winter 2014 Rescued from the cold: loving care for 80 dogs What to do when your dog won t listen A safe place for feline family members Lifesaving gift for Chocolate Building empathy for animals Children s book to benefit RedRover
Greetings! When you support and volunteer with RedRover, you are strengthening the bond between people and pets with a commitment to help, shelter and connect suffering animals with people who care. Thank you! 2014 will be a year of growth for RedRover, and we will need your help to spread the word about our work. Please share this issue of Companion with family members or friends who love animals as much as you do, or connect with us online to share our messages. If you re not already online with us, please join us there so you can hear more stories of the positive impact you make on animals lives and the people who love them. To view all the ways to connect with us, please visit our website, RedRover.org. I hope you enjoy the stories in this issue of Companion: stories about all the ways your support makes a direct impact on the lives of animals. facebook.com/redroverorg twitter.com/redroverorg youtube.com/redroverorg instagram.com/redroverorg pinterest.com/redroverorg Together, we will bring even more animals from crisis to care and prevent animal suffering through innovative educational campaigns. Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place for animals, for all of us! Warmly, Nicole Forsyth President and CEO Children s book to benefit RedRover We are thrilled to announce that the royalties from a new children s book from Scholastic, Lucky Dog, will benefit RedRover. Lucky Dog: Twelve Tales of Rescued Dogs is a collection of 12 stories that celebrates the human-animal bond. For each copy of this book sold, royalties will be donated to RedRover and its lifesaving animal programs. Lucky Dog is available wherever books are sold, including Amazon: RedRover.org/LuckyDogAmazon. P.O. Box 188890 Sacramento, CA 95818 tel 916.429.2457 FAX 916.378.5098 WEB RedRover.org email info@redrover.org Tax ID # 68-0124097 Companion is published quarterly by RedRover and is distributed to its members. 2014 RedRover. For a listing of RedRover s board of directors and staff, visit: RedRover.org/people companion Winter 2014
What to do when your dog won t listen by Victoria Stilwell Victoria Stilwell, star of Animal Planet s hit show It s Me or the Dog, is one of the world s most recognized and respected dog trainers, known for her insight and passion for positive reinforcement dog training. She has a particular fondness for rescued animals in need of behavior rehabilitation, is involved with rescue groups around the world and is an outspoken opponent of puppy mills. Victoria is an advisory member of RedRover s Board of Directors. RedRover and Victoria are teaming up to help more people understand animals and the benefits of positive behavior training techniques. Look for future articles from Victoria and RedRover with tips to help you and people you know strengthen the bonds they share with animals. You can find out more about Victoria Stilwell at positively.com. Dog owners often tell me that they For so long, people have put can t get their dog to behave appropriately because the dog just won t listen be obedient rather than cooperative. the emphasis on their dog s need to to them. They claim that their dog is We issue commands rather than particularly unintelligent, but I consistently find that that is absolutely not and attaching these cues to actions focusing on teaching the dog cues the case. So how do you get Fido to or behaviors that we want. pay attention? Motivating your dog to learn these Punitive training techniques that cues, using rewards that make her feel center on gaining control of your dog good, will go a long way to getting by dominating her into obeying can the response you desire. Any reward damage the human-animal bond, causing your dog to mistrust you and essentially switch off. You want to be the source of good things in her life so that whenever you need her attention, she will give it to you. should be of high value until your dog is responding reliably. When this has been achieved, the high value reward can then be used intermittently. Though food treats are a really effective training tool, some dogs are motivated by other rewards such as toys, play, praise, or simply being touched. I have trained many dogs using many different types of rewards: a game of tug, a kind word, or a life reward such as asking the dog to sit before opening the door and then rewarding her for complying by going for a walk. Whatever you decide to do, a reward is going to make learning fun for your dog, improve her confidence and build up a strong bond between you. Remember, the key to cooperation and compliance is trust and motivation, and the more exciting and valued you are to your dog, the more she will listen to you in every situation. RedRover and Victoria are teaming up to help more people understand animals and the benefits of positive behavior training techniques. Photo by Bill Adler
RedRover responders Rescued from the cold: loving care for 80 dogs It s cold, cold, cold! the Ministère de l Agriculture, des Pêcheries reported Beth Gammie, RedRover et de l Alimentation du Québec, or MAPAQ, Emergency Services Manager. oversaw an investigation that led to their It was late November and the Florida rescue. Dogs were found roaming as well resident had just arrived in rural Quebec, as chained up on the property, with little Canada, where 80 neglected dogs to no shelter from the elements and snow; and puppies had been rescued from many were discovered to be emaciated. inhumane conditions. MAPAQ and Humane Society International Huskies and shepherd mixes (HSI) specially requested RedRover including pregnant adult dogs and Responders volunteers to provide care newborn puppies were living on an and socialization for the rescued dogs. outdoor lot in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue RedRover Responders volunteers from region in severe wintry weather when Canada and the United States alike quickly Dogs were found roaming as well as chained up on the property, with little to no shelter from the elements and snow; many were discovered to be emaciated. mobilized to the emergency shelter and fought a nasty blizzard along the way to reach the rescued dogs and puppies. But in true RedRover Responders spirit, our volunteers geared up and dug out their snowcovered cars to care for the deserving dogs over the Thanksgiving holiday. While many families spent Thanksgiving cheering on their favorite team, watching the parade, or sharing a meal with loved ones, RedRover Responders volunteers were there caring for the dogs. One volunteer cancelled the Thanksgiving dinner she was hosting because she wanted to deploy. Another volunteer started a donation drive for the dogs and collected items for the temporary shelter, driving four and a half hours one way to drop off the donations during the icy winter. At the emergency shelter, RedRover Responders volunteers focused on 2 companion Winter 2014
providing warm, loving care and socialization for the animals. They cuddled puppies, walked adult dogs and showed the 80 rescued animals that humans can be a source of comfort and love. When our volunteers sign on to join RedRover, they volunteer for an emotional journey, long hours with few breaks, unfamiliar sleeping conditions and, in this case, a Thanksgiving holiday spent away from their families under daunting weather conditions. But, despite what these amazing people encounter on deployment, RedRover Responders volunteers tell us they wouldn t have it any other way, if it means being there for the animals. I am amazed and elated every single day at the dedication shown by RedRover Responders volunteers, Beth said. I believe we have the best volunteers in the world. Watch the video: See our volunteers bring these dogs and puppies closer to their forever homes by visiting RedRover.org/Companion. While many families spent Thanksgiving cheering on their favorite team, watching the parade, or sharing a meal with loved ones, RedRover Responders volunteers were there caring for the dogs. One volunteer cancelled the Thanksgiving dinner she was hosting because she wanted to deploy.
RedRover relief A safe place for feline family members For Rose Brooks Center, a But when shelter workers at domestic violence shelter for Rose Brooks Center noticed that the families in Kansas City, Missouri, cats were becoming stressed, they knew escaping abuse means finding safety it was time to make a change. The cats for the whole family including feline were housed in the same building as family members. dogs, and the loud barking and proximity to the dogs caused the cats anxiety. Rose Brooks Center currently provides an on-site housing structure Rose Brooks Center applied for a called Paws Place for pets of domestic RedRover Relief Safe Housing grant, which provides She feared not for her own safety but for the safety of her loyal friend. Because of Paws Place, she was able to get to safety at Rose Brooks Center and rebuild her life. funds to enable shelters to house domestic violence victims pets on-site with their families. They wanted to build violence victims staying at the shelter. a special cat facility to make sure their According to Tracy Kelso, Development families feline companions stayed Director for Rose Brooks Center, healthy, comfortable and stress-free Paws Place has been an invaluable safe during their stay at Rose Brooks Center. haven for our residents pets. Many families have already reported that their emotional healing has improved because of their pet s safety and presence at the shelter. Kelsey Brennaman, domestic violence shelter advocate at Rose Brooks Center, knows how important it is to have an on-site shelter for pets. One woman, after surviving a violent attack which landed her in the hospital with a broken spine among other injuries, refused to come to the shelter without her feline companion, Kelsey told us. She feared not for her own safety but for the safety of her loyal friend. Because of Paws Place, she was able to get to safety at Rose Brooks Center and rebuild her life. In December 2013, RedRover granted $3,000 to Rose Brooks Center to support the construction of a new on-site housing facility for cats staying at the shelter. They hope to build individual cat condos and other amenities to keep the cats happy and healthy. The RedRover Safe Housing grant will make a huge impact on the cats who come to Rose Brooks Center as survivors of domestic violence, Kelsey said. This grant will help us build a cat shelter that meets the needs of our feline residents and their families. Learn about RedRover s resources to help families and pets safely escape domestic violence together: RedRover.org/domestic. 4 companion Winter 2014
Lifesaving gift for Chocolate On a bright and sunny day in West Palm Beach, Florida, Patrice Turnquist was taking Chocolate, her four-year-old Labrador-pitbull mix, for a walk with some of the children from the youth group that she runs. Chocolate noticed a man who had been watching the children from across the street, and she began barking at him. Suddenly, without warning or explanation, the man pulled out a gun and shot Chocolate in the face at point-blank range. The bullet went through her face, broke her jaw, There was no way she would be able to pay for all of Chocolate s care until she found RedRover and applied for a RedRover Relief grant. came out her neck and ricocheted off the pavement and into her shoulder. Thankfully, none of the children were injured. Patrice rushed Chocolate to her veterinarian where she learned that immediate surgery was needed to save her dog s life. Chocolate needed two surgeries: one to remove a bullet and the second to repair a fractured bone. Patrice had recently lost her job and was only working a few days a week. There was no way she would be able to pay for all of Chocolate s care until she found RedRover and applied for a RedRover Relief grant. A donation from Sondra, one of RedRover s compassionate On-Call Angels, provided the grant to help get Chocolate the urgent care she needed. Chocolate spent several days recuperating at a local animal services charity, where she is pictured here. Today, Chocolate is recovering well at home with Patrice. RedRover s On-Call Angels help us make a bigger impact on the lives of animals by allowing RedRover to give larger grants when needed, and more grants to save the lives of animals who need urgent veterinary care. Patrice told RedRover, I can t thank you enough for saving Chocolate. She s my baby and it means so much to me that you were willing to help us. You, too, can be an On-Call Angel and help a specific animal like Chocolate. To request more information about joining RedRover s On-Call Angels, please visit RedRover.org/On-Call-Angels. Winter 2014 companion 5
P.O. Box 188890 Sacramento, CA 95818 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Sacramento, CA Permit No. 421 Companion is printed using vegetable-based inks on paper made entirely from recovered fiber. Share our stories! Leave Companion at your doctor s office, vet clinic, gym, lunch room or coffee shop. To protect your privacy, please clip out or blacken your name and address above. Building empathy for animals In my experience as a teacher, I have noticed that those children who learn kindness to animals early in life tend to be more helpful and compassionate, and take initiative to be helpful and productive members of society. Jennifer Guerrero, teacher who recently attended the RedRover Readers online training RedRover agrees with you, Jennifer! In fact, when Leticia Gomez brought the RedRover Readers program to Texas students this past November, she said, After the reading, some students said they were no longer going to force their pets to play or do something; they were going to care more about the privacy of their pets. Having the children engaged and hooked with the story was a wonderful experience, Leticia added. After the reading, the students created a class book about pet care. You can find this activity and more at RedRover.org/ReadersActivities. RedRover READERS Using specially selected, humane-themed children s literature, educators who have been trained to implement the RedRover Readers curriculum promote empathy and critical thinking in children and engage them in thoughtful discussions, giving children opportunities to decide for themselves their collective responsibilities toward animals. Through stories and discussions, we help children explore the bond between people and animals.