This summer has been CRAZY! From going on TV, radio, being featured in newspapers, magazines, and online articles, to finishing up our Reading Rats program, and even rescuing a pet rat in distress!
Time for another (somewhat) seasonal blog post! I'm working to get this website more informational, but life has been hectic. Feel free to follow us on social media for more up-to-date posts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr
Pepperell Elementary Visit
Back in March 2019, we visited special needs students at Pepperell Elementary along with two other awesome therapy dog teams. I was a bit nervous because Vincent hadn't visited in a while and especially in a complex environment.
The students were wonderful and even amongst controlled chaos, Vincent was super chill. I couldn't have asked for a better visit! All kinds of distractions, loud noises, lots of movement, Vincent didn't mind and did his thing.
Montessori Homestead
We visited our local homeschool group once a month until they broke out for summer vacation. They all did such a great job! Really proud of these kids and very thankful for their wonderful teachers.
 |
| Photo by Jennifer Cromer |
 |
| Photo by Jennifer Cromer |
 |
| Photo by Jennifer Cromer |
 |
| Photo by Jennifer Cromer |
 |
| Photo by Jennifer Cromer Writing their name in their new book! |
 |
| Photo by Jennifer Cromer |
 |
| Gifting Vincent some yummy eggs! |
 |
| Photo by Jennifer Cromer Vincent is so thankful for his eggs |
 |
| Thank you for having us! |
Pet Partners Interactions Magazine
We were featured in Pet Partners' Interaction Magazine for the Spring 2019 issue! They contacted me about an article they were writing about the different species allowed in their organization.
Spring Finals Week
Georgia Highlands Rome Campus
Georgia Highlands Cartersville Campus
Georgia Highlands Paulding Campus
Georgia Highlands Paulding Campus
I forgot to get a photo/video at the event, but here is Vincent taking a bath beforehand!
Darlington School
I was so proud of Vincent at this event. As you can see from the video, there were a lot of students and he handled it like champ. We probably saw over 70 students in 2 hours and even ran out of our "I Pet a Therapy Rat" buttons!
Rats Make Me Boggle
To help with fundraising, we (meaning me and my sister) came up with an awesome shirt design! (Blog post here). We were originally wanting to go to the Pet Partners conference, but unexpected complications came up and we were not financially able to go. Either way, you can still get the shirt here! We also have more boggle merch over on our Etsy!
People Pets Therapy Animal Day Feature
WGMI 1440 The Train - Bremen, Georgia
Pup a Palooza
Vincent's Balloon Stickers
Senior Inforum - Rome News-Tribune Front Page Feature
WLTZ 38 Columbus, Georgia and The Dee Armstrong Show
Anna K. Davie Elementary School Career Day Visit
Our therapy group was invited to participate in a Career Day event at a local elementary school. Vincent has a very interesting career so we gladly came over and spoke with over 150 students about therapy rats alongside another therapy dog team who gave some great tips about how to approach dogs.
The Foundry Fundraiser Event
One of our local downtown bars in Rome, Georgia hosted a fundraising event for Compassionate Paws. For each pint sold, a portion would go towards our therapy group. We had a lot of fun meeting new folks!
Metro.co.uk Online Article
The lifestyle editor for Metro.co.uk, Ellen Scott, contacted me via Instagram asking if she could do a story on Vincent. I was very excited to say the least and send her some information. The article was published on May 21st and has become very popular. You can read it here.
Introducing Franklin & Wyatt
So I had been on the lookout for babies since springtime since I'm trying to keep the cycle of therapy rats going and they need 6 months of training before working and I'd like to retire my working therapy rat between a year and a half and 2 years old. I found a new breeder called Maddie's Ratties and got to talking to them. She already knew my work and I told her my concerns and wants.
 |
| Wyatt |
 |
| Franklin |
I ended up adopting these two boys who I named Franklin and Wyatt. Franklin is a black dumbo rat and Wyatt is an agouti dumbo rat. I adopted them at 1 month old (just after being weaned) so if one of them works out as a therapy rat I would be able to test with them after November 26th (6 months to train).
When I got the boys they were both so very sweet and cuddled in my arms! It took a while for their personalities to come through, but they are very similar to Xavier and Vincent. Franklin is more easy-going like Vincent and Wyatt is a bit more domineering like Xavier.
Compassionate Paws Meet & Greets
We had a couple of meetings in Rockmart and Cedartown to try to gather more people interested in joining Compassionate Paws. Vincent thought it was a great opportunity to eat snacks.
Farmer's Market
An outdoor farmer's market is a great place to get your rats used to outside environments. One of my friends volunteered to help me so that I could socialize both boys at the same time. I had a little carrier where I put one rat in and let her hold it, while I took one rat around in the basket. That way I alternated and both boys got a bit of training.
It actually went really well and got me pinpointed on training Franklin since he did the best. Wyatt freaked out a good bit, but that wasn't enough for disqualification of becoming the next therapy rat. Just means he would need more training in the long run. Overall though, Franklin was calmer and did absolutely wonderful.
Pride Rome, GA
I was really excited to hear that there would be a Pride event here in Rome and since it would be hosted at a dog-friendly outdoor bar I thought that Vincent would fit right in - and I was right! I was really happy to support something I believe in and have Vincent be a part of it.
Wyatt's Neuter
 |
| Wyatt feeling good after surgery |
Wyatt started getting into more fights as hormones started to kick in and it was becoming quite a problem. We decided to separate him and get him neutered to try and calm him down. It can take a while before seeing results, so crossing my fingers that we can get him back with his brothers, but because he has bitten another domesticated animal he sadly cannot become a therapy animal. Thankfully, Franklin hasn't had any of these issues and lives just fine with Xavier and Vincent.
Reading Rats
Throughout the summer, I did our reading program I nicknamed "Reading Rats" over at the Chattooga County Library in Summerville, Georgia. We visited once every other week and invited kids in grade school to come and read with us. Once a child read with us 4 times, they got to pick a book that was donated to us thanks to you guys.
I have to admit, it was a bit disheartening at times because this is a very small library and town and even though we had a signup sheet, we had a lot of no shows and Vincent became pretty bored at times.
 |
| Vincent putting together a puzzle with a friend while we wait |
But usually we would get at least one of two kids and it made it all worth it. We met a lot of friends and had a lot of wonderful moments.
 |
| The library staff surprised us with this display at our reading spot |
Because we were scheduled to move sometime after August, I decided to go ahead and end the program in Summerville and have Vincent go into Semi-Retirement. Reading Rats will probably be booted back up for our next therapy rat, but Vincent very likely won't be doing any more events. He's getting older and looking pretty rough. Even one of our readers commented to his mom that Vincent didn't look like Vincent anymore.
Vincent's Reading Rats adventure was fun, but now for some relaxing time at home! Here are some more photos from our summer reading...
 |
| Thank you for having us! |
Kingston
So I'm watching Netflix with my partner and his dad comes upstairs and shows me this picture of a skinny pet rat outside. He said that one of his coworkers spotted this guy outside his house in Kingston, Georgia and has been feeding him for a couple of days. "If he can catch him I can find him a home". It was already late, but I couldn't sleep that night knowing this rat was living outside.
 |
| Getting down and dirty |
In the next few days I go over there with some ideas. The hard part was that the rat was living in this drainage pipe and coming out of a part where it was broken. With the help of my partner and the homeowner, we dripped some tuna dog food topper through the holes on top and enticed him to come to the opening.
 |
| This is all I could see and I stared down this pipe for the longest |
I planned to lift up a Mountain Dew box once he got inside of it, but he managed to get right up to the opening of the box, lick a bunch of the food, look at me, lick his lips, then turned right around into the pipe. SO FRUSTRATING!
I went to Tractor Supply and bought the smallest spring trap I could find, but it ended up still being too big for such a lightweight rat. On the way home the car I was borrowing had a huge radiator leak. Just my luck.
I told the homeowner to keep feeding him and I ended up buying a humane rat trap online. Once I got it in person I was a little hesitant because it was pretty small. I tried it on Wyatt and it seemed to work, but the tail keeps the trap from closing all the way. When I got to the house I was thankful that it fits snuggly in the opening. I put more food in there, covered it with a towel, and waited in the car for a while. I go and check on it and I'm flabbergasted to see the little booger in there. I fumbled and he managed to back out of the trap. I set it up again and waited there.
I knew where he was in the pipe thanks to his respiratory infection. I could hear his little lungs! My heart was beating so hard once he got closer to the trap and once his whole body was in there I tilted it and lifted it up so he couldn't back out. CAUGHT HIM! I quickly transferred him over to a small kennel and excitedly told the homeowners.
I had already dubbed him "Kingston" since he was in Kingston, Georgia. Just fit him perfectly! When I brought him home I took a lot of time getting to know him.
He was oh so very skinny and he had a bad case of the sniffles but he was quite sweet. (I was very cautious at first because the homeowner said he bit him while trying to grab him. I later confirmed that Kingston bit a glove and did not break skin or anything, so If I decide he is a good fit for therapy work I could continue to do so.) The very next morning I called the vet to set up an appointment.
The soonest appointment they had was one where we drop him off so I asked the staff to take some photos for me. Turns out the only issue he had was a bad respiratory infection and he was very skinny. No parasites or anything! We were given an antibiotic to give twice a day and he is on the mend. A big THANK YOU to Animal Medical Center of Rome and everyone who donated towards his vet bill. We were able to cover it completely thanks to y'all!
We think Kingston was released as a feeder. People buy young rats to feed their reptiles and sometimes when they don't eat the rat they release them. Pet rats cannot live on their own. The only reason Kingston survived was because of the kind homeowner who fed him every day. He is a really sweet boy still learning how to be a rat!
The soonest appointment they had was one where we drop him off so I asked the staff to take some photos for me. Turns out the only issue he had was a bad respiratory infection and he was very skinny. No parasites or anything! We were given an antibiotic to give twice a day and he is on the mend. A big THANK YOU to Animal Medical Center of Rome and everyone who donated towards his vet bill. We were able to cover it completely thanks to y'all!
We think Kingston was released as a feeder. People buy young rats to feed their reptiles and sometimes when they don't eat the rat they release them. Pet rats cannot live on their own. The only reason Kingston survived was because of the kind homeowner who fed him every day. He is a really sweet boy still learning how to be a rat!
At first, a lot of people asked if we were going to keep him. Well, I got attached and my partner got attached to him. So it's a safe bet he has a forever home. Now, will he become a therapy rat? We have to wait 6 months so in that time we will see!
Ratmobile Fundraiser
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we were left without a vehicle and I turned to our Healing Whiskers fans for help. Because I mean, without a car how were we going to go to therapy events? I was blown away with the number of donations we received and we were able to put 1k down on a vehicle. I literally couldn't have done that without y'alls help and I am truly grateful!
Reading Rats Donations
I want to thank those who have donated books to us for our Reading Rats program! We currently aren't accepting any books since the program is on hold, but we will let everyone know once we need more.
 |
| Books from Tabitha C |
 |
| Books from Amy W. |
TikTok
We have a TikTok now, so go take a look at some of the content we've made over there! Our account is "healingwhiskers". I have A LOT of ideas so be on the lookout for lots of content over there. Here's my 2nd ever TikTok that has become quite popular...
 |
| Feel free to scan our TikTok code! |
As I type, our little family is moving to a new location closer to Atlanta, Georgia so I'm hoping that we can do more work, but then again I am also looking for a full-time job. Can I get the best of both worlds? We will see. I want to thank everyone for their support!
No comments:
Post a Comment