Mom, are you sure he will
share if we keep staring?
 Gracie Mae has had a very rough start in life. She is a very sweet, affectionate 12-14 month old pup, who we believe was struck by a car and left for dead on a South Carolina highway. She was finally picked up by a good Samaritan and taken to York County Animal Shelter in SC. She had lost so much weight she could barely stand. We believe Gracie was suffering from symptoms of starvation; the shelter thought she might have neurological damage because she was not able to walk or eat. She had a very badly broken, poorly healed, left rear leg and needed help both eating and drinking. A wonderful volunteer contacted us about Gracie, and Ratbone stepped in and rescued her. Now she is getting a new lease on life in her fosterhome in North Carolina, with a nicely repaired leg.
Gracie is progressing wonderfully, and is now using her leg. She has more than doubled her weight from when she was first found. Even though her repaired leg is going to be shorter than the others it is not likely to slow her down or dampen her indomitable spirit. Gracie still has one more surgery ahead of her, to remove the hardware, which will bring her total vet bills close to $1500. Ratbone Rescues is dedicated to helping Gracie and many others just like her, and your donation - in any amount - will help us with our mission. Our goal is to give these wonderful dogs a fighting chance to get to their forever, loving and safe homes.
  
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Stacy Zimmerman began her career with Ratbone in April 2009. In this short time she has fostered about twenty rat terriers as well as helping with transportation, home visits, and applications.
She first became interested in rescue when she noticed a dog living in the bushes in the house across the street from her sister. Stacy says she didn't even know what breed of dog he was; just that he was living outside and needed help. Her sister had been helping the dog by providing food, water, flea and heartworm preventative, and the occasional bath. When the dog's "owners" vacation coincided with her sister's vacation plans, Stacy stepped in to take the dog. For Stacy dog rescue is a family affair. Not only is her husband Brian supportive of her efforts, but she also convinced her mother to adopt a Rat Terrier.
When not working with rat terriers she enjoys a professional career in Human Resources. Stacy and her husband live in North Carolina.
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Stacy fosters several dogs at a time and, when asked how that works in terms of space, she explained that seven dogs sleep on the bed and one sleeps on top of the crate next to the bed. The cat sleeps in the dog bed.
It's that time of year again when our humans want to take adorable holiday photos of us. Well, why wouldn't they? We ratties are adorable! For some of us this means we will be getting a beautiful red dress and sitting on the lap of jolly old St. Nicholas for a photo opportunity. Some of us might even grace the cover of the family holiday card. Yet we have to remember that not all humans or pups want to cover beautiful Rattie fur with man-made materials. But, the au'natural group need not miss out on seasonal fashion — think accessories!
A simple red or green collar adorned with a single red silk poinsettia flower or a sprig of holly leaves can turn an everyday Rattie into a seasonal fashion statement. Or, if you are like me and share your house with another canine, consider wearing a red bandana while your partner wears a green one. Some manufacturers also make seasonal design collars and harnesses but you'll have to pay close attention to print size and the photo distance if you want your holiday spirit to show in your photos. You can even incorporate your skin family into the holiday photos by instructing them to wear holiday colors or designs that match your accessories!
Happy Holidays!
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Holiday foods can be harmful
Submitted by Terry Nickerson, Bark Buster Behavior Therapist and Trainer
Many holiday foods are harmful or even toxic to canines. These include bread dough, fresh herbs, onions/garlic, alcoholic beverages, sweets of all kinds-especially those with chocolate or zylitol, an artificial sweetener and spicy or fatty foods, including turkey skin. Discourage your dog from foraging in the waste basket by securing lids on all trash cans. Keep holiday treats and fixing up, out of their reach.
Particularly dangerous are cooked poultry bones. Cooked bones easily splinter, and the bone shards can cause choking or get stuck in your dog's gums. Instead, give "dog bones" specifically designed for dogs to chew. It's natural that you'd want to share holiday treats with your dog. While a little taste of turkey or sweet potatoes can make your dog happy, don't overdo it–too much of a good thing can make him sick. A dog with pancreatitis can ruin everyone's Thanksgiving.
Hi! My name is Eddie and I am a Ratbone alumni. My partner Daisey and I consider ourselves toy experts and would like to share our knowledge with you. This month we would like to review toys made by the popular Kong company.
CLASSIC KONG:
E & D - We both like this toy when it is filled with peanut butter and treats. It's tasty and fun getting everything out of the Kong. Empty, we ignore it.
KONG WUBBA:
Eddie - I like to get the water Wubba out of the pool but don't have much use for a dry Wubba.
Daisey - The Wubba is my favorite toy! I can bite hard on the head of it without destroying it and the legs are perfect for tug or the death shake. I also love my Snugga Wubba and Wubba Friends but the classic Wubba is my go-to toy.
KONG SQUIGGLES:
Eddie - One of my favorites! I love to play tug and fetch with my Squiggle. My mama says it's easy to throw and has held up well.
Daisey - I like the color of it but Eddie won't let me play with it.
KONG BRAIDZ:
Eddie - I like this as a fetch toy but our Monkey didn't last very long. It's basically the braided body with flaps of fabric now.
Daisey - that was one fun toy to destroy! But, it wouldn't die completely. Cannot get the body apart.
AIR KONG SQUEAKERS:
Eddie - I played with this toy when it was new but quickly lost interest. So many toys, so little time.
Daisey - That thing is hard and kinda scary.
KONG WOBBLER:
Eddie - That thing is big! But it dispenses treats so I like it. I slap it and whine at it till it gives up the loot. I've tried to pick it up and one time my tooth got stuck in the little hole and I cried till my mama saved me but I will not be defeated.
Daisey - I'm not going anywhere near that thing! But, I will follow behind Eddie and pick up the treats faster than him!
Ducky, aka: Ducky Doodle, Sir Duck & Ducklet, was one of the first Ratties to be saved by Ratbone Rescues. He came to his RBR foster home in Kansas in November, 1999. He had mange, much of his back was either bald or covered with thin, scruffy hair. He was so scared he had to be tied up to get his picture taken.
Within a few weeks he was following his foster mom around, "talking" in a strange, squeaky little voice that earned him the name "Ducky" because he sounded like Donald Duck. In time he healed, his hair grew back and he became a beautiful boy. By then, he had become totally devoted to his foster mom and she shared the feeling. He was adopted by his foster mom, Dot Lewis in Kansas and he continues to be the love of her life to this day.
Ratbone Rescues is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.