Healing Whiskers

14/04/2024

Happy Neil Day!

03/04/2024

Thank you all so much for participating in our Pet Partners fundraiser this year! 💖🐀

With your help, we raised $305! That money will be used to help fund future therapy animal teams. 🐾

14/03/2024

🚨Fundraiser ends on March 18th!🚨

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far!

We only have a few more days to raise funds for our Pet Partner's fundraiser!

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

12/03/2024

🚨ONE WEEK left in our fundraiser! 🚨

Anyone who donates $25+ will get a special coupon for our Etsy shop! (https://healingwhiskers.etsy.com)

We have greeting cards, stickers and mugs featuring Vincent and many of our other rats.

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

07/03/2024

🚨There's a little more than ONE WEEK left in our fundraiser! 🚨

This year, we have little gifts for those who donate and if you donate $100+ you get one of these pins sent to you along with some other goodies! 💖

Fundraiser ends March 18th!

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

05/03/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

Vincent enjoyed a well-deserved retirement filled with pasta and snuggles with his brothers. In late 2020, a small mass on his belly appeared, which turned out to be cancer. We kept going until he told us it was time to go 💔.

Vincent had 97 volunteer hours, visited 947 people, and we traveled 2464 miles for events. 🐀🌈

Vincent comforted many people and was (and still is) such a huge influence. A small rat making people smile in person and internationally via the web...there's something special about that. 💖

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

29/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

As Vincent became older, I decided to retire him from therapy work.

He was getting slower and tired more quickly, which is understandable for an almost two-year-old rat.

Our last visit was where Vincent had his first event, at Berry College. He loved seeing his buddies, and it was very bittersweet. ❤️

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

27/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

When we had our reading program, I would visit a local library every other week. We had our usuals, and I saw significant improvements in their reading confidence. 📖

I remember a frequent visitor who was too young to read but made up a story from the pictures in the book to read to Vincent. ❤️

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

23/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

One of my favorite little swag items for kids and adults was an "I Pet a Therapy Rat!" button. I mean, who all gets to pet a therapy rat?

This was an excellent reward for those who were nervous about petting him.

They would typically pet his back real gently, pull their hand back, then smile or laugh. "See? Not so bad! Here's a button!"

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

21/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

Some of our first events were midterm de-stressing at colleges and a Halloween event. Vincent was a natural!

I tried to get him used to being in a towel, a.k.a. a "rat burrito" but in the end, he wasn't having it.

A towel is used as a barrier between the animal and the person just in case of accidents or if the person is allergic.

Many of his working photos were in his basket, but that's all good. Whatever made Vincent happy❤️.

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

19/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

When we passed our therapy animal evaluation, it was so exciting!

Vincent passed with flying colors and even had a "complex" score, meaning we could have worked in airports or other high-stress events.

I ordered a special smash cake to celebrate, which was really fun! 😆

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

16/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

At the same time I got Vincent and his brother Xavier, we were nominated for a blogging award for which I did a lot of PR. This worked well for training because we met many people and were often in new places.

Healing Whiskers was featured on the radio and we even visited a TV news studio! It was such a fun experience, and I had a blast teaching others about therapy rats and rats in general.

Please donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

14/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

Happy Valentine's Day! 💘

Fast forward a bit, we regularly visited a small homeschool group as part of our Reading Rats program, and Vincent and the children loved it.

We visited near Valentine's Day, and they made this sweet heart just for him!

Our reading program increased reading confidence because the pressure to read correctly in front of a rat is lessened - Vincent won't correct them if they mess up a word!

Please donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

13/02/2024

You make my heart boggle! ❤🐀

12/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

I began training Vincent pretty quickly, considering I only had six months until he would be eligible to be tested for his therapy certification.

I get a lot of questions about training, but most of it is getting the rat used to different environments and people. I would bring him to pet-friendly events or outdoor restaurant patios to get him used to his basket and the sights and sounds.

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

09/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

Vincent was my 2nd therapy rat following Oliver and after meeting him for the first time, I could tell he had a very reserved and quiet personality. I thought this would be an issue, but it was actually perfect. I learned that it is easier to train a shy rat to interact than to train an outgoing rat to calm down.

Donate to our fundraiser on behalf of Vincent: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

07/02/2024

Memorial spotlight on Vincent the Therapy Rat for Pet Partners' Pet of the Year Fundraiser...🐀❤️

It was my birthday yesterday! 🎉

Here's one of the first pictures taken of us after we passed our therapy animal team evaluation in 2018.

What's so cool about Pet Partners' evaluations is that they not just grade the animal on their behavior but the handler's as well. The rat always had a better grade than me each time I tested 😆.

Check out the video of our evaluation and donate here: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

05/02/2024

Hey y'all! I have been chuggin' along with my schooling, and February is here once again, which means it's fundraiser time!

We are participating in Pet Partners' Pet of the Year fundraiser from February 5th to March 18th! 🏆

In memory of Vincent the Therapy Rat, we are raising money for Pet Partners to spread the rat love! 🐀

Be on the lookout for social media posts detailing Vincent's exciting career.

This year, I have special prizes for those who donate, check it out: bit.ly/VincentPOTY24

In memory of the most famous therapy rat, Vincent, we are fundraising on behalf of future therapy rats!

15/11/2023

Rats can groove!

Have you noticed your rats bopping to music?

09/09/2023

🐀❤

It should also work with other animals. (Also it's probably good to be friends with those animals first.)

Tip jar: http://www.ko-fi.com/piperstrangeart

Image description: A 4 panel black and white comic.
Panel 1: A drawing of Piper, a nonbinary person with short hair. They're wearing a t-shirt. Their arms are slumped in front of them and their mouth is drawn with a small frown, their eyes are slanted upwards. The text above their head says "How to cure sadness".
Panel 2: A hand reaches out and grabs a rat, the rat has big black eyes and has question marks around it's face, confused at being picked up. The text above says "Step one:". The text is continued underneath the hand grabbing the rat and says "Pick up rat"
Panel 3: Piper is holding the rat on their face. Their expression has changed, now they're smiling, and their eyes are closed. The text above says "Step 2:" and the text underneath says "Apply rat directly to face". In smaller text, the rat is saying "Hello parent"
Panel 4: Piper is now holding two rats on their face and their expression is very serene. The text above says "Repeat if necessary."

07/08/2023

Get some awesome art for a great cause!

Don't miss out on our Boggles and Brushes: Pawtraits For A Cause fundraiser! From now through the end of the month, you can get a portrait of your beloved rattos by amazingly talented artists like the one below while also helping support homeless rats in need!

Participate here: https://checkout.square.site/merchant/GBFF2NCRVA44X/checkout/KQ2MNOEJMBNK3UWUMTFV5BXQ

12/07/2023

Last day! 🎉

While you are Prime Day shopping, don't forget to check out our Etsy shop where everything is 10% off for a limited time!

We have a variety of pet rat greeting cards, stickers, and mugs! 🐀❤️

Sale runs through 6/12/23: https://etsy.me/2RkK79N

11/07/2023

While you are Prime Day shopping, don't forget to check out our Etsy shop where everything is 10% off for a limited time!

We have a variety of pet rat greeting cards, stickers, and mugs! 🐀❤️

Sale runs through 6/12/23: https://etsy.me/2RkK79N

09/07/2023

Some cuteness for your weekend! 😍💕