Sacramento-based Red Rover marks 300 deployments aiding animals in need
By Lee Anne Denyer
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SACRAMENTO (KCRA) — Red Rover, a national animal welfare organization based in Sacramento, celebrated its 300th responder deployment on Wednesday. The nonprofit has sent volunteers to communities across the country with animals for decades.
“We’ve deployed to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Camp Fire, Northridge earthquake,” said Sheri Madsen, director of public relations and partnerships at Red Rover. “A lot of the major disasters that you’ve heard about, we’ve been there helping animals.”
According to the organization, the milestone was reached while assisting Humane World for Animals with the care of more than 80 dogs and puppies rescued from three Florida properties suspected of dogfighting.
Over the years, and in California alone, Red Rover crews deployed teams dozens of times to situations including a canine influenza outbreak in Oakland, wildfires and floods in northern and southern California, hoarding operations around the state and more, Madsen shared.
The organization also provides financial relief to pet owners, supports animals in crisis and builds pet-friendly spaces at domestic violence shelters to ensure survivors can leave abusive situations with their pets.
“Our job is really just to make sure that [the animals are] feeling comfortable in this temporary space until they move on to be reunited or go to a new home,” Madsen said.
Red Rover Responder volunteer Jojo Deasis shared his experience volunteering at a women’s shelter in Ohio with KCRA 3.
“It was very fulfilling in the sense that I was able to support the community and the people — and at the same time able to support the animals,” Deasis said.
Brittany Edwards, another Red Rover volunteer, recounted her deployment to help dogs rescued from a puppy mill in Missouri.
“Heartbreaking,” she said. “It was sad to see the condition they were in. They were all terrified. We went to the store and bought a bunch of toys for them to try to loosen them up. They were terrified of the toys.”
The organization’s work is supported by grant programs and generous donors.
“We hear all these stories and all these thank yous for the work that we’re doing and that our volunteers are doing, and it just helps us to come to work every day and do what we do,” Madsen said.
Red Rover is looking to expand its services, including providing more support for people with pets experiencing homelessness.
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