SHELTER RAT BERNARD PASSES AWAY PEACEFULLY IN HIS SLEEP

On Thursday April 2, 2009, Bernard, our lovable little shelter Rat,
the only small animal to survive the fire passed away in his sleep at
his foster home. He had been suffering for several weeks from a
condition the vets felt was brought on by a brain tumour not related
to the fire. He was just over 1 year old.

Bernard was 7 weeks old when he was rescued along with several other
Rats from being used for snake food. He was starving, scared and
covered in mites when we got him. Ruby took one look at this little
guy and fell in love. He reminded her of the first shelter Rat Ben,
as he was a black Berkshire. He became the shelter mascot immediately
and lived that year growing very large, getting all kinds of treats
and being spoiled rotten. He became a regular at humane education
talks where he was always a hit, even getting his picture in the paper.

The night of the fire he was the last animal brought out alive and we
were so thankful. He was like our little miracle. We asked Rolanda,
a very special volunteer at the shetler who loved Rats if she could
care for him while we had nowhere to take him. She was at the vets in
15 minutes after the call to pick him up. Bernard continued his
school visits after the fire, even travelling as far as Gravenhurst to
visit every classroom in a school.

He was a very special little guy who touched a lot of people in his
short life. He will be missed.