What to Expect

• Rat Terrier Profile
• Breed information and standards

How we do things at Ratbone Rescues

The first thing you can expect is an email in response to your application.... so you will know that we have received your application, and to let you know that the person taking care of the Rat Terrier you want to adopt has been notified.

The next thing you may expect is an email from "your" Rattie's fostermom (or fosterdad). This is to allow you to learn as much about the dog as we ourselves know - both good and bad. The last thing we want is to place a Rat Terrier that does not suit it's new family!

Please feel free to write back and forth with your chosen Rattie's fostermom as much as you like. In many cases, she/he will have additional pictures that can be emailed to you.

Some time during the initial stages of the process we will set up your home visit. This is done using either a Ratbone Rescues representative or a volunteer from an area rescue or shelter. This person will call or email in advance to schedule a visit to your home. Please be sure that all members of the household are there for this critical step. The purpose of the home visit is to verify that yours is the best possible home for our rescued Rat Terrier. It is also to allow you to ask questions about rescue and pet adoption.

You can then expect a phone call from your Applications Coordinator. This will come after she has spoken to your vet and some of your references, and is the final step in the approval process. Once you have spoken with her, it is only a matter of time before you get an e-mail, telling you if you have been approved to adopt a Ratbone Rescues Rat Terrier.

Once you are approved for adoption we will send you an adoption contract (by email) to print out, read, sign, and return. Along with the contract you will send in your adoption fee. After your contract and fee have been received we will begin planning your new Rat Terrier's transport home.

If your Rattie lives in another state there are two primary ways we use to do this. One is shipping by air. The cost of shipping is the responsibility of the adopting family. The foster family (or your applications coordinator) can often help with making flight arrangements. Included in the cost of shipping are a crate (this can sometimes be borrowed and then returned to the foster family), veterinary health certificate, and the air fare itself. The typical cost is about $250-300, depending on the airline used and the weight of the dog and crate.

Our most common form of transport is by volunteer, cross-country transport. This is done using members of our rescue group and people involved with other rescues or shelters. Each person drives about 60 to 100 miles, then hands the Rat Terrier off to the next person. Sometimes, in cases of very long distances, we have been fortunate enough to find a helpful truck driver to do all or most of the transport!!

If you choose to do the cross-country transport, we will ask that you drive a "leg" of your Rattie's transport. Our Transport Coordinator will send you a route plan, listing each "leg" of your transport, and asking if you can drive the last one. If you can not do your leg, please be prepared to find someone you know who can help you with that responsibility. We do expect our new families to take an active part in getting their Rat Terrier home.

Ground transports can be no longer than 600 miles (total distance). If the dog you have chosen to adopt is over 600 miles from you please plan to have the dog flown to you.

More information on How a Transport Works.

If there is anything that remains unclear to you about our procedures, please feel free to contact us.

Apply to Adopt a Rat Terrier!