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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 [email protected] 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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Companion is printed using vegetable-based inks on paper made entirely from recovered fiber.
P.O. Box 188890 • Sacramento, CA 95818
Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage
PAIDSacramento, CAPermit No. 421
“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