1. pets

2013 SPRING
How to avoid common and costly
pet health problems
Take our disaster kit challenge • RedRover Responders
team helps wild animal sanctuary • Tell a teacher about
RedRover Readers • Safe Housing grant saves lives
Happy Spring!
REDROVER BELIEVES STRONGLY
(p. 5) to help explain our RedRover
in empowering others to take action
Readers program and you can take
to prevent animal crises and create
action by tearing out the page and
a more humane society. This particular
giving the information about our next
issue of Companion includes tips for
online training to a teacher in your
you to help prepare for a natural disaster
community. And, just by maintaining
(p. 1) and prevent your pets from
your membership and support of
encountering common health problems
RedRover, you are taking action to
(p. 2). Please share these tips with others
prevent crises and create a more
you know who care about animals.
humane world that includes stronger
Helping domestic violence shelters
set up on-site housing for pets has
bonds between people and animals.
Thank you!
become another powerful way for
RedRover to prevent pets from being
harmed or killed by abusers as a way to
manipulate domestic violence victims
(p. 4). We also have a new illustration
NICOLE FORSYTH
President and CEO
In Your Words
P.O. Box 188890 Sacramento, CA 95818
TEL 916.429.2457
WEB www.redrover.org
FAX 916.429.2456 EMAIL info@redrover.org
TAX ID #
68-0124097
Companion is published quarterly by
RedRover and is distributed to its members.
© 2013 RedRover.
For a listing of RedRover’s
board of directors and staff, visit:
www.redrover.org/people
I work at a domestic violence shelter.
We received a call from a victim who
was living in her car because she could
no longer risk her and her dog Angel’s
life by living with an abuser. I contacted
RedRover and was so impressed with
how fast they helped us get boarding
services until the victim could find a
safe living option. It was such a joy to
witness how much relief and gratitude
she displayed once she found out Angel
would be well cared for while she went
to work and completed her goals to get
them a new place. We can’t say “thank
you” enough to RedRover and all of its
supporters for “providing shelter in a
time of storm.”
STACEY
companion SPRING 2013
I have been a teacher for more than
33 years and sat in many “professional
development” trainings. The RedRover
Readers training has by far been one
of the most professional, practical
and relevant courses I have taken.
I expected to get some tips for using
literature to teach empathy and critical
thinking skills, but this course provided
me (and my students) with so much
more. Karly Noel shared her expertise
while also providing resources to
ensure my success with this program
and its goals of building an empathetic
community of future leaders.
SUSAN
Share your RedRover story on GreatNonprofits.org
Disaster PREPAREDNESS
Are you prepared?
Take the disaster kit challenge
WE’RE READY:
Take the disaster
kit challenge
When Superstorm Sandy hit New
IF A DISASTER HIT YOUR TOWN,
Visit www.redrover.org/ready to
Jersey, the damage forced Buddy’s
WOULD YOU BE PREPARED TO CARE
download our disaster preparedness
family apart. The storm left Buddy’s
FOR YOUR PET? Take these important
checklist, which lists five animal
home uninhabitable; his family, heart-
steps now to make sure your pets are
disaster preparedness essentials and
broken, had to leave him at a temporary
protected if disaster forces you to evacuate:
a guide for putting together your pet
pet-friendly place to live. After three
■■
where you can evacuate with your
weeks of searching, Buddy’s owner,
pet. Going to an emergency shelter
Susanne Magdosko, broke down in tears
should be a last resort. It is important
once she finally found a home that
to promptly evacuate with your
would accept pets. “I can’t believe it.
pets, as you may be unable to return
Just this morning we were homeless,
home for days or even weeks.
and now we have a home,” Susanne
said. “Buddy can come home!”
■■
Identify your pets with a tag and
■■
Form a buddy system with a trusted
the typical hurricane season– caught
neighbor who can evacuate your
residents especially off-guard. This
pets if you are out when disaster
anomaly drove home the important
strikes suddenly.
be prepared, no matter where they
live or what time of year it is.
Assemble your kit, then join our
“We’re Ready” campaign: Post a photo
of you and your pet with a “We’re
Ready” sign on our Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/RedRoverOrg to
show everyone that you and your
pet(s) are evacuation-ready.
Disaster Ki
■■
Make a disaster kit for each of your
pets and store it where you can grab
it quickly during an evacuation.
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916.429.245
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WWW.REDR
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SPRING 2013
companion 1
RedRover RELIEF
An ounce of
prevention
Some common, costly pet health problems
can be avoided through simple measures
“I blame myself for not
being educated about not
CATHY PACE IS A SINGLE MOTHER
Use these tips as a starting point to
OF THREE CHILDREN who works
discuss your pet’s health plan with
two jobs to support her family.
your veterinarian. Only you and your
In November 2012 she contacted
veterinarian can determine which
RedRover seeking help to pay for
suggestions are right for your pet.
emergency surgery for her dog, Chloe,
who was suffering with pyometra,
an infection of the uterus.
Pyometra is a dangerous infec-
having my dog spayed
tion that can occur suddenly and
and the consequences.
be deadly if left untreated. It is also
If I had known I would
have done it much,
much earlier.”
entirely preventable by having
a female pet spayed.
“I blame myself for not being
educated about not having my dog
spayed and the consequences,”
Cathy told us. “If I had known I would
have done it much, much earlier.”
Fortunately for Chloe and Cathy,
we were able to issue a RedRover
Relief grant to help pay for the
emergency surgery, and Chloe has
resumed her normal, active life.
But Cathy’s situation illustrates
Car injuries
Each year, we get dozens of RedRover
Relief applications for dogs and cats
who are seriously injured after being hit
by cars. Having a male dog neutered
can dramatically reduce his natural
tendency to roam in search of a mate –
some studies say by as much as 90
percent. Keeping your dogs leashed at
all times and training them not to dart
out of open doors and to come when
called can also prevent unexpected
injuries. Check the perimeter of your
house for loose boards in your fence or
other potential escape routes for pets.
Dental disease
Periodontal disease, an infection of the
gums, has been linked to heart disease,
the fact that many pet health
diabetes, kidney disease and other
problems that cause pet owners
serious health problems. Treatment may
heartache – and can cost hundreds
include removing dental plaque or the
and even thousands of dollars –
teeth themselves, which typically
can be avoided.
requires anesthesia and can cost
Are you taking simple but
hundreds of dollars. To prevent dental
potentially lifesaving precautions to
problems, brush dogs’ and cats’ teeth
prevent your pets from encountering
three times a week with a finger tooth-
these common health problems?
brush and pet toothpaste and schedule
routine dental cleanings with your vet.
2
companion SPRING 2013
Fortunately for Chloe and Cathy,
we were able to issue a RedRover Relief
grant to help pay for the emergency
surgery, and Chloe has resumed her
normal, active life.
Intestinal blockages
Most of us know a dog or cat who will
Urinary tract
disease/obstructions
Most common illnesses
reported by pet owners
applying for RedRover
Relief grants
eat almost anything. Stringy items like
These common problems in cats often
dental floss, ribbons and shoestrings are
result from low water intake, which
particularly dangerous: Once ingested,
causes urine to be heavily concentrated.
CATS
they can become entangled and rip an
Using wet food can help because it
1. Urinary blockage/bladder issues
animal’s intestines. Keep these dangerous
contains more water than dry kibble.
Also, make sure your cat always has
2. Dental issues
items out of reach. Dispose of pet toys
that are damaged or small enough to
fresh water to drink, keep litter boxes
swallow, and never give your dog leftover
clean, and make sure you have enough
bones, which can get stuck in the stomach
of them – usually one more than the
or intestines. “Bones are unsafe no matter
number of cats in your household,
what their size,” says Carmela Stamper,
according to the Cornell University
D.V.M., of the Center for Veterinary
College of Veterinary Medicine.
Medicine at the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. “Giving your dog a bone
may make your pet a candidate for a trip
to your veterinarian’s office later, possible
emergency surgery, or even death.”
Heartworm help
Share your tips for keeping your
pets healthy and happy on our
Facebook page at www.facebook.com/
RedRoverOrg.
Think indoor-only dogs are safe?
Every spring, RedRover experiences
Wrong! Infected mosquitoes can find their
a spike in RedRover Relief grant applica-
way into your house or bite even in the
tions for heartworm treatment. Yet,
short time Fido goes to the bathroom out-
the disease is completely preventable.
side. Remember, cats are susceptible, too.
Heartworms are parasites that
Pets suffering from heartworm
infect mosquitoes. When an infected
disease may not exhibit any symptoms,
mosquito bites a dog or cat, heart-
so it is important to get your animals
worm larvae make their way into the
tested each year. Take steps now to
animal’s bloodstream. They travel
talk to your veterinarian about how
through the blood vessels to harm
best to protect your pets from heart-
the lungs, and grow into adults in
worm disease. Find our treatment tips
the heart. Heartworms cause serious
and other pet care information at
health issues and even death.
www.redrover.org/petcare.
3. Hit by car
4. Eye issues
5. Intestinal blockage
DOGS
1. Hit by car
2. Tumor
3. Knee issues/torn ACL
4. Dental issues
5. Eye issues
RedRover RESPONDERS
RedRover Responders
volunteers walk on
the wild side
Evacuation drill serves two purposes
for wild animal sanctuary
A TEAM OF REDROVER RESPONDERS
Laura Brittingham, a RedRover
volunteers had the experience of
Responders volunteer from Dayton,
a lifetime when they helped relocate
Ohio, said the move “was a great
a wild animal sanctuary in Florida.
example of how being trained in
Crowded out by new housing develop-
ICS” made for a successful response.
ments in Zolfo Springs, Forest Animal
“We weren’t providing emergency
Rescue (FAR) sanctuary bought a new
sheltering, but we were working with
site on 80 acres, but a huge challenge
animals that could have injured us or
remained: how to safely transport
themselves if we weren’t listening
138 wild animals to their new home.
Lisa and Kurt Stoner, founders and
operators of FAR, turned this challenge
and following the orders given through
our team leads,” she said.
Like any emergency response,
into an opportunity: They made the
flexibility was important. What do you
move a sanctuary evacuation drill
do when Molly, a 400-pound black
and training event. On February 22,
bear, refuses to go into her transport
5 RedRover Responders volunteers
cage? You say “Okay” and move on to
joined 40 experienced volunteers for
something else. Her move happened
the 4-day drill.
Although few of the volunteers
had experience with tigers, bears, bats
or lemurs, they were all trained and
the next day, when her weakness for
marshmallows finally led to her
successful transport.
After four long days, all the animals
experienced in the Incident Command
were safely relocated without incident.
System (ICS) and worked seamlessly
The capuchin monkeys happily chattered
together, even though many of them
away, the tigers checked out their new
had just met.
habitat, and the bats settled in.
RedRover Responders volunteer
Craig Dopp of Palm Coast, Florida,
Laura summed up the feelings of
many of the volunteers: “It was an
noted, “RedRover’s participation may
absolute honor and privilege to work
have been ‘outside the box’ from the
with the people who assembled for
typical domestic animal response, but it
the move, and to actually be trusted
was clear that our training translated
enough to touch and move these
perfectly to this exotic move.”
animals. I spent each day in awe of
what we were doing.”
4
companion SPRING 2013
RedRover READERS
Tear out
this page and
give it to a
teacher!
Tell a teacher
about the RedRover
Readers program
ATTENTION TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS!
Learn to use the RedRover Readers curriculum to
promote empathy and critical thinking. The next
online RedRover Readers training begins on May 25.
It is hosted by the Humane Society University.
Please visit www.redrover.org/readersonline
for registration information.
Visit www.redrover.org/readers
to learn more about RedRover
Readers program.
Nonprofit Org.
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PAID
Sacramento, CA
Permit No. 421
P.O. Box 188890 • Sacramento, CA 95818
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Domestic violence nonprofit
begins sheltering animals
BLUE WATER SAFE HORIZONS in
United States. With donor support, we
Port Huron, Michigan, opened its doors
look forward to helping more shelters
to pets in 2013 after receiving a Safe
build on-site housing for pets this year
Housing grant from RedRover. The grant
through the Safe Housing grant program.
is already paying off, according to staff
member Cortney Howe.
“A victim of domestic violence called
seeking shelter for her and her two cats,”
Applications for 2013 RedRover
Safe Housing grants are due on May 15
and October 30. Learn more at
www.redrover.org/domestic.
Cortney explained. “She had been a
previous client but had not come into
the shelter because she could not bring
her cats and was afraid to leave them
with her abuser. It was so wonderful to
be able to tell her we can accept her
cats now.”
“She was so happy she broke down in
tears,” Cortney added. “Thanks to this
grant we were able to get her and her
cats out of a dangerous situation and
into safety.”
Blue Water Safe Horizons is now one
of 75 SAF-T (Sheltering Animals and
Families Together) shelters in the
Court Advocate Cortney
Howe and Charlie at Blue
Water Safe Horizons
RedRover presents
inaugural “Outstanding
Veterinary Clinic Award”
Earlier this year, RedRover presented
its first-ever Outstanding Veterinary
Clinic Award to the Southern Animal
Foundation (SAF) in New Orleans,
Louisiana. RedRover gives this award
annually to a veterinary clinic that has a
strong history of serving all of its clients
with compassion and helping animals
in need. In 2012, we were especially
touched by the extra care SAF provided
to JJ, a Chihuahua who was burned in
a household accident. After learning
of JJ’s heartbreaking story, SAF staff
worked tirelessly to make sure he
received round-the-clock care for his
extensive injuries.