Pets, family, and vermin

We have pets, currently two cats. One is old, 13, and has some bad habits, but is pretty much himself's lap warmer. the other is 3, and a rescue from NOAH, where he had a pretty interising history, havving been cound stray and taken in to the shelter, then adopted by a family who kept him a little less than a year and took him back.Evidently has didn't do well with the kids, he would run when they chased him, go figure. He is evidently mine, I get most of the attention and lap time. He has some weird habits, and is frightened of some very odd things, so I can only imagine what he has gone through in his life. He's still a big love and trusts us both now, so that is a good start.
At one time we had 9 cats and a dog, but that was an aberation becaue the neighbors kid brought home a stray kitten that was pregnant and chose to live with us. We had 2 cats and the dog, and she had 6 kittens - it was a fun summer. We found homes for her and 4 kittens and then had 4 cats and a dog.
The next summer my daughter found a baby crow, still not fledged, and "please, can we keep him safe from the cats and dogs in the neighborhood" turned into a 4 year adventure. It was fun and messy, and we all learned a lot. My daughter, having just seen "The Birdcage", named him Aguidar Sparticus after the maid (the person of inderterminate gender). He bit bare toes, stalked the cats, woke us with the sun (yes, we learned to cover his cage at night) and ate everything until we found out that they really do need a particular food. After about 4 years other crows started coming around and he hid from them at first, then he started leaving food for them and just staying shorter distances away, and then he he started flying around a little and one day he flew off to be a real bird. He did come back once to visit and eat, which the wild bird vet said he would, and then he was gone. Now we know a lot jmore about crows than we would have otherwise and I think of all of them as Aguidor, and feed them.
Our dog, who joined us in 1988, was a wire fox terrier and a hard won family member. I have always had cats and dogs, particularly terriers, and other animals in my life. My husband was reaised in a house that considered all animals dirty, his dad had spaniels (for hunting?) but they weren't pets and weren't allowed inside. It had taken me a while to work him around to getting a dog "for the kids". He was a great dog, and when he died, himself was devestated, so much so, we still haven't replaced him and it's almost 10 years.
I just realized how long this is, and it is getting somewhere, I think.
Getting to the vermin part - - last night I went downstairs to check on how to get the inspector in to see the furnace and water heater and totally freaked out at evidence of rodents. Gross, disgusting, etc, etc. So, my weekend got revised, and I want another rat dog!!
All the neighbors had rats and mice over the years and I always bragged that we didn't because we had such a great little deterrant. Ah hubris, thy bite is great.
And, I want a dog, but do I want to take on another obligation? it's not like I'm the queen of spare time - yes this takes time, but it's therapy. Yep, I want a dog - and there is one on Craigs list.....