Speaking TRUTH is not disparaging. But you want me to disparage BRAT, with more TRUTH, here goes.
They place (I was wrong before, not 200 though I thought 200 was the NORM prior to the Wimauma dogs) about 300 dogs.
They have many many volunteers.
They send the dog with a packet of info and I think we all got a test strip. But I have talked to many adopters, and trust me, no one REALLY made sure they understood Fanconi or the seriousness. And yes, their page now says get the test. But there is a responsibility to make sure people whom you place dogs with ACTUALLY understand. Just posting it on the web and giving with a big pack of papers isn't enough.
Do they bother to follow up with a call in a month, 2 mos, 6 mos and even ASK if the person is testing? LOL. Hell no, which is why we have folks who have said on this very forum that BRAT "tested their dog for Fanconi" and thought the one strip test, or that the dog was strip tested clear at placement meant safe.
People DO NOT READ. I call foster homes CONTINUALLY for the first 6 mos during which time the home usually is a fit or not, so they know I am here, not judging and will be their first resource to return, not DUMP out of being embarrassed they couldn't make it work. Then annually. It doesn't have to be intense and long, 5 mins of good will, a "when and how was the last strip test?" BRAT doesn't do that either, or at least none I know of. Those are SIMPLE things BRAT could do to be more responsible.
As for FL, yeah, I think you purposefully ignored the obvious answer– if clearly effected, why on earth would anyone pay out $65 for the DNA test? They just start treatment and do VBG to see how bad it is.
As for "true start"-- let me type slow and explain for you. If you start these dogs on a little bicarb, they are hoping to never have the disease cause damage. They will be looking for a good 5 to 10 years evaluating what happens. That is what it takes to know.
As for treating before the "true start"... what a novel idea. Oh wait, it isn't. Prediabetics and people at risk for other diseases-- put them on diet, exercise, even preventative meds and they often avoid STARTING the disease or damage. I had freaking absolutely PERFECT blood pressure (110 to 117 over 60 to 70) when I was Dx with diabetes. They put me on low dose high blood pressure meds anyway. Why? To make sure if the common "true start" of high blood pressure in diabetics began, I'd minimize the risk. And yes, 10 yrs later I do have moderate HBP and am now at a whopping 40 mg of lisenopril (btw that is meant as sarcasm-- many people with HBP are on 2 or 3 meds, really high doses, IF they can even control it and rarely to my great levels!) to keep my BP at a good 110 to 120 over under-80. Did the early meds help stop it from happening-- no. But you can bet it helped protect my kidneys.
As for Brat and your accusation that I disparaged them-- again, I spoke the truth. No intent to trash them, but simply to speak the truth. They do not DNA test. They do not call and make sure each adopter actually understands Fanconi and the importance of testing. They don't call to see if the person IS testing. And they will not even allow an adopter to PAY to have a dog tested they are interested in. So hell yes, if someone asks about getting a dog from rescue, I am going to be responsible to that person and tell them IF they get a dog from BRAT that the previous owners didn't already DNA test, be aware they are taking a risk and be prepared to deal with it and to please get the dog tested. If any truth that doesn't make someone/something shinier is disparaging, oh well. As I said, other than this area, they do great. But this one area is enough I cannot recommend anyone get a dog there unless they know the facts. Better to get a dog from a breeder or another rescue that tests unless you are okay with getting a dog that COULD have Fanconi.
I will add this-- thanks to Dr. Gonto, with early testing and his protocol, it CAN be a minimal issue. It can be tested 2x a year at a cheap cost (some places as low as $25!), bicarbs cheap, and with EARLY or pretreatment, hopefully keep everything very good. It is only when you wait til there is a "true start" or things have advanced that there is intense issues. One day I hope it is so ... well no I don't. I HOPE we stop all irresponsible breeders so they aren't churning out Fanconi dogs. But failing that, I hope the research will show treating from the start might keep the dog from ever having it start.