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REMEMBER THE CASE of Rodney, the giant swamp rat found swimming in a Tipperary river earlier this year?
Sure how could you forget…
The rodent – which has been named Rodney – is a coypu American swamp rat. He was found in a river in Kilnascully by a man out for a walk in April – and he’s three times the size of your average Irish rat.
Despite speculation that the little fellow (little, compared to a regular-sized human) might find a new home in some kind of animal sanctuary, news reaches us today that Rodney is still being cared for in Kildare by the organisation that originally took him in.
“Since the news broke to the media, we’ve had lots of offers for homes for Rodney,” Dan Donaher of Kildare Animal Foundation told TV3′s Animal Rescue.
“Some have been from people living in housing estates and places that just aren’t suitable really for him because he needs quite specialised care,” he told the programme, in an episode due to be broadcast on Monday night.
“He needs a large enclosure and a pond to swim in so we’re still on the lookout for a great home for him.”
Rodney made international news when he was found earlier this year.
He’s thought to be an abandoned pet.
Note: Animal Rescue’ will be broadcast on Monday at 8.30pm on TV3.
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FOTA wildlife park, would be a great place for the little guy.
As far as I know they already have these guys at FOTA so you would think it would be no harm to take it in unless there is some sort of family system he might interfere with by going. I’m not sure
I call the big one Bitey
Rodney you plonker, back in your cage.
alrigh Dave
I’m sure my wife would love a surprise like that as anniversary present
Wife said no.
that must be a first, I’ve always found her to be very accommodating.
BURN!
Send him to Dail Eireann he will feel right at home
Sewer rats would feel more at home
the good people of Tipp already sent a 3,foot rat to the Dail garwig
I suppose, but the last one was bigger No?
Maybe Alan Kelly could adopt him, being a close relative and all. Sure what’s one more rat in Irish water.
Ah rats, people in tipp may stop washing their children in the river now.
You kidding? Free sponges!
Another big water rat loose in tipp
Do the people of Tipperary not normally just send them to the Dáil?
His disguise isn’t good enough, he is what you see
Could they not canvass zoos and find some place which has other coypu? That would seem the best plan, or he’ll be a very lonely little fella.
A bit like you rashers
@Garwig. Thanks for caring – welling up a bit. :-)
A woman from La Mesa, California, went to Tijuana, Mexico, to do some shopping. As any visitor to this border town knows, the streets near the shopping areas are populated with stray dogs. The woman took pity on one little stray and offered it a few bites of her lunch, after which it followed her around for the rest of the afternoon.
When it came time to return home, the woman had become so attached to her little friend that she couldn’t bear to leave him behind. Knowing that it was illegal to bring a dog across the international border, she hid him among some packages on the seat of her car and managed to pass through the border checkpoint without incident. After arriving home, she gave the dog a bath, brushed his fur, then retired for the night with her newfound pet curled up at the foot of her bed.
When she awoke the next morning, the woman noticed that there was an oozing mucus around the dog’s eyes and a slight foaming at the mouth. Afraid that the dog might be sick, she rushed him to a nearby veterinarian and returned home to await word on her pet’s condition.
The call soon came. “I have just one question,” said the vet. “Where did you get this dog?”
The woman didn’t want to get into trouble, so she told the vet that she had found the dog running loose in the street near her home in La Mesa.
But the vet didn’t buy it. “You did not find this dog in La Mesa. Where did you get the dog?”
The woman nervously admitted having brought the dog across the border from Tijuana. “But tell me, doctor,” she said. “What is wrong with my dog?”
His reply was brief and to the point. “First of all, it’s not a dog — it’s a Mexican sewer rat. And second, it’s dying.”
Isn’t this from some Canadian kid’s show, creepy tales or something like that?
3 Feet = 0.000493737 Nautical Miles
Reduce > 0+0+0+0+4+9+3+7+3+7 = 33
You’re back Frank?
@Pronnsias, I think that you need a break from work for a while!!
The big one is about to be revealed.
Pronnsias, you know Ireland is suppose to sink under the waves before the big one, also a comet has to come, U.S. has to be attacked by China, Israel by Russia, Greece by Turkey, the E.U. has to split up, Israel has to become bigger and the temple has to be rebuilt, the sun has to rise in the west and set in the east, then the 3 days of darkness etc etc…
I could go one and then there is Garabanda… I do like that stuff but its a hobby like so many other weird things I enjoy, relax… Everything has a day and a season, be happy.
I think he might be working with NAMA.
3 foot swamp rat in Tipperary only room for one of them down there and that’s mattie mc
he’s a tall rat druid
Saw one just a bit shorter last week along the Lagan, horrid creatures but make great targets.
Ah he’s not horrid. Ordinary rats look evil almost, this guy looks like a right laugh and a great character.
4
put it in the Dail with all the other crew he should feel at home
Send him up to the Dáil. They usually deal with American affairs.
He is in the Dail already…
Just hope that Rodney is an abandoned pet because if there are more of these invasive critters in Irish rivers rivers then it could be goodbye to many of our native river species. Coypu’s or Ragondin as they are called in France are vociferous breeders and can cause huge damage to river banks and local vegetation. They are not particularly harmful to humans; apart from the same risk of leptospirosis or weals disease that all rat’s carry.
*Start a fund to send him to an American rehab that can release him in his natural habitat. He should remain in the wild. Some nice airline and vets could offer free services to insure this is done.
How about the Dail?
Good for Rodney. He needs a WARM swamp for the winter.
Looks more like a ground hog.. Those Irish do-gooders better check more closely.
http://www.usmessageboard.com/threads/rodney-is-still-looking-for-a-home.445937/#post-12403679
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