Hoarding cases involving domestic rats and other small mammals put immense pressure on shelters and rescue organizations who have to act quickly and arrange transport, foster care, adoptions, and transfers to other organizations for hundreds — sometimes a thousand or more — of animals in a matter of days. Because many shelters are not equipped to house rats or other small mammals, resources are limited. Hoarding cases are a matter of life and death, and shelters don't always have the luxury of time to identify potential transfer partners, volunteers to clean cages or help transport, and secure the supplies necessary to safely care for hundreds of animals.
That is where the National Rat Hoarding Response Coalition comes in.
Many organizations responding to rat hoarding cases are doing so without a support network: no receiving partners, no transport infrastructure, and often little experience caring for rats in a shelter setting. The result is delayed intervention, stressed organizations, and animals who fall through the cracks.
We are building a network of shelters, rescues, transporters, and more who may be able to assist responding organizations in crisis.
