"One small act": Vancouver woman hailed as a hero for Haro the rat

A Vancouver woman is being hailed as a hero for her act of kindness toward an abandoned pet rat in downtown.

It all started when Redditor Suziemyhamptur posted in the Vancouver subreddit that it seemed as though someone had either lost or abandoned their pet rat on Haro and Thurlow Street.

“If anyone wants to take him and take care [of] him please do so asap as it’s really cold,” they wrote, also sharing pictures of the location and the rat.

In response, another Redditor wrote, “Got him. Taking him home for a health check.”

We connected with that Redditor, PrettyStruggle792, who had a fascinating journey with this pet rat. And while the journey ended with the rat sadly needing to be euthanized, its fate and final moments could’ve been much worse without her.

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“I was scrolling through Reddit on Sunday morning when I saw a post titled ‘Someone lost/abandoned pet,” she told Daily Hive.

The post was up for about 45 minutes when she decided to go and find her.

“I wasn’t even sure if it was a wild rat or someone’s abandoned pet, but I had to go and check in case she was injured. As I approached the intersection of Haro and Thurlow, I was so relieved to see she was still sitting in that little bag. She let me pick her up and put her in a cardboard box without any issue.”

The level of comfort the rat showed with her helped confirm that it was likely a pet and not a wild rat.

“Animal care and rescue has always been a passion of mine, so while I do have general experience caring for a variety of pets, this was my first personal experience with a rat.”

She added that she’d always been intrigued by rats because of their intelligence, ability to learn tricks, and ability to recognize their own names.

“Some people see them as a pest or inconvenience, but they truly are fascinating little creatures that can be very playful, loving, and loyal pets.”

She, along with the Vancouver Reddit community, named this specific rat Haro because of where it was found.

“I specifically took Haro to a vet that specializes in small animals and told them she was my pet so that I could guarantee the best care possible.”

Sadly, it was revealed that Haro had several advanced medical issues, and the vet thought it was likely that Haro was outside for a long time. It was determined that Haro needed to be put down.

“Deciding to humanely euthanize an animal is never an easy decision, even when it’s the right choice to make. I have to put my personal feelings aside and do what is best for the animal itself, and sometimes, that means saying goodbye by giving them a kind and dignified ending,” she said.

“I try to find peace in the fact that she was able to pass on while being warm and loved rather than alone outside in winter. But I am very emotionally affected by it. It hurts my heart, and I am grieving her loss even still.”

She didn’t do it alone. The Reddit community came together to help Haro have her dignified death. The Redditor created a GoFundMe, which quickly surpassed its funding goal of $352. She told Daily Hive that the extra money would go to the West Coast Rat Rescue Society.

“I never intended to make a profit off any of this; I’m just happy to have the vet bills covered.”

When she told the West Coast Rat Rescue Society about Haro, they offered to help immediately. They gave her advice and even lent her a small cage and supplies until they figured out what to do.

For her act of kindness, the Reddit community showered her with praise.

“Thank you for being there for her,” one user said.

“Just wanted to thank you for what you’ve done here. Acts of kindness towards animals is one of the purest things humans can do,” another reply stated.

The hero Redditor hopes this can inspire others to participate in similar acts.

“I want people to know that it only takes one small act of kindness to change the life of an animal. If you aren’t able to make a monetary donation, you can still help rescues and shelters by fostering or volunteering your time and skills.”