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

Companion is published quarterly by RedRover and is distributed to its members. © 2014 RedRover.

P.O. Box 188890 Sacramento, CA 95818

tEl 916.429.2457 WEB RedRover.org FAX 916.378.5098 EmAIl info@RedRover.org tAX ID # 68-0124097

For a listing of RedRover’s board of directors and staff, visit: redrover.org/people

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.

Children’s book to benefit redrover

facebook.com/redroverOrgtwitter.com/redroverOrgyoutube.com/redroverOrginstagram.com/redroverOrgpinterest.com/redroverOrg

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.

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 FOrsythPresident and CEO

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!

companion WiNTer 2014

Dog owners often tell me that they

can’t get their dog to behave appropri-

ately because the dog just won’t listen

to them. They claim that their dog is

particularly unintelligent, but I consis-

tently find that that is absolutely not

the case. So how do you get Fido to

pay attention?

Punitive training techniques that

center on gaining control of your dog

by dominating her into obeying can

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.

For so long, people have put

the emphasis on their dog’s need to

be obedient rather than cooperative.

We issue commands rather than

focusing on teaching the dog cues

and attaching these cues to actions

or behaviors that we want.

Motivating your dog to learn these

cues, using rewards that make her feel

good, will go a long way to getting

the response you desire. Any reward

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

what to do when your dog won’t listenby 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.

RedRover RESPonDERS

rescued from the cold: loving care for 80 dogs

“It’s cold, cold, cold!” reported Beth GammIe, redrover emerGency servIces manaGer. It was late November and the Florida

resident had just arrived in rural Quebec,

Canada, where 80 neglected dogs

and puppies had been rescued from

inhumane conditions.

Huskies and shepherd mixes —

including pregnant adult dogs and

newborn puppies — were living on an

outdoor lot in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue

region in severe wintry weather when

the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries

et de l’Alimentation du Québec, or MAPAQ,

oversaw an investigation that led to their

rescue. 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.

MAPAQ and Humane Society International

(HSI) specially requested RedRover

Responders volunteers to provide care

and socialization for the rescued dogs.

RedRover Responders volunteers from

Canada and the United States alike quickly

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 volun-

teers geared up and dug out their snow-

covered 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 volun-

teer 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

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.

2 companion WiNTer 2014

providing warm, loving care and social-

ization 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 domestIc vIolence shelter For FamIlIes In kansas cIty, mIssourI, escaping abuse means finding safety

for the whole family — including feline

family members.

Rose Brooks Center currently

provides an on-site housing structure

called “Paws Place” for pets of domestic

But when shelter workers at

Rose Brooks Center noticed that the

cats were becoming stressed, they knew

it was time to make a change. The cats

were housed in the same building as

dogs, and the loud barking and proxim-

ity to the dogs caused the cats anxiety.

Rose Brooks Center applied for a

RedRover Relief Safe Housing grant,

which provides

funds to enable

shelters to house

domestic violence

victims’ pets

on-site with their

families. They

wanted to build

a special cat facility to make sure their

families’ feline companions stayed

healthy, comfortable and stress-free

during their stay at Rose Brooks Center.

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 ameni-

ties 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.

violence victims staying at the shelter.

According to Tracy Kelso, Development

Director for Rose Brooks Center,

“Paws Place has been an invaluable safe

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.”

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.

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,

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.”

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.

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

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“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

Building empathy for animals

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.

Through stories and

discussions, we help children

explore the bond between

people and animals.

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.

RedRover READERS