SUMMER 2015
RedRover Readers inspires student to adopt! On-Call Angel Classroom • 712 cats helped in volunteer deployment • Safety for pets escaping domestic violence Ellie Mae says thank you
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Greetings!
our website at RedRover.org to connect.
WOW, THE BUSY SUMMER is already
Companion bring a smile to your face
coming to an end! With fall approaching, we are entering “back to school” season, which brings lots of activity in our RedRover Readers program that develops kids’ empathy, including a new e-book app that will be out by the end of the year. If you haven’t already, please
I hope the stories in this issue of
for change and gives us strength to work towards a more compassionate future — together. Thank you for your kindness
and give you the same sense of optimism for the future that I have. There is much
and compassion.
sadness and cruelty in our society, but people like you bring hope. Saving one dog from abuse or watching one young boy fall in love with a cat for the first time reminds us about the potential
NICOLE FORSYTH President and CEO
Children experience the full circle of helping animals REDROVER is a “full-circle” organization:
To read the full story, visit our website at RedRover.org/ClassroomAngels or email us at info@RedRover.org
We help animals in crisis through our RedRover Responders and RedRover Relief programs. We also work to prevent animal suffering before it begins by helping children develop empathy toward animals through our RedRover Readers program. We recently put our full-circle model in action and established our first On-Call Angel Classroom.
P.O. Box 188890 Sacramento, CA 95818
Each year, Anika Swisher-Shukuya’s fourth-grade class raises money to donate to charity. This year, they selected
how they could prevent animal suffering. During our visit, we accepted their
RedRover because the children are
thoughtful donation and presented the
passionate about animals. Her students
children with photos of Toby. Afterward,
combined the RedRover Readers
we read the book Max Talks To Me,
program with our On-Call Angel donor
and they made “get well soon” cards
program into one unique giving experi-
for us to send to Toby. The children
ence to help save Toby, a puppy who
were so proud of the difference they
needed emergency veterinary care. They
had made that Anika asked us to come
practiced empathy and saw firsthand
back again next year.
companion
SUMMER 2015
TEL FAX
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RedRover.org info@ RedRover.org TAX ID # 68-0124097 WEB
Companion is published quarterly by RedRover and is distributed to its members. © 2015 RedRover.
For a listing of RedRover’s board of directors and staff, visit: RedRover.org/people
RedRover RESPONDERS
Sun rises on a bright future for island cats AS THE SUN SET ON MAUI on a warm June afternoon, animal lovers across the Hawaiian island could rejoice, knowing that hundreds of cats were destined for a better future — and millions of future feline lives would be saved. Your support made it possible for RedRover Responders volunteers to deploy to Hawaii for the Trapped in Paradise project, a humane population reduction effort for Maui’s free-roaming cats. In partnership with Animal Balance and the Maui Humane Society, our RedRover Responders volunteers assisted with the sterilization and care of 712 cats. As part of the “trapping team,” our volunteers trapped cats from high-
microchipped and to receive any
came to her door, but she was over-
population areas and returned them
necessary veterinary care.
whelmed. We set up humane traps
to the Trapped in Paradise clinic to be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and
Maui community members also joined in by bringing in their pets
outside her door and near her garden area and waited. In no time, the seven cats and kittens
Your support made it possible for RedRover
she regularly fed were trapped and ready. We carefully loaded them into
Responders volunteers to deploy to Hawaii for the
the van and took them back to Maui
Trapped in Paradise project, a humane population
Humane Society where they were
reduction effort for Maui’s free-roaming cats.
spayed and neutered. The woman was so grateful for our help, knowing that future cats would not have to suffer.
and other free-roaming cats for spay/ neuter— an important step in keeping
“We can see first-hand how this makes such a difference to people, and to
Maui’s cat population under control.
these cats,” said RedRover Emergency
Because of caring people like you
Services Manager Beth Gammie.
who support RedRover, hundreds of
“Being able to work on the front lines
cats were able to get the veterinary
and see the change in this community,
care they needed. We visited one apartment complex in central Maui where there were tons of free-roaming cats, including many kittens. An older woman there tried her best to feed and care for the cats who
both for the cats and for the people, and what that means for the future of this island — it’s so incredible.” To see photos from our latest deployments, visit us on Facebook: facebook.com/RedRoverOrg
SUMMER 2015
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RedRover READERS
Ernesto’s kitten
By Nicole Forsyth, RedRover President and CEO
IMAGINE NOT KNOWING what a
not sure if they were ready for the
kitten’s “purr” or “meow” means.
responsibility and wasn’t even sure
Ernesto, a first-grader who lives in an
how to go about finding a pet, so she
apartment with his mother and sister
contacted Ernesto’s teacher.
in Los Angeles, California, didn’t
Susan, a dedicated teacher of over
understand what it meant when cats
30 years and avid animal rescuer,
purred until his first-grade teacher,
connected the family with a local cat
Susan Courtney, introduced him to
rescue. She helped Ernesto find his
the RedRover Readers program. The RedRover Readers program helped Ernesto to understand cats and inspired him to ask his mom for
“purrfect” cat, Phoebe, gave Phoebe her vaccinations and even made a spay appointment for Phoebe. Ernesto told us he liked cats before
a kitten — but he insisted it had to
the program, but he didn’t under-
be a rescued kitten! Ernesto’s mom
stand that cats were like family or
did not grow up with pets. She was
that you could communicate with
Volunteer Spotlight: Jason
Saenz
WHEN I WAS LOOKING for an
made her a member of our family.
Hopefully, with this kind of early
opportunity to volunteer, I was happy
Sasha regained her health and became
introduction, animals will see much
to find RedRover and learn of their
a beloved companion until old age
less crisis and much more care.
mission. One of the books in particular
and failing health called for her
from the RedRover Readers program,
to be peacefully put down.
Buddy Unchained, made me feel a
As I held her and
personal connection because of our
watched the life fade out
life with our rescue dog, Sasha.
of her eyes, I was over-
Sasha was a white German shepherd
whelmed with so many
mix who we rescued from a neglectful
emotions about how she
home. She was chained to a small, dirty
touched all of our lives
area of concrete for most of her life.
and how grateful I was for
Patches of fur were missing from her
our time with her.
body and revealed irritated sores. Her
I really appreciate how
ears were covered with crusted blood
Buddy Unchained and the
from fly bites. She greeted us with fierce
RedRover Readers program
barking while flies buzzed around her.
bring awareness to young
I knew that we couldn't leave her there.
minds about mistreatment
We took Sasha home that day and
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companion SUMMER 2015
and proper care for animals.
them. “I didn’t know what a purr was,” Ernesto told us, “but then, I learned.” I had the opportunity to visit with Ernesto, Phoebe and the rest of his family at their apartment, and they couldn’t be happier with their new pet. Ernesto’s favorite things to do with Phoebe include playing with her, feeding and carrying her around the house. Ernesto’s mom thinks Ernesto is more responsible now because of Phoebe.
The RedRover Readers program helped Ernesto to understand cats and inspired him to ask his mom for a kitten — but he insisted it had to be a rescued kitten! Phoebe, who is a very playful kitten, had the run of the house during my visit. Ernesto said his friends kept telling him he should get a dog, not a cat, but now they all want to come over to see Phoebe. When Phoebe finally took a break from playtime, I asked Ernesto how he felt to hear Phoebe purr. He told me, “happy,” and his smile filled the room. Do you know an educator who wants to change the lives of children and animals? Tell them to join us for the next RedRover Readers online training course starting in October: RedRover.org/Readers-training
Ernesto told us he liked cats before the program, but he didn’t understand that cats were like family or that you could communicate with them. “I didn’t know what a purr was,” Ernesto told us, “but then, I learned.”
RedRover RELIEF
Thank you for being Clark Kent’s WHEN JENNIFER PRESSLER needed
officer at Sojourner Center. “He was
help to escape domestic violence
very much a participant in helping.”
with her beloved tabby cat, Clark Kent,
Through your generosity, we awarded
your support brought them to safety.
the shelter with a RedRover Safe Housing
Clark Kent the cat, Jennifer, and her
grant to help fund the creation of the
son, Robert, escaped from their abuser
Sojourner Center Pet Companion Shelter—
and fled to the Sojourner Center in
and in May 2015, they became the first
Phoenix, Arizona. But when they arrived
domestic violence shelter in the Phoenix
at the domestic violence shelter, the
area to allow survivors to bring their
pet lodging area was still being built—
pets with them.
and Clark Kent wouldn’t have a place to stay. “We were going to leave and
Now that the shelter is finished, Clark Kent has been reunited with Robert and they are living in a safe
I didn't have anywhere to go,” said
place — together. “It feels good to know
Pressler. Thanks to your support, we
that I'm here right here next to my cat,
provided a RedRover Safe Escape
and he's here whenever I need someone
leave and I didn’t have
grant for Clark Kent to stay at a local
to comfort me,” Robert told Phoenix
anywhere to go.”
animal shelter until the Sojourner
news station FOX 10.
Center finished building its pet
“We were going to
— Jennifer
companion shelter. Although Clark Kent was safely
Because you made RedRover’s Safe Housing grants possible, the pet shelter will help more families like Clark Kent,
boarded at the local shelter, it was
Robert and Jennifer. For now, the facility
hard for young Robert to be separated
has room for eight cats, eight dogs and a
from his dear cat during such a traumatic
few birds and fish. Sojourner Center Pet
time. Robert wanted to help with the
Companion Shelter also has plans to
construction of Sojourner Center’s
develop a workforce readiness program
Pet Companion Shelter in any way he
to teach animal-related skills to domestic
could. “He’d come in every day,”
violence survivors who are interested in a
said Teri Hauser, chief advancement
career working with companion animals. Hauser hopes the success of the program will inspire other shelters nationwide. “We know pets can have such an impact on people’s well-being.” We are so grateful that caring members like you are part of this effort to help pets and their families escape abuse together. THANK YOU. Be sure to join us in October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month by signing up to receive email updates: RedRover.org/email
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companion SUMMER 2015
superhero!
“It feels good to know that I’m here right here next to my cat, and he’s here whenever I need someone to comfort me.” — Robert
SUMMER 2015
companion 5
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Abused puppy loses leg, finds love ELLIE MAE is an adorable beagle pup
Facebook and applied for a RedRover
who was rescued from a very bad
Relief grant. The RedRover Relief
situation when she was only 10 weeks
program provides financial assis-
old. Her rescuers saw how she was
tance to pet owners and good
being neglected and abused, and
Samaritans to help with the cost of
convinced the owners to give them
veterinary emergencies. With a dona-
Ellie Mae. They contacted their
tion from a RedRover On-Call Angel,
granddaughter, Danyelle, to see if
Ellie Mae got the surgery she needed.
she’d be willing to bring Ellie Mae into her home, and she said yes! When Danyelle took Ellie Mae to the veterinarian, they discovered that her femur had been broken, likely for several
“I am so thankful for you all for helping with her!”
weeks. Because the leg hadn’t healed properly, the only option was amputation. Because Ellie Mae’s rescue made her a surprise addition to the family, the
After the surgery, RedRover received this update from Danyelle: “Her surgery went well and Ellie Mae
cost of surgery wasn’t in their budget.
is just fine! Running, jumping,
Danyelle was desperate to find a way to
climbing stairs, and playing like she
pay for the puppy’s expensive treatment.
doesn’t even miss the other leg. I am
Danyelle learned about RedRover from an animal-lovers group on
so thankful for you all for helping with her!”