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| I first started keeping and breeding fancy rats in 1978, and joined the National Fancy Rat Society in 1981 when it was but 5 years young. Pendragon was registered as a stud name for the partnership between myself and Nick Mays, (author of The Proper Care of Fancy Rats), and our prizewinning Berkshire rats. When the partnership was dissolved I kept the name, and continued with my Irish, Variegated, Rex, Capped and experimental new colours. Circumstances dictated that I had to give up my rats in early 1986, but then went on to breed and show Siamese and Oriental cats. I registered my GCCF prefix, Firelizard, in 1987, served as the GCCF Substitute Delegate for the Oriental Tabby Cat Club, and from 1991 to 1998 instigated (and worked on) the first ever study of the Siamese cat in its native land, with my colleague Martin Clutterbuck. This resulted in the publication of a book, The Legend of Siamese Cats (White Lotus Press). I came back into rats in the early summer of 1999, when I looked after some European Husky rats for my friend Marion Benham and her daughter Erin Brenton. I realised what I had been missing all this time! A few months later I was lucky enough to acquire a pair of Dumbo rats from the first ever litter born in the UK. Later I was given the mother of this litter, the first female Dumbo to come to the UK, affectionately known as "The Queen Mum". In 2000 I made several imports from Europe, together with other interested breeders, of new lines of this fascinating variety. I also imported the first Russian Blue rats to the UK from Holland, and bred the first litters of this colour in the country in late 2000. Pendragon's Atalanta, the first Russian Blue Dumbo born in Europe, also achieved another accolade by becoming the first Dumbo to win a Best In Show award in the UK, at the Northern Rat Club show in February 2001. Nowadays, I have a smaller rattery than I did before. I have recently relocated to Hampshire, about 15-20 minutes drive from Southampton. I breed regularly from my Dumbo and other girls, and occasionally attend shows. I am a member of the National Fancy Rat Society, and the London and Southern Counties Mouse and Rat Club. I was formerly the Rat Show Secretary for the LSCMRC back in the mid-80's. I hope you will enjoy the site, and especially the pages on this section, where I have compiled an archive of my early days in rat breeding, together with some photographs and a couple of interesting stories. In the Features section you will find some illustrated articles of general interest about rats, cats and other things, including a visit to a rat show in Holland. You are most welcome to contact me about any aspect of rat keeping, breeding or genetics. Sue
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