Fostering first
Stephanie Costain has started P. E. I. Rat Haven, a shelter for unwanted rats
“On P. E. I., we have shelters and homes for other animals like dogs and cats, so why shouldn’t there be one for rats, too.” Stephanie Costain
Stephanie Costain has started P. E. I. Rat Haven — a shelter where she adopts and fosters rats without a home.
P. E. I. Rat Haven is located in Costain’s apartment in Summerside and is run with her two friends, Audrey Matheson and Cheryl Gillman. It started over a year ago after Costain adopted her first rat.
“I didn’t know if I’d like rats or not. But, then I discovered they are basically just little puppy dogs and I love them now.”
After her first rat, word of mouth spread about Costain’s love for the animal and people began giving their rats to her to care for. Today, Costain currently fosters 12 rats.
“On P. E. I., we have shelters and homes for other animals like dogs and cats, so why shouldn’t there be one for rats, too.”
At P. E. I. Rat Haven, Costain fosters the rats and feeds them, gives them medical attention, if needed, and then begins looking for someone to adopt them. Medical treatment for rats can be expensive because of their short lifespan ( two to three years). To help with these bills, Costain has started an online fundraiser to cover the costs.
“Rats are prone to respiratory problems and tumors, so treatment and their medical bills can get very expensive.”
Costain still gets shocked reactions whenever she tells people about what she does, but she’s ultimately hoping to change the way people view rats.
“They’re extremely clean and extremely friendly. They’re nothing like the movies and TV shows have portrayed rats in the past, and I’m hoping to show that to people.”