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Yes, YOU - the folks who support Ratbone in so many ways. Without all of YOU, the organization could not accomplish the wonderful work that we do as a group.

YOU are the member who keeps dogs moving from shelter to foster home to forever home with side trips to the vet. YOU do home visits and spend countless hours on the phone and computer on Ratbone business. YOU are the volunteer who offers up support and advice on Chat and Extra. YOU open both your heart and home to abandoned Rat Terriers in need.

Maybe YOU aren't an official “member” of Ratbone but YOU support our efforts by helping the organization in other very important ways. YOU are the generous person who buys our raffle tickets, YOU donate for expensive medical treatment for a special needs dog and YOU buy every Ratbone cookbook or calendar published! YOU spend time working on our quilt project, YOU attend Ratbone reunions and gatherings and YOU help transport Ratbone dogs home or to rescue. YOU sing Ratbone's praises when you hear of someone interested in adding a dog to their family. YOU try to educate everyone about the importance of altering pets and about the millions of pets who meet their death in shelters every year. YOU write your legislators on animal issues, stay in-the-know regarding pet abuse issues, YOU visit your local shelter and contact rescue groups to help save adoptable dogs.

Ratbone Rescues is thankful for the many, many volunteers that help our group function, move forward and grow. From members who hold responsible positions to the occasional volunteer who helps with a transport leg once or twice a year. It takes all of YOU to make Ratbone successful and to offer abandoned Ratties a new chance at life.

YOU are the HEART of our organization!

Thank YOU.

Who says Rat Terriers are only farm dogs or squirrel hunters?
OK, so some are but we can be anything we want, including celebrities! Now that I am a quasi-celeb with my own e-column, I thought I would point out other Rat Terriers in the spotlight.

• Ace Underwood – Grammy winning country singer and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood's Rat Terrier, Ace, has his own website (aceunderwood.com) and has appeared on the cover of People magazine.
• Terry MacLaine – Academy award winning actress, dancer, and author Shirley MacLaine's Rat Terrier,Terry, who co-wrote the book Out On A Leash with his human.
• Fabreze – we suspect the gymnastic dog in the background of the Fabreze commercial is a Rat Terrier and not a Jack Russell as many believe.
• Skip – the Rat Terrier belonging to President Theodor Roosevelt who rid America's White House of rats.
• Ford – we spotted a Rat Terrier on a Ford commercial featuring Mike Rowe from the Discovery channel's Dirty Jobs.
• Nipper the famous RCA trademark dog is thought to be a Rat Terrier.
• Rat Terriers have also been seen or mentioned in such famous works as “To Kill A Mockingbird”, “The Great Train Robbery”, and “Lady Be Good”.

He's kidding, right?

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    Visit RatboneRescues.com

FLIGHT PLANS
In case you didn't know, in April there will be a Ratbone Rescues reunion in Florida, dogs welcome. Some of you may decide to fly in for that event or maybe you just want to take Spot and catch the Amtrak to see Aunt Maude in Chicago. Whatever your plans, here are some tips to help ensure a safe and pleasant journey for you and your dog.

General Tips

• No matter what your mode of travel, the single best safety practice you can employ to keep your dog safe during the journey, is to keep him restrained.
• Affix current identification to your dog. Even better; have him micro-chipped, which provides a permanent form of I.D. to help ensure he is returned to you if he becomes lost.
• Carry a recent photograph of your dog to make it easier for others to help you look for him if he gets lost during the trip.
• If your dog is prone to anxiety or motion sickness, consult with your veterinarian about using pet tranquilizers for your dog, appropriate for the particular type of travel you will take.

• Whether he will go in the cabin with your or in the cargo hold, your dog will need to travel in an airline (or train) approved carrier. Check the airline or train line website for requirements.
• If your dog will travel as cargo, check ahead of time for restrictions, health/immunization document needs and other requirements.
• If possible, use direct flights to avoid mix-ups during transfers or the possibility of delays in getting your dog off the plane. Ask the airline if you can watch your dog being loaded and unloaded into the cargo hold.
• Upon arrival at your destination, open the carrier as soon as you are in a safe place, and then clip a leash on your dog so you can safely examine him. If anything seems wrong, get him to a veterinarian right away.
• A happy, well socialized dog that knows you will always be there to keep him safe and secure, will enjoy traveling to new places with you, so have a good trip.

In case you missed it in the last edition of The Barker, April 30th is the date of Ratbone Rescues 1st Annual South East Reunion at Dogwood Dog Park in Jacksonville Florida. Festivities will begin at 9:00 AM and wind down around 6:00 PM. It will be a day of fun, food and fellowship with other Rattie lovers. There will be games, prizes and a hearty lunch of pulled pork BBQ or chicken, side dishes and drinks, all for just $10. Admission to the day's events is a new, dog related item which will be raffled off at the end of the day.

Follow this link for details on location, schedule, accommodations and to register: http://www.ratbonerescues.com/SE_reunion.php. PLEASE register! This will allow the organizers to know how much food will be needed. To register, go to the RSVP link near the bottom of the reunion webpage to send an email to Patty. Tell her your name and that of anyone planning to come with you.

**SPECIAL BONUS** People who register by April 15, will receive a gift bag when they check in at the event. These bags are a treasure! The reusable canvas bag will be filled with an assortment of items such as dog toys, treats, food samples, Ratbone cookbooks, Ratbone mugs, harnesses, leashes and other goodies. The value of these gift bags could reach $100 so you don't want to miss the opportunity to claim one of these.

We look forward to seeing you, your friends, your family AND your dogs at this day of fun and fellowship for people who share a love of Rat Terriers. Bring your lawn chairs and pop up awnings and help us make this a day to remember!

Eddie is on hiatus while waiting on the toy companies to send him products to test.

Sella Bella Ratbone came from a kill shelter in Kentucky. She was brought in as a stray and nothing was known about her past. All they knew was that she was a young, tiny little girl who was very sweet. The shelter contacted Ratbone, and Sella was transferred up to foster in New York in August of 2009.

The Williams family applied for Sella, was approved, and they took Sella home in November 2009. Tina, her husband Rich and their 2 kids, Alexis and Brendan not only gave Sella Ratbone a safe and loving forever home, the family became a wonderful Ratbone fosterhome!!

Tina says "Sella quickly adjusted to her new home with us and has been a source of laughter and love for the entire family. Sella shares our bed with us as and loves to sleep under the covers and snuggle with her sister Tink and foster brother Rex".

Here is picture of Sella with her human brother, Brendan and her fur sister is with her human sister, Alexis. :)

Adoptions Since Feb 1, 2011 - Congratulations!!!

Family	Dog/Location
Bigler Family	Vickie in GA! Fostermom Patty Smith
Manuelian Family	Chaquita in GA! Fostermom Patty Smith
Savage Family	Hayden in OR! Fostermom Dawn Scheller
Love Family	Wilma in NC! Fostermom Barbara Stephens Clippinger
Perez Family	Scrappy in FL! Fostermom Kelly Watson
Frost Family	Tessie in WI! Fostermom Cindy Overton
Chez Family	Stella in GA! Fostermom Patty Smith
Sosna Family	Roscoe in PA! Fostermom Anita Butler
Bruns Family	Tank in WI! Fostermom Cindy Overton
Langseth Family	Rikki Ricardo in VA! Fostermom Cindy Confer
Wilhelm Family	Targa in GA! Fostermom Patty Smith
Reider Family	Monty in NC! Fostermom Cooper Chapman-Ball
Yelmene Family	Tiny Tot in WI! Fostermom Cindy Overton
Paschal Family	Bo in TN! GAP Dog in TN
Deblase Family	Apollo in TX! Fostermom Paula Frazier
Clagg Family	Otto in MD! Fostermoms Jamie Clasen and Jen Wiley
Rodgers Family	Bodie in GA! Fostermom Patty Smith
Buster Family	Cupid in OK! Fostermom Caroline Wood
Schneider Family	Roxie in FL! Fostermom Mary Kay Lavin
Arnold Family	Danny in PA! Fostermom Kierstin Carreira
Detweiler Family	Jasper in MD! Fostermom Jamie Clasen
Wright Family	Starbuck in TX! Fostermom Paula Frazier
Weiler Family	Tilly in WI! Fostermom Cindy Overton
Lintz Family	Coco East in FL! Fostermom Mary Kay Lavin
Brown Family	Howlie Ratdell in KS! Fostermom Dot Lewis
Sexton Family	Festus P. in GA! Fostermom Patty Smith
Brooks Family	Mistee in WI! Fostermom Cindy Overton
Achilles Family	Snickers in NY! Fostermom Sue Carello
Wagner Family	Salieri in WI! Fostermom Cindy Overton
Baby Female Male

Martin is an older gentleman who, despite years of loyalty, was abandoned at a freeway off ramp when he reached what should have been his golden years. He found himself in a South Carolina animal shelter, alone, scared and in need of rescue. Older dogs don't fare well in shelters. Most people who go to shelters are looking for puppies or young dogs. Luckily for Martin, a local rescue group stepped up and took Martin just in time to save him from being euthanized. So, you might think, "That's that!"! He was rescued, he would be taken care of and would find himself a new home and a family to spend his remaining years with. But that isn't what happened.

Unfortunately, the rescue that saved Martin was already overcrowded and the only place for him was an outdoor kennel. It was discovered he had heartworms and his advancing age had brought with it arthritis, causing pain and mobility issues. The rescue didn't have the resources to take care of his health problems and Martin began to deteriorate so they sought help for Martin. Ratbone members were touched by Martin's plight, they were saddened to think this dog provided companionship and love to someone for years then when he was old and sick, he was dropped off on the roadside to fend for himself.

Ratbone has long believed that the "broken" dogs deserve a chance and will make an effort to find a spot for the dogs that are often passed over by other rescues. In Martin's case, Ratbone stepped up, taking Martin into their ranks. Martin went to a foster home; he no longer had to sleep outside in the cold, he began receiving the attention and love he longed for. Like many rescues, Ratbone had limited resources but when a special needs dog is accepted, Ratbone makes a committment to take care of his needs. Fundraisers and donations helped pay for the heartworm treatment Martin needed and he started taking a supplement for his aching joints.

After 6 months with Ratbone, Martin is free of heartworms, moving easier and ready for a home to call his own. Martin is a little gray around the muzzle but his foster mom calls that wisdom. He moves a little slow but these are his golden years and Martin likes to take it easy and enjoy life. His greatest joys are a soft bed with a blanket covering him, a nice leisurely walk and a little rub on the face. And let's not forget, good meals and snacks, but what Martin would enjoy most is a family all his own. If you might be interested in helping Martin truly reach his "Yappy Ending" check out his profile on Ratbonerescues.com.