RedRover

ON THE GROUND IN NORTH TEXAS - Checking in with Trudy and Zoey! We're still in Texas assisting Mineral Wells Animal shelter with the nearly 150 animals in their care, including 43 surrendered by a local resident. Devon is currently at the vet with two of the shelter's dogs, Trudy and Zoey, to have their skin conditions assessed and treated. These two cuties will soon be feeling much better! Your support makes it possible for our RedRover Responders team to provide immediate assistance to the shelter and animals in need: RedRover.org/donateresponders

As you prepare for the 4th of July holiday weekend, be sure to prepare your pets too especially since fireworks can be very stressful for animals. Check out our tips to keep your pets safe during the celebrations.

As we come to the end of #PrideMonth, RedRover staff member Zach Trowbridge shares his experience as an LGBTQ+ person and the comfort and belonging he’s found with animals and how the unconditional love of a pet can bring perspective during difficult times. https://redrover.org//celebrating-pride-month-how-pets-ca/

ON THE GROUND IN MAINE - with our volunteers! We're so happy to be working alongside RedRover Responders volunteers again, as we continue our efforts to expand the pet-friendly space at NextStep Domestic Violence Project. You can support more projects like these to help domestic violence survivors find safety with their pets by donating at RedRover.org/donateresponders.

*ON THE GROUND IN NORTH TEXAS* Our RedRover Responders team is on the ground to help Mineral Wells Animal shelter provide care, enrichment, and play to 43 animals who were surrendered by a local resident, as well as the nearly 100 animals already at the shelter. With only three staff, this rural animal shelter was already stretched to its limits caring for needy animals in the community, so we're grateful we can provide immediate assistance and help find these animals foster... families and/or permanent homes. You can help animals when they need us most by donating to our RedRover Responders fund: RedRover.org/donateresponders

Thank you The Doggy Diva Show for having us on to chat about our joint Don't Forget The Pets website with Rescue Rebuild - made possible thanks to the generosity of PetSmart Charities. Tune in to learn about the inspiration for the website, details on the workshops, and one-on-one guidance provided to shelters who want to create their own pet program. https://audioacrobat.com/play/W09Lh1bf

Does your funny Valentine have fur, feathers, or scales? This Valentine's Day, we're more grateful than ever for our beloved pets and the joy they bring us every day of the year. Here's #staffpup Ellie Mae being her sassy, adorable self - and ready for some serious spoiling. Show us photos of your #palentine in the comments!

New series alert In Leading with Empathy: Behind the Scenes at RedRover, we’ll share staff stories about our efforts to bring animals from crisis to care. In our first installment, Director of Programs Rachel Stevens reflects on her experience with a recent RedRover Relief case: Thinking back to last week when Athena was the focus of all our efforts, the theme that comes to mind is hope. Rachel says, I feel like Athena gives me hope, toothat despite everything she’s been through, she has love to give and loves people and other dogs, and is hopeful for her second chance.

Need a card for your Valentine? Kind News magazine has you covered with their new Valentine's Day e-cards. Choose from six cute animal designs, write a personal message, add your recipients, and share the love!

Happy Lunar New Year from our RedRover family to yours! This year we bid farewell to the Year of the Rat and greet the Year of the Ox Although Lunar New Year is commonly referred to as Chinese New Year to many Western nations, the Spring Festival holiday is also celebrated by many other Asian nations such as Vietnam and South Korea. The 12-year Chinese zodiac calendar is represented by 12 different animals, each animal sign symbolizes certain characteristics depending on your birth year - can you identify all the zodiac animals in the graphic above?

As promised: more Athena! She is making wonderful progress in her recovery from surgery she's even standing up and taking steps on her own! Athena is settling in well to her new home and some sniffs and kisses have been exchanged as she is slowly introduced to her new furry family members (which include four dogs and two cats!). Huge shoutout to Landon (first photo) for acting fast to save Athena's life when he found her in that ditch! It warms our hearts to see how loved this pup is and how much love she has to give despite what she's been through. We're grateful to the entire Hall family for welcoming Athena into their home without hesitation and doing absolutely everything they could to give her a chance at a better life. It looks to us like she landed right where she belongs.

It goes without saying that I miss our RedRover Responders volunteers. but I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been able to deploy a few times this year..." RedRover Responders staff members reflect on our 2020 deployments modified under the COVID-19 conditions and look toward the day we can work with our volunteers again.

Have you checked out Kind News magazine? Now available in digital form, our animal-themed kids' magazine is an incredible resource for at-home learning!

**Safe Housing Grants Now Available in Ontario, Canada!** In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, RedRover is pleased to announce our partnership with SafePet Ottawa. This partnership will enable more domestic violence shelters to become pet-friendly in Ontario, Canada. SafePet Ottawa will expand their current services to offer grants of up to $26,342 CAD to domestic violence shelters to create on-site housing for the pets of domestic violence survivors. Ontario domestic violence shelters are encouraged to email [email protected] ASAP to learn more details. The deadline to apply for a Safe Housing grant is November 30, 2020. https://redrover.org//redrover-partners-with-safepet-otta/

**GIVEAWAY** We’re giving away Richard Louv’s book Our Wild Calling, an exploration into the ways that connecting to the wild in animals raises our awareness of the wild within ourselves -- and ultimately strengthens our bond with each other and the planet. Sign up for a chance to receive the just-released paperback version of this inspiring book. Enter to win by November 13: https://kindnews.redrover.org/giveaway/

Here's a feel-good Friday flashback from our deployment in Butte County. While caring for animals displaced by the devastating Northern CA wildfires in September we met Ralphie, a sweet dog whose family had lost their home in the fire. This sensitive pup was pretty stressed in the shelter environment, and we were in the process of creating a larger space for him when his people came to get him - so it was perfect timing. After a few weeks of separation, Ralphie was overjoyed to be reunited with his beloved family. We were also able to provide supplies to help Ralphie and his family in their next chapter. Thank you to all our partners and supporters who helped make Happy Tail reunions like this possible!

Does your pet need a little boost to get up on beds, couches or into cars? Here's our latest column in The Mercury News with info about products that can help your pet safely ascend to greater heights.

Happy National #AnimalShelterAppreciationWeek! We're so grateful for the amazing work of animal shelters across the country, including all the shelters we've partnered with over the years to help give animals a happy future. If the animals could talk, we know they'd thank you, too!

*** BOOK GIVEAWAY *** We’re giving away Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Livesand Save Theirs to 10 lucky winners! Enter by No...vember 13. This remarkable and eye-opening book by Richard Louv was featured in the Kind News September/October parent and teacher guides and is a must-read for anyone who wants to inspire young people to connect more with the natural world. Louv explores the powerful and mysterious bonds we share with all living creatures and how strengthening these bonds can transform our mental, physical, and spiritual lives. Winners will be contacted via email by November 20. Enter here by November 13: https://kindnews.redrover.org/giveaway/

Halloween just wouldn't be complete without a black cat and some pumpkins. Happy Halloween from staff cat Shadow!

In case you missed it... Check out these "after" photos from our collaboration with Purina and Rescue Rebuild expanding Hope Haven of Cass County's pet-friendly program. Huge thanks to all who have supported the #PurpleLeashProject to ensure survivors and their pets have a safe place to go together. #rescuerebuildprojects Greater Good Charities #petsarefamily #tbt

As #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth comes to a close this week, Katie Campbell reflects on the challenges and opportunities we saw this year - including a rewarding #purpleleashproject build with Rescue Rebuild to help Hope Haven of Cass County expand their pet-friendly program. Thank you for supporting survivors and their pets during such an uncertain year. We couldn't do it without you! #DVAM #DVAM2020

We've achieved the impossible - we herded cats! Our staff cats came together to wish you a Happy #NationalCatDay. Post photos of your own feline in the comments!

The RedRover Readers program is excited to partner with Dr. Sarah Straub, Stephen F. Austin State University Assistant Professor of Education Studies, and her Humane Education graduate course students. Dr. Straub was awarded the 2020-2022 Montgomery Professorship of Humane Education and will use the professorship funds as a scholarship so her students, many of which are pre-service teachers, can take the RedRover Readers workshop next year. We look forward to welcoming the next generation of trained RedRover Readers educators! The Pine Log #RedRoverReaders http://www.thepinelog.com//article_93197638-181d-11eb-906e

*SPECIAL DEPLOYMENT* RedRover staff Devon was on the ground last week helping our friends at The Humane Society of the United States set up shelter for approximately 150 dogs rescued from a dog meat farm in South Korea. According to Humane Society International, nearly 200 dogs were rescued, and the farm has been shut down for good! Stay tuned for more videos and photos of the shelter setup and rescued pups. Huge thanks to the HSUS and HSI teams for their incredible hard work - we were happy to play a small role in this effort!

The Purple Leash Project envisions a world where no one is trapped in abuse because they can’t bring their whole family with them. Together with Purina, we're working to make pet-friendly domestic violence shelters more accessible to survivors of domestic abuse and their pets - so no one has to choose between safety and family. You can be a part of this lifesaving movement. With a recurring donation of at least $5 a month, or a one-time gift of $60 or more, you’ll receive our limited-edition purple leash featuring our #PurpleLeashProject motto: Walk. Heal. Together. Join today: https://go.redrover.org/page/19790/donate/1