Lost!

This is a repost of the original explanation of what happens, and what to do, if your rat becomes lost in transit.

Being lost in the big bad world is not good news for rodents. People react badly. They don't understand that a little rat just wants to go home and be cozy.

The first type of “lost” is when they go rambling. This has happened to me a lot; particularly with black rats. They always seem to be the biggest explorers, some sometimes those short-sighted PEW will surprise you. Also: beware the mighty hamster! I think hamsters are the biggest “lost rodent” threat based on the urge to hide.

The second type of lost is when travelling. Scary! So if this happens to your rodent while flying on an airline or other mode of transportation, here is what you do:

Don't panic! or burn bridges. Assigning blame at this point is counter-productive. You need people to help you, and your wee rodent will need a lot of help.

Rule Number One: tell everyone you know! Don’t assume you don't know anyone who knows someone who works at an airline or airport - someone came forward on the Canada Rat Adoption list because he had connections through friends and colleagues in the industry. I found that one of my petsitters has an uncle who worked 30 years for Air Canada in the baggage division.

Two: save yourself some time and call the union who's responsible for the baggage and cargo - chances are, two or three unions are! They know - or are - the people in charge of doing actual physical work, whereas the Corporate offices have too much on their plate and lack focus on what needs to be done. Moreover, some in the corporate office that you call, receiving calls as their job, don't want any disruption in the normal flow of their day. And this kind of situation is worth a lot of disruption! The managers that the union puts you through to - they are better focused and able to help.

Three: Get the word out at the airport. Call the Airport Authority, call Security, call the Canine Unit or Wildlife Unit (who keep birds away from the runways), and call the Canada Customs (or your country's equivalent) Agricultural Inspector. HOWEVER, the airport may claim they can't act until asked to by the airline, because if the airline is a tenant at the airport, it has ultimate authority over its domain. But the more people who know, the greater its priority, and they may help you get through to the appropriate airline personnel. Do not hesitate to go in person, too. You can obtain a security pass in order to conduct the search.

Finally, DON’T give up in the face of adversity in searching for a pet! Drop your ego, but uphold your convictions (a lost pet matters). It can be truly amazing what happens when you commit yourself to finding a lost pet, just as with any other worthwhile goal. Which is exactly what happened when we lost (and found) Mousie…