NR Rattie Idol Season Two Kicks Off on February 1st! Building on the tremendous popularity of the first season of Rattie Idol in 2009, New Rattitude will kick off Season Two of Rattie Idol on February 1, 2010. Like the “real” American Idol, each season has to have a new twist! This year we’ll be accepting photo entries in three different categories: Rattie Cutiepie: Submit photos of your rat terrier doing what he/she does best -- looking adorable! Rattie Best Performer: This category can include pictures of ratties performing in a variety of ways -- agility, flyball, obedience, doing tricks, playing, singing, dancing, etc. Rattie Style: We want to see stylin' ratties dressed in costumes, clothing, hats, and bling! Don't miss this chance to have fun, win great prizes and help NR raise money for dogs in the “Canine Clinic!” This year our poster girl is New Rattitude’s Buffy, who recently underwent a $2,400 surgery to save her badly broken leg. Send in your photos for just $5 per entry, and then encourage your friends and family to vote. You must submit your photos and register to compete by February 10. Voting will begin on February 12 and continue through February 19.  A wonderful assortment of prizes will be awarded to the winner in each category! Will your dog be New Rattitude's next rattie superstar? To enter, or for more info, please visit our fundraising page. New Rattitude Got Hugged! Rescued ratties got love and support from 27 donors during our 2009 Holiday Hugs Drive. A wonderful donor agreed to match holiday donations to New Rattitude up to $1,000 during the holiday season. Through the kindness and generosity of our supporters, we raised $1,000 in donations in just 24 days, earning the matching gift for a Holiday Hugs total of $2,000!    To all who contributed to help the New Rattitude dogs this holiday season, please accept our heartfelt thanks! Visit our website to see our colorful "Tower of Hugs." Shelter Challenge...WE WON! The voting for the 2009 Shelter Challenge, sponsored by The Animal Rescue Site and Petfinder.com, finally ended on December 20 with New Rattitude in first place for the state of Washington. Thanks to a dedicated effort by our members and friends, NR was awarded the prize--a $1,000 grant. Thank you, everyone, for all those daily votes! This money will help a lot of needy ratties. New Member We'd like to welcome our most recent new member, Errica Swartwood of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Errica is already hard at work as a NR adoption coordinator and foster mom. Thanks, Errica, for joining our team!

					Rockin' and Rollin' Tie-Dye! By Jessica Mannon Nowadays he's flying around on two wheels, chasing a football, and having a blast!  But life wasn't always so good for Tie-Dye. When he was just six months old he was run over by a car, which broke his back. The injury was allowed to heal on its own, and Tie-Dye lost the use of his hind legs. Two years later, as if things weren't rough enough, Tie-Dye found himself heartworm positive and covered in fleas, sitting in a Louisiana shelter facing the gas chamber. A volunteer with the local rescue posted a video of him on Petfinder.com, where NR volunteer Diane Hudson saw it and shared with the other NR members.  Having two dogs of my own with rear orthopedic disabilities, I was immediately drawn to Tie-Dye and knew I wanted to rescue him. The big dilemma was how to get Tie-Dye from southern Louisiana all the way up to central Indiana! Three different transports were set up, but because they were so long and involved an overnight stay, they never filled. That's when fellow NR volunteer Kelia Hamilton decided that we just needed to drive south and pick him up ourselves. So on Saturday, June 6, at 7:00 a.m., we hit the road, traveling to Grenada, Mississippi, where we met up with the Louisiana volunteer who had been holding him for us. Poor Tie-Dye now had a new chance at life but he still had a few hurdles to overcome. First, he had to endure the treatment for his heartworms, then hopefully he could start training to use a special, custom-made wheelchair to help him get around. Tie-Dye began the heartworm treatment in July, and happily, made it through with flying colors! Unlike many dogs who suffer from rear-end paralysis, Tie-Dye is able to control his bowels and bladder, although when they're full, pressure can cause accidents. So in the mornings, before picking him up, I place a towel in front of his crate and when I open the crate door, he pulls himself out onto the towel. I then wrap him in it, carry him to the back door and set him outside in the yard. He is able to relieve himself normally, and then he "runs" and plays with the other dogs. Since he doesn't have good motor skills, he will sometimes fall where he has just done his business,  so when it's time for him to come back in, I often need to wipe down his back legs (I always keep baby wipes or a washcloth nearby) before lifting him back into the house. He eats his breakfast, then looks forward to a day of playing! We quickly learned that Tie-Dye loves football. My sons had left a football in the living room one day, and the next thing I knew, Tie-Dye had the end of it and was running through the living room, as if going for a touchdown! I realized this may be the key to his future wheelchair training. In November, Tie-Dye's wheelchair arrived. It was handmade and donated by Dwane Wilkins of South Carolina. Dwane uses donated parts and volunteers his time constructing wheelchairs to help dogs like Tie-Dye. I first let Tie-Dye get accustomed to the chair and then took him for a walk. He was scared and reluctant to try and walk most of the time. Then he saw something that motivated him. Two neighbor boys were in the field behind our house playing football! Tie-Dye bolted through the yard and ran straight for the football! My sons and these boys thought it was amazing to see him run like this, so Tie-Dye "made the team," taking every opportunity to grab the ball and run! Tie-Dye loves kids, but does best with children ages 8 and up. He's a joy to have around. He will sit at our feet and look at us with his head tilted to the side and make a little whimper sound that almost says, "Please pick me up."  He likes to snuggle next to his people. Tie-Dye attracts attention wherever he goes. He's searching for his forever home, and knows that somewhere there is the perfect family...waiting just for him.

					NEWS AND EVENTS Ho Ho Ho! Say “CHEESE”! By Heidee Vansant Did your dog get everything on his or her Christmas wish list--treats, toys, perhaps a new sweater or blankie? I certainly hope Mommy or Daddy took the little darling to visit Santa. Every dog needs the opportunity to whisper in Santa’s ear and tell him what a good boy or girl s/he has been! If you live near one of New Rattitude's PetSmart Partner stores in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, or Washington, your dog could have visited and posed with Santa for a holiday photo. PetSmart provides an opportunity for rescue groups to raise money by taking pet photos with "Santa Claws." For every photo purchased, the participating rescue is paid $5.00. In spite of a "double-booking fiasco” in Lafayette, Indiana, NR volunteers Kelia Hamilton, Nancy Breedlove, and Jessica Mannon (along with her 2 sons and hubby Chris, who played Santa) managed to get a dozen or so photos taken. They also had competition from a local mall Santa and a popular shelter that held its Photo with Santa event on the same day. The PS manager promised Jessica’s team a prime weekend for photo-taking next year, gave them credit for 15 photos ($75.00), and donated another $75 worth of dog food to make up for the scheduling mix-up. In Washington, Kathy Young recruited her mom, a niece, Gayle (family friend), NR volunteer Susan Murkland, and Jim Miller, who answered her Craigslist request for a free Santa! Kathy’s mom donned the red suit when Mr. Miller wasn’t available. This team manned the photo booth for two full weekends and sold 138 photos ($690.00). They also received an additional $32.53 in their donation jar made by Janell Brown. Debbie Collins in Alabama reports there was no difficulty convincing her husband to spend two full weekends impersonating Mr. Claus this year. Santa Rick started looking forward to the event long before December rolled around and was willing to work every December weekend if possible! Once again it was a learning experience for dear Santa. Who knew that out of the many dog breeds and sizes Santa encountered, the three that proved to be the most “dangerous” would be Dachshunds? Thankfully, Santa escaped unscathed. NR volunteer Heidee Vansant assisted Debbie and Santa Rick, as did a personal friend of Debbie's and a volunteer from another rescue. The Alabama crew sold 152 photos ($760.00) and received $67.00 in their donation jar. In Georgia, Leah Owenby was Santa the first day and Donovan Conrad portrayed the jolly old elf on the following weekend. NR volunteers Kim Markham, Terry Beale, Patti Jeffries, and NR adopter Molly Freeman were Santa’s elves. The Georgia team sold 46 photos ($230.00) and received $81.46 in donations. Treasurer Sue Kangas has not received the checks yet, but when they do start rolling in, New Rattitude should receive $1,755.00 from PetSmart, in addition to $181.00 collected from the donation jars, to be used toward the vetting of rescued rat terriers! Now that’s a HAPPY Holiday! Come Play! 2010 SE Rat Terrier Jamboree Mark your calendars and make plans now to attend the 5th Annual Southeast Rat Terrier Jamboree on Friday and Saturday, April 16 and 17 in Sweetwater, Tennessee. A great weekend is planned including a cookout, competitive events, games, and (of course) ratties galore! Come share the fun with rattie owners from all across the country and help raise money for New Rattitude. For more information, please visit the link above. See you there!

					Planning a Rewarding New Year By Sue Painter-Thorne Now that the New Year is upon us, many of us are looking at our waistlines and resolving to make some changes. These resolutions might extend to our dogs as well. An oft-asked question is, “if I use treats in training, won’t my dog get fat?” Sure, that could happen. But the truth is that a lot of dogs who are never trained or who are trained without treats also get fat. Dogs (and people) get that way when they’re consuming more calories than they’re using. There are lots of ways to avoid a pudgy pup while still training. One of the most important things to remember is that whatever treats you opt to use in training, be sure to reduce the the dog's meals by a similar amount of calories. This might seem obvious, but it’s easy to overlook in the routine of a day. Even small treats can add up over the course of a training session or two. And those extra calories can add pounds to a dog, especially a small dog like a rattie. Thankfully, most commercial treats include the calorie count. Calculate the number of calories in the treats used and reduce that from the amount of calories the dog consumes in its meals. You can use your dog’s meals for training. If your dog is kibble fed, take the kibble into the training session. Because kibble is likely a low-value treat for a lot of dogs, it’s best used to work in low-distraction environments or to reinforce behaviors the dog is already learning. Also you can spice up boring kibble by storing it in a bag with some cooked bacon so it absorbs the smell of the bacon. Or add in some higher value treats that will work as jackpots. If you feed a canned or raw diet you can still use the food for training. Make mealtime a training session and parcel out bite-sized portions of the meal as treats. Or use a food tube (available at www.petexpertise.com), which is a flexible piece of tubing you can fill with any food that can squeeze through the opening. Fill the tube with the dog’s meal and squeeze out a tiny portion as a reward. Food tubes have the added advantage of extending our arms a few inches, making it easier to deliver treats to short dogs. Further, make sure that training treats are small. When it comes to treats as reinforcement, it is the event of the treat that matters more than its size. Ideally, each treat should be no bigger than the size of a raisin. This is easy to do if you’re making treats at home. If you use commercial treats, cut them into smaller pieces. Pay attention to treat labels for ingredients and calorie counts. Avoid treats high in calories such as hotdogs or cheese. There are commercially available low calorie training treats such as Charlee Bears, Zuke’s Mini Naturals, or Itty Bitty Buddy Biscuits. For homemade low calorie treats, use fruits or vegetables. Carrots, green beans, celery, bananas, or apples can all work as training treats. Since dogs cannot fully digest raw vegetables, they are calorie neutral. Warning: never feed grapes or raisins, which are dangerous for dogs to consume (see www.aspca.org for more information). Also do not forget all the nonfood rewards available to reinforce your dog’s good behavior. Play--such as tugging or throwing a ball--is a great reward for a toy-motivated dog. One advantage of play as a reward is that it often involves exercise, which can help offset food treats used in training. Other life rewards that can be reinforcing include being let outside, going for or continuing on a walk, getting petted, or receiving permission to get on the sofa or bed. Think creatively about what your dog really likes and see if you can use it to reward him for some specific behavior. Even an occasional event like going outside can be an opportunity to squeeze a bit of training into the day. For a handy chart to determine whether your pup is at his ideal weight, see the Purina body condition chart available here: www.placervillevet.com

					Furever Home We are proud to announce that 46 more NR ratties have found their furever homes. CongRATulations to all, and to the new adopters, WELCOME to the New Rattitude family! Parker - Fostered by Jet Parker, adopted by Laura Tschoerner Chloe - Fostered by Shannon Bayless, adopted by Muhammad Moore Woodstock - Fostered by Terry Beale, adopted by Jenny Steele Rico - Fostered by Terry Beale, adopted by Amber Williamson Justice - Fostered by Paula Swan, adopted by Sandra Helminiak Cecilia - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Diana Painter Latte - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Catherine Provost Misty - Fostered by Sue Wichman, adopted by Mary DeRocco Koko - Fostered by Connie Hendsbee, adopted by David & Denise Brocksmith Colt - Fostered by Nancy Breedlove, adopted by Nancy Prince Susie Q - ReHome Program, adopted by Casey Morgenroth Clarkie - Fostered by Nancy Breedlove, adopted by Deborah Clemence Abby - Fostered by Diane Cosentini, adopted by Stacey Arnett Eddie Blue - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Christina Smith Polly - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Jennifer Kraft I Like Ike/Icee- Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Kim Yager Piper - Fostered Bethany Adams, adopted by Nora Sewell Billy - Fostered by Diane McClane, adopted by Ken Ringwell Treasure - Fostered by Paula Swan, adopted by Charlotte Miller Breezy - Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Ricky Robinson Totze Roll - Fostered by Kelia Hamilton, adopted by Jack Taylor Minnie - Fostered by Amy Flores, adopted by Mark Hargleroad Gracie - Fostered by Diane McClane, adopted by Diane McClane Balmy - Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Kevin Haskin MexicaliRose - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Sarah Hamilton Tate - Fostered by Jaime Restorff, adopted by Nicole Koback Murphy - Fostered by Lindy Darovic, adopted by Janine Lange Reggie - Fostered by Nancy Breedlove, adopted by Kris Winningham Amy - Fostered by Shannon Bayless, adopted by Cheryl Campbell Princess Di - Fostered by Crystal Vostad, adopted by Judy Thompson Snowy - Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Pamela Mahut Savannah - Fostered by Terry Beale, adopted by Jen Cortez Indie - Fostered by Nancy Breedlove, adopted by Frank Bennett Ally - Fostered by Diane Cosentini, adopted by Pam St. Martin O Henry - Fostered by Terry Beale, adopted by Wanda Pezant Chryssy - Fostered by Patti Jeffries, adopted by Patti Jeffries Jet Stream - Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Beth Swank Dax - Fostered by Janell Brown, adopted by Jon Nee Rom - Fostered by Janell Brown, adopted by Neill Drake Jasmine - Fostered by Sue Krainik, adopted by Irwin Cohen Little Man - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Janice Kingston Sunny - Fostered by Carrie Erskine, adopted by Carla Smith Milah Jo - Fostered by Janell Brown, adopted by Cullen Tavelli Worf - Fostered by Janell Brown, adopted by Wayne Cooper Sisko - Fostered by Janell Brown, adopted by Charlotte Berghoffer Tessa - Fostered by Bethany Adams, adopted by Jody Hodge In The Clinic Currently New Rattitude has two dogs in our Canine Clinic: Buffy, who came into foster care with a badly broken leg requiring orthopedic surgery; and Claire who is struggling to overcome severe neglect complicated by diabetes and pancreatic issues. Dogs in the Canine Clinic have incurred vet bills that adoption fees don't cover. If you can help, please visit the link above to read about these dogs and consider a donation to help us cover these costs. Canine Clinic donors are listed on our Donor Recognition board. We appreciate every dollar...without the help of our supporters, we would not be able to rescue these ratties with medical needs.

					Volunteer Spotlight: Norma Downing By Jessica Mannon She's an encouragement to those who need a listening ear--the voice of wisdom, offering support across the miles wherever and whenever it is needed. Her southern charm and funny sayings are sure to win you over. She's New Rattitude's very own Norma Downing! Norma and Larry, her husband of 43 years, currently reside in Louisiana Cajun Country, but they are originally from southern Mississippi, where Norma's mother and Larry's parents still reside. They have one son, Paul; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren with another on the way. They are also the proud parents of two rescued rat terriers, Bit Bit and Dixy. Dixy suffers from a leg problem, which Norma says makes her the perfect dog. "She's got a hitch in her giddy-up, just like me, so we get along just great!" Norma's lifelong love of ratties began when she was just four years old with her first rat terrier, Mickey. Norma would sneak Mickey into her bedroom, where he'd curl up under the blankets with her and fall fast asleep. Mickey must have made quite an impression, as Norma has not been without a rattie ever since! Norma once posted this query to the members of New Rattitude: "What led you to rescue?" She answered her own question when she said, "for the love of Dixie, Tigger, Bit Bit and my current Dixy. They have given me such love and comfort. So many other dogs would love to be able to do the same, but they need to get out of their 'jail' to be able to do so. Someone needs to 'man the desk' and make sure that happens." That love led Norma to rescue work in the spring of 2006. During Norma's tenure in rescue she has worn many hats, including those of adoption coordinator, home visit coordinator, mentor for new ACs, co-adoption manager, and volunteer manager. Norma says she never felt she fit in a manager's role, so "One day, I finally said I've got to quit puttin' a square peg in a round hole. I decided to listen to myself!" She began what she says became her passion--making the follow-up calls on recently adopted terriers. A few weeks after each dog was adopted, Norma would call the adopter to ensure that the adoption was working--that there were no issues and that it was a "right fit." If there were any problems, Norma would work with the adopter, offering suggestions and advice, to try and resolve them. Norma has helped countless dogs to better settle into their new environment. In 2009 Norma handed over the reins of the follow-up team to focus on her other passion--the job that she calls "Caring Card Writer." In this role, Norma writes and sends her personalized, from-the-heart cards to our members and supporters expressing encouragement, congratulations, acknowledgment, condolence, and especially gratitude. When responding to a supporter who has sent in a donation, Norma likes to enclose a photo of a dog or two that may be visiting New Rattitude's Canine Clinic. Norma quoted Mother Theresa when she said, "I am just a pencil in the hand of a loving God." She stated that "grattitude is the memory of the heart," and that "it does my heart good to see how people love their dogs so much or respect rescue so much that they trust us to do right with their money." Norma said that each card she writes shows that at New Rattitude we put our words into action. People can actually see that their donation helped, and perhaps one day, months or years after they've tucked that card away in the drawer, they may run across it and get that feeling that they made a difference--that what they did was appreciated. Since New Rattitude's inception in August 2008, Norma has been busy writing her caring cards. At the time of this interview, she had hand-penned 393 personalized cards! In Norma's own words "Oh my stars and red garters!" That's approximately one card for each dog New Rattitude has rescued! Norma also enjoys sharing stories about  NR's adopted ratties in her monthly "Where Are They Now?" column for the 'Tude News. When not busy with rescue work, Norma likes to read, take pictures, and write cards to family and friends. For the last 22 years, Norma and Larry have enjoyed traveling the back roads of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina. "We are always in the midst of planning our next switchback mountain road experience." Norma lives by this G.K. Chesteron quotation: "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that grattitude is happiness doubled by wonder." To Norma, the one who expresses our gratitude and appreciation to so many on behalf of the volunteers and rescued ratties of New Rattitude, we thank YOU and appreciate what you do every day!

					Frodo's Product Review: Hypoallergenic Treats By Janell Brown and Frodo Having a human who works at a natural pet food store, I’ve learned more than my fair share about nutrition. Personally, I can eat anything, whether you weird humans call it edible or not, but some dogs aren’t so lucky.  It’s fairly common for dogs to have allergies to grains, so my human often recommends a meat jerky. She warns that you have to check the label because companies can get tricky and slip corn, wheat, and soy into jerky. Some poor souls have protein allergies, though, and even something as basic as chicken, beef, or lamb can send them into a fit of hives or a bout of constipation. When that happens, my human suggests that people buy jerky or treats with less common (but even more delicious) protein sources. Here are some meats that dogs are rarely allergic to: venison, elk, bison, pheasant, quail, ostrich, rabbit, kangaroo, bushtail, most fish, and even duck. The benefit to you, other than no allergic reaction, is that these meats are gamy, which means they are extra smelly and delicious. You lucky dog! I was given the assignment of taste-testing a variety of hypoallergenic jerky and jerky-type treats. You should know that I approached this task with zest and have tested as many treats as possible. I would have tested even more, but I was cut off to maintain my nice slim waist. So here we go. The company Fido out of Kansas makes some smoky, soft jerky in four delicious flavors. These come in a sheet and are scored so they can be broken into little squares. My human is stingy and breaks each square into four tiny pieces, which in my opinion is a total rip-off, but I digress. Available flavors are bison, elk, ostrich, and catfish. I have tried all but the catfish and give them two paws up for their softness and great flavor. Even my foster siblings who have lost most of their teeth are able to enjoy these treats. Evangers, a company based in Illinois, makes jerky with fruits and veggies thrown in. It comes in little squares and is pretty easy on the chompers. I like the pheasant flavor, but it also comes in bison and venison.  Primal and Bravo, both raw pet food companies, have a line of freeze-dried or dry-roasted meats, and I can recommend both the venison and bison liver wholeheartedly. Out of New Zealand, you can get some great venison jerky from three different companies:  Addiction Pet Foods, CANZ Real Meat, and ZiwiPeak. Addiction has venison Meaty Bites, which are soft and mouthwateringly delicious. ZiwiPeak has a treat version of their delicious semi-moist dog food available in venison, fish and venison, or lamb. Canz Real Meat jerky comes in about six or seven different meat bases, but the hypoallergenic flavors are the venison and the fish/venison combo.  Plato Kangaroo Strips, Duck Strips or Salmon Strips are quite delicious but difficult for senior dogs to chew if they are missing molars. I personally think that kangaroo strips are to die for. However, my human thinks they stink too much and rarely buys them for me. A tragedy… And then, of course, there are many companies that sell fish treats. Ones that I’ve tried and liked: Grizzly brand dried salmon treats, salmon skin rolls, and salmon skin knotted rolls (delightfully stinky!); Real Food Toppers freeze-dried salmon; Natural Nibbles freeze dried salmon; and the whole line of Free Range brand Catch of the Day treats in dried cod, halibut, salmon, calamari, and pollock. Warning: your humans may make you enjoy your fish treats outside to avoid their stinky goodness. I know, humans make no sense to me either. That should get you started. If your humans give you the excuse that you can’t have treats because of allergies, they are lying to you! Make them go out and order some of these delicious bites of meaty goodness! They can find many of these goodies at natural pet food stores, but there are also countless online sources for natural treats. Just get your humans to search the Internet, and they should have no problem finding what you need.

					"Apple of My Eye" Valentine Treats By Sherri Chatterton Ingredients: 3 cups whole wheat flour (or if dog is allergic to wheat, use rye) 1/3 cup whole grain flaxseed 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons grape jam 1 egg 2 apples, cored and finely chopped 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tsp. vital wheat gluten (if available) 1 cup nonfat milk 1/2 cup steel-cut oats Extra flour for dusting cutting board. Directions: Preheat oven to 260 degrees. Mix together all ingredients. The batter will be stiff but wet. Dust hands before rolling or patting quarters out on flour-dusted board to about 1/2" thickness. Dip cookie cutter(s) in flour and cut out designs. Place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking, and bake for about 40 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes on racks. While treats cool, mix: 1/3 cup apple juice 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1-2 drops red food coloring. Mix together in small, non-stick cooking pot with whisk before heating to a gentle boil. Once thickened, use a pastry brush to brush a little on each cookie. Cool until dy and store in refrigerator. Yield: 3 1/2 dozen large (3") biscuits, about 1/2 inch thick.

					Where Are They Now? Willow By Norma Downing A Rattie Cinderella Story   Once upon a time, about five years ago, a beautiful female rat terrier with tuxedo markings was born into a miserable life even worse than that of the fairy tale stepsister, Cinderella. Willow's story began in a North Carolina puppymill, where she was destined to become a puppy machine--producing litter after litter of money-making pups for the next ten years or so, until she was totally worn out and no longer useful to the breeder. Willow's world was a small wire hutch, shared by at least four other dogs. Her cage, one of many stacked several feet high, was outdoors, totally exposed to the elements, and the only warmth the dogs ever knew was from their mama's body as puppies and from piling themselves together for comfort. To say they were neglected and mistreated is a gross understatement. With matted coats and nails that grew to curl into their pads, they were hosed down daily when the workers cleaned their cages. Most sadly, they were likely never touched by human hands except to push them away to snatch their puppies. Willow's journey, which took her from Catawba County, N.C., to Georgia, to Burke County, N.C., and ultimately back to Catawba and her forever home just a few miles from where her life began, was described by NR follow-up reporter Shannon Bayless as a "circle of love" in the report she filed with New Rattitude back last April. Shannon's report told how little Willow almost didn't make it. At the home of Georgia foster parent Mary Beth Voss, Willow received the health care and nutritious diet she had always lacked, and finally she was spayed. Unfortunately, following the surgery, her internal spay sutures burst. Likely terrified, Willow further opened the incision and pulled out and severed about 12 inches of her intestines. She was rushed back to the vet for emergency surgery, and after spending several days at the vet's, Willow returned to her foster home, where close and watchful care was necessary. She was hand-fed tiny portions of a special food mixture to allow her insides to heal while her strength slowly returned. Due to the type of surgery and her compromised digestive system, it was critical to her recovery that Willow be able to eat, and subsequently eliminate, normally. The entire online NR family anxiously awaited the news that Willow had pooped successfully. When she did, everyone cheered! In her second foster home, with Sherri Chatterton back in North Carolina, Willow met Sarah Kaylor. They were literally smitten with each other and a very special adoption soon followed. Willow, renamed Dazee, was home at last. At first she was a bit apprehensive and suffered from separation anxiety--easily understandable considering her past. Sarah sought and received helpful advice from her veterinarian and Sherri, and Dazee is becoming more confident that Sarah, the new love of her life, is not going to abandon her. Sarah has been a dog-savvy rattie mom, understanding that Dazee needed to be slowly and consistently exposed to a variety of people, all sizes and kinds of dogs, and lots of different environments. Dazee's favorite activity is riding in the car, especially to visit Sarah's sister and her 16-year-old dog, Kiki. Sarah and Dazee also share a love of the Animal Planet TV channel. Sarah vows that Dazee watches the shows intently! Sarah says that Dazee is everything she wanted in a rattie companion, exclaiming during her follow-up interview with Shannon, " I just LOVE her! She is the sweetest little thing!"   Willow/Dazee is one tough, courageous and sweet-spirited little rattie survivor, and thanks to all who cared for her along the journey to her wonderful new life, she is now an adored and pampered "princess." True stories like this surely beat fairy tales, wouldn't you agree?

					Want to Get Involved? Join The Pack! Volunteer participation is critical to our success and our ability to save dogs. New Rattitude has many volunteer opportunities and ways that you can participate that involve as little or as much time as you wish to contribute: Fostering, transporting, adoption screening, fundraising, organizational tasks, shelter monitoring, public relations, newsletter, special events, and more. As a member of our team, you will always be treated with respect and your contributions appreciated. Volunteer education and training are ongoing, and support and advice willingly shared. If you are interested in joining our team, please fill out our online Volunteer Application! Donate Cash donations go directly to pay for veterinary expenses for our rescued dogs, including vaccinations, heartworm testing and treatment, spay/neuters, antibiotics, etc. Since we are an all-volunteer organization with virtually no overhead, 100% of your donation goes to care for the dogs. To donate, send check or money order to: New Rattitude, PO Box 14064, Lansing, MI 48901. Or donate via Paypal by sending a payment to: treasurer@newrattitude.org GoodSearch/GoodShop GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up! Go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter New Rattitude as the charity you want to support.   GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall that donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's, and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting New Rattitude as your chosen cause.

					'Tude News Team Managing Editor: Susan Beard Copy Editor: Kathy Puckett Staff Writers:Janell Brown, Sherri Chatterton, Nadia Chiodini, Debbie Collins, NormaDowning, Barbara Hill, Patti Jeffries, Sue Kangas, Jessica Mannon, SuePainter-Thorne, and Heidee Vansant Webmaster/Archives: Bethany Adams 'TudeNews is published monthly. Freelance submissions are welcome. To submita story or story idea, please contact the Managing Editor at newsletter@newrattitude.org. Visit our archives to view previous issues of 'Tude News.