RedRover: Protecting Pets and Supporting Their People

The bond that people have with their pets is undeniable. Since 1987, RedRover has been working tirelessly to strengthen that bond in the midst of natural disasters, domestic violence, homelessness, and other crises.

RedRover, which is based in Sacramento, California, but operates across the U.S., caught the attention of Sewall Founder Elmina Brewster Sewall more than 20 years ago. Sewall’s first recorded gift to RedRover was for $100 back in 2000, while most recently, it awarded RedRover a $60,000, 24-month grant in 2023, for general operating support and its domestic violence assistance initiatives in Maine.

From 2006 until 2020, Sewall’s grants were restricted to the RedRover Responders program, formerly known as Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS). In 2006, Mrs. Sewall’s daughter, Margaret Sewall Barbour, sent along a note that said, in part, “This gift is inspired by the heroic rescue efforts of EARS volunteers in the wake of last year’s disasters. That you were able to rescue 1,870 animals is remarkable, and that you had 300 volunteers from 38 states there and ready for action speaks volumes of your organization and preplanning.”

RedRover Responders assisted The Parker Project on the Navajo Nation in Arizona with a pet wellness clinic.

“RedRover’s commitment to supporting the human/animal bond in times of crisis speaks directly to the Sewall Foundation's belief in the interconnectedness of the well being of people and animals,” says Amie Hutchison, Sewall’s Animal Welfare Community Partner.

RedRover Responders are highly trained volunteers–4,800 are active nationwide–who deploy to temporarily shelter animals in emergency situations ranging from cruelty cases to natural disasters like wildfires, hurricanes and tornadoes. The program also builds the capacity of shelters through in-person and virtual workshops, and supports the specific animal welfare needs of under-resourced communities.

“We're not going in there with a cookie cutter approach, saying, ‘This is what we can provide you.’ says Erin Bialecki, Director of Development and Communications, noting that RedRover Responders teams deploy at the request of local partners. “It's saying, ‘What do you need and how can we help you?’”

RedRover Responders held a wellness clinic with PAWS of Northeast Louisiana (April 2024).

Deployments generally last from five-to-seven days, and teams are typically made up of four volunteers and a team leader. Deployments average 15 per year, with more than 273 to date. For the past four years, RedRover Responders have been on the ground, connecting families with the resources they need to provide a better life for their pets. Recently, a RedRover Responders team coordinated a wellness clinic with PAWS of Northeast Louisiana to help distribute free spay/neuter and vaccine vouchers–it reached 370 animals in one weekend.

RedRover Responders teams and local partners also go door-to-door in neighborhoods nationwide to offer shelter, food, enrichment, and more for family dogs that mostly live outside. Partners for this important work include Dog Aide in Detroit, the Humane Society of Marlboro County (HSMC) in South Carolina, and Parker Project on the Navajo Nation in Arizona.

RedRover’s domestic violence assistance initiatives focus on making it easier for humans to flee domestic violence and take their pets with them. Its Safe Escape grants cover the cost of boarding when a pet-friendly domestic violence (DV) shelter isn’t available–currently only 19% of domestic violence shelters accept pets–while its Safe Housing grants allow DV shelters to create a pet housing program.

To date, RedRover has awarded 229 safe housing grants to shelters in 47 states, providing more than 167,000 safe nights for pets annually. It's on track to make 25% of DV shelters in the U.S. pet friendly by the end of 2025, bolstered by the Purple Leash Project, which Purina and RedRover jointly launched in 2019 to raise awareness and funds. 

RedRover raises awareness and funds to help make domestic violence shelters pet-friendly.

“You're seeing many more communities and domestic violence organizations that understand the value of being a pet-friendly shelter, removing another barrier to service,” according to RedRover’s President and CEO Katie Campbell. “We’re seeing record numbers of applications (for Safe Housing grants), which is exciting for us.” 

Safe Housing grants created the first pet-friendly DV shelter in 10 states. Safe Voices in Androscoggin County became Maine’s first pet-friendly shelter when it received Safe Housing’s 100th grant in spring 2019, and two more have since been created: NextStep Domestic Violence Project, which serves Washington and Hancock Counties, was awarded a grant in spring 2021, and most recently, the Safe Voices in Franklin County received a grant in fall 2023. RedRover Responders also built the pet accommodations for both organizations’ facilities.

To brainstorm solutions for how to make all 10 of Maine’s shelters pet friendly, RedRover and Safe Voices hosted a first-of-its-kind roundtable summit in Lewiston on May 18, 2024, which brought together DV organizations, animal welfare organizations and funders–including Sewall.

“We reviewed available funding opportunities, including Safe Housing grants, and solicited feedback from attendees who are already pet friendly, and asked those who are not how we can provide additional support,” Katie recalls.

Looking ahead, RedRover Responders has deployments lined up for the rest of year, including building pet accommodations for a DV shelter and building safe enclosures for family dogs who live outdoors. There are also plans in place to increase the number of RedRover Responder volunteers while engaging the current volunteers more deeply.

“We’re really focused on keeping them ready to go whenever we need them,” says Katie. With many pet parents struggling to pay for veterinary care and food, along with the increase in extreme weather events, “The RedRover Responders team is  staying pretty busy these days.”