Name: Veronica
Email: ratgirl @ raleigh rodent rescue. org (remove spaces to make it work)
Purpose of this blog: to answer your questions about rodents and their care. Other animal questions accepted happily as well.
Relationship to Rodents: Founder and President, 3R Rescues: Raleigh Rodent Rescue, also longtime rodent "mom". Formerly a licensenced wildlife rehabilitator (rodents) though the rescue now takes up all my time so I passed on my renewal for now.
Current Rodents: Kitty, Spider, and Fuz--my trio of ruby eyed white rats, adopted from a group left at the rescue. Pelt--my darling chinchilla and ninja troublemaker, adopted from animal control shelter, Wake County. Manet, Monet, Degas, Jane, and Avril--my nutty little colony of degus who will kill for dragonfruit bits. Manet, Monet, Degas all adopted as they arrived in
various group surrenders, Jane and Avril born under bizarre circumstances (and much embarassment!) Sometimes, no matter how many people verify that a degu is male, he turns out to be a female and has a litter only years after regular exposure to males. Sometime I'll do a post on degu sexing, how this could happen even to an obsessive anti-breeding rescuer, and ask your forgiveness. ;)
Other animal companions: Weeny, Weezee, Toulouse--cats aged 16, 9, and 7. Free to a good home ad (Weeny), daring rooftop rescue while working at Independent Animal Rescue (Weezee), and adopted from Second Chance Pet Adoptions. Revco and Usagi--dogs aged 11 and 10. Bought (ugh) from terrible, neglectful breeder (Revco--love my dog but learned my lesson.) and adopted from Independent Animal Rescue (Usagi). Walter and Jebediah, Turtles aged 30+ and unknown. My dad found Walter as a stray in a motel when I was about 5. Jebediah was adopted from animal control shelter, Orange County (I think...could have been Durham).
Current fosters: Always changing. At the time I started this blog (i.e. today), there's Frankie and Angelica, a pair of very frightened rats I'm socializing. Frankie is a ruby eyed white and Angelica is a black dilute (?) hooded. Making progress, albeit slowly. Fearrington, domestic black and white mouse who resembles the banded cows at Fearrington Village. Samantha (Sam) and Bella, gerbils. Sam is black and Bella is agouti with only half a tail, poor girl! These two, and Fearrington are all from a huge abuse investigation and were surrendered to animal control, Charlotte, who did a fabulous job caring for them until they could be placed in foster care. Really impressive, particularly since animal control shelters are typically set up to deal with cats and dogs almost exclusively.
Human: Scott, my hunka hunka burnin' love.
Animal Care Experience, quick version: Worked for Independent Animal Rescue (intake and adoptions), Magnolia Animal Hosp. (kennel), was president of Raleigh chapter North Carolina Network for Animals, was founder and president/organizer, Carolina Animal Activists Together (now Humane Carolina) for several years, received Kelty Award for Local Animal Activism, wrote animal care columns for DoggieFun online magazine and Innerchange Magazine, published in Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, founder/president/baker/author Yummy for Dogs, animal communicator, dog trainer (independent as well as via Sylvie's Canine Solutions), dog/cat basic grooming instructor, longtime vegan, etc.
Other: I am a writer of poetry and fiction. C.V. available upon request. Currently available publications (excepting magazine publications--ask for current list) include:
Museum Mundane, a book of poetry, published by Argonne House Press
Murder of Crows, also published by Argonne House Press
Get the Rollax Replicaas You Watned, Vermin, a book of poetry composed entirely of spam subject lines, published by Assume Nothing Press.
I am also a Zen Buddhist, I love jellybeans, my spine is crumbling, and I like to glue stuff to other stuff in my free time, hence my etsy shop of handmade animal-friendly stationery supplies.
Caveat: I am not a vet. The information in this blog should never replace proper vet consultation and medical attention. Having your pet properly vetted is worth every penny. These compassionate and knowledgeable people work darn hard to make your animals happy and healthy, and they spent years of their lives devoted to their education so they can diagnose and treat your companion. Do not skimp on your pets' health. When you consider the cost of treatment and surgeries for humans, then realize that these people do the same thing at a miniscule fraction of the cost, you'll understand why I'm not inclined to entertain complaints about paying for vet care under anything but extraordinary circumstances.
Alright then, let's go!
No comments:
Post a Comment