcome!
Cages line the back room of the modest ranch house tucked along West Cone Boulevard. It doesn't take long to realize it's a motel of sorts.
Welcome to the offices of Rodent Rescue & Adoption of the Triad, a new agency devoted to the local protection of all God's varmints. What an active place it is.
Rats. Mice. Gerbils and hamsters. If it squeaks, it's welcome.
And for families who move into apartments with "no pet" policies, or for parents whose kids get tired of their creatures, this is the place to send 'em.
"In the last few years, it's become more acceptable to have a rat as a pet. Kids are always like 'Cool, a rat!' " said Michelle Pritchett, who launched RRAT in August out of her West Cone Boulevard home. "After I show the parents how great a rat is, they become attached themselves."
That's no easy feat.
Hamsters and gerbils have always been popular as starter pets. Rats, however, sometimes raise eyebrows when suggested as family companions.
Often associated with the bubonic plague that swept across medieval Europe, rodents have always shouldered a bum rap. It was the rats' fleas that spread "black death" to the millions of people who perished -- not the toothy animal itself.
Speaking of teeth, pet rats rarely bite, Pritchett said. They do, however, need a chewing device to maintain the incisors that grow nonstop through life.
The critters reach anywhere from 9 to 11 inches long, not including tails, and can live up to three years if properly reared. And rats take top cheese for intelligence when stacked against other varmints.
"Rats are wonderful, especially if handled from a young age," Pritchett said. "They're very social, very intelligent and can be trained to do tricks."
Pritchett provides shelter for the animals and handles adoption paperwork. Her quasi-partner, Alicia Smith, runs the Web site that features animals looking for owners. Their pets can also be found at Petfinder.com.
The women say theirs is only the second rescue organization in the state devoted exclusively to rodents. It's modeled after efforts in Raleigh, where Pritchett has spent time volunteering.
Pritchett has experience with all types of animals. She's volunteered with the SPCA and worked as a veterinary technician.
RRAT plans to participate in an adoption festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 17 at New Garden Landscaping and Nursery. Pritchett said she hopes to find homes for many of her foster pets.
In the brief period Rodent Rescue & Adoption of the Triad has been around, Pritchett has found homes for two rats and two guinea pigs. She may try to convert her agency to a registered nonprofit.
"Pets improve people's lives, even if it's just a mouse," she said. "It's something you hold dear to your heart, and it makes you happy."
Rats are becoming popular pets!
Welcome to the offices of Rodent Rescue & Adoption of the Triad, a new agency devoted to the local protection of all God's varmints. What an active place it is.
Rats. Mice. Gerbils and hamsters. If it squeaks, it's welcome.
And for families who move into apartments with "no pet" policies, or for parents whose kids get tired of their creatures, this is the place to send 'em.
"In the last few years, it's become more acceptable to have a rat as a pet. Kids are always like 'Cool, a rat!' " said Michelle Pritchett, who launched RRAT in August out of her West Cone Boulevard home. "After I show the parents how great a rat is, they become attached themselves."
That's no easy feat.
Hamsters and gerbils have always been popular as starter pets. Rats, however, sometimes raise eyebrows when suggested as family companions.
Often associated with the bubonic plague that swept across medieval Europe, rodents have always shouldered a bum rap. It was the rats' fleas that spread "black death" to the millions of people who perished -- not the toothy animal itself.
Speaking of teeth, pet rats rarely bite, Pritchett said. They do, however, need a chewing device to maintain the incisors that grow nonstop through life.
The critters reach anywhere from 9 to 11 inches long, not including tails, and can live up to three years if properly reared. And rats take top cheese for intelligence when stacked against other varmints.
"Rats are wonderful, especially if handled from a young age," Pritchett said. "They're very social, very intelligent and can be trained to do tricks."
Pritchett provides shelter for the animals and handles adoption paperwork. Her quasi-partner, Alicia Smith, runs the Web site that features animals looking for owners. Their pets can also be found at Petfinder.com.
The women say theirs is only the second rescue organization in the state devoted exclusively to rodents. It's modeled after efforts in Raleigh, where Pritchett has spent time volunteering.
Pritchett has experience with all types of animals. She's volunteered with the SPCA and worked as a veterinary technician.
RRAT plans to participate in an adoption festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 17 at New Garden Landscaping and Nursery. Pritchett said she hopes to find homes for many of her foster pets.
In the brief period Rodent Rescue & Adoption of the Triad has been around, Pritchett has found homes for two rats and two guinea pigs. She may try to convert her agency to a registered nonprofit.
"Pets improve people's lives, even if it's just a mouse," she said. "It's something you hold dear to your heart, and it makes you happy."
Rats are becoming popular pets!
posted by Lee at 1:31 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home