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Therese Hitesman's idea of heaven may seem strange to some people. For her, there's nothing sweeter than having her three pet rats - Phoebe, Sara and Cinder - in her arms.

Whenever Hitesman lets them out of their triple-level rat condo, she scratches behind their little ears and plays with them as they scurry around her bedroom.

The Glendale woman leads Any Rat Rescue, the only organization of its kind in the Valley.
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Since its inception in 2004, the non-profit has found homes for more than 300 rats that have been abandoned, neglected or abused.

Hitesman and other Valley rat lovers work tirelessly to educate people about the domestic rodents and reverse the animal's negative image.

"We like to say that rats are just a furry tail away from being the world's most popular pocket pet," she said. "I just wish people would get past their tail."

Hitesman considers Disney Pixar's newest release, Ratatouille, a step in the right direction because the animated rodents are portrayed in a positive light.

Rats' bad rap comes from several misconceptions, according to Hitesman. People tend to lump together the domesticated rat with sewer or roof rats. In reality, she said, the rodents differ as much as dogs and wolves. Since domestic rats are bred for health and temperament, they do not have the instincts needed to survive in the wild.

Pet rats are litter-box trained, intelligent, love to play with humans and form strong bonds with their caretakers and cage mates. For this reason, Hitesman encourages potential adopters to take two or three rats.