RedRover volunteer veterinarian provides much needed care

Orphaned kitten meets
orphaned fawn at
Dr. Trexler-Myren's office.

Submitted by RedRover Responders volunteer Debbie Ferguson of Kildeer, Illinois

You never know what you are going to be asked to do when deploying with RedRover Responders. Autumn Chrouser will gladly attest to that after her last deployment to Pierre, South Dakota this past week. She deployed along with two other RedRover Responders to help care for the animals that had been displaced by flooding from the rising Missouri River.

We met at 6:45 a.m. in the lobby of our hotel, just one short block from the river, to make our way to the airplane hangar where we were housing about 100 animals, primarily cats and dogs. Upon arriving we took each dog out for a very much needed morning walk, then proceeded to get all the animals fed, watered, and clean kennels. Autumn jumped in like everyone else. After we finished our morning chores, we sat down and began talking before the next round of dog walks were due. When asked what she did, she revealed that she had just become a licensed veterinarian and was waiting on word on a potential position she was very interested in. As we had no staff veterinarian at the shelter, we knew this was fate! As soon as word got out, her skills were in high demand. After being asked to examine a number of animals with minor issues, she quickly identified a life-threatening disease in one of our cats, who was then immediately transported to Dr.Virginia Trexler-Myren, the local veterinarian we had been using for emergency treatment.



Dr. Trexler-Myren anesthetizes
a kitten as RedRover volunteer
Dr. Autumn Chrouser looks on.

 Autumn, who lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was thrilled to be using her education and skills, but continued assisting with the everyday duties of walking, feeding and cleaning in between her new vet duties, and even handled some of the strongest dogs, one of whom almost pulled her hip out of joint with his strength. It was about that time that we received six feral kittens trapped near the shelter by an airport employee. Approximately three to four months old and quite fearful, they entered our cat room and we began the socialization process. We saw very quickly that it wouldn’t take long to gain their trust, but were concerned about finding homes for them in an area reeling from loss. We felt we would have a better chance of getting a local shelter to take them on if they were all spayed/neutered, so it seemed a perfect opportunity for Autumn to use her surgical skills. We just needed to find someone to provide the tools and space for her to perform the surgery. In came Dr. Trexler-Myren. She readily agreed to provide the space and all of the necessary tools and medications for all six cats if we would be willing to pay a small fee to cover her overhead. RedRover immediately agreed to take care of the expense, and Autumn went to work, with Dr. Trexler-Myren overseeing the surgeries.



Dr. Chrouser examines the
incision on a kitten spayed
a day earlier.

 As a newly licensed veterinarian, I expected Autumn to show some nervousness, but she showed the confidence, precision and skills of an experienced veterinarian throughout the entire procedure. She and Dr. Trexler-Myren shared tips and techniques throughout the day, both coming away from the experience with increased knowledge and insights.

I am happy to report that all six kittens came out of surgery successfully. We brought them back to some very comfortable beds in a clean and sterile environment within our shelter and settled them in for the night. Autumn stayed until she was certain all six kittens were showing no signs of distress, and returned early the next morning to examine each of them. All were in fine shape, with clean and healthy incision sites and no signs of any negative impact. In fact, the additional handling seemed to have made them even more accustomed to humans and their fear had lessened considerably, giving us confidence that they would all be adopted into loving homes very soon.

Thanks to Autumn (or, I should say, Dr. Chrouser) and Dr. Trexler-Myren, six cats will not be able to reproduce more kittens to crowd the already over-filled animal shelters across the United States. Instead, they will have an excellent chance of living comfortable and healthy lives with loving families.

Dr. Chrouser socializes one of her patients.

Dr. Chrouser plans on deploying with RedRover again, and it doesn’t matter to her whether it is in the capacity of veterinarian or kennel worker. She just wants to help animals in need and that is what is going to make her a great veterinarian. Sioux Falls is very lucky to have her as part of their community.

Flood shelter in Pierre, South Dakota

Submitted by RedRover Responders volunteer Debbie Ferguson of Kildeer, Illinois



One of many houses flooded
in Pierre, South Dakota



Across the nation Mother Nature has been unleashing her fury; from tornados, to wildfires, to flooding, she is wreaking havoc on land, people and animals alike. And the RedRover Responders have been deploying almost non-stop, trying to make life just a little bit more bearable for the people who have lost their homes and for some, their loved ones, by helping to care for their pets while they try to rebuild their lives. We see the pictures on the nightly news and our hearts break for those who have lost so much, while we are amazed at their resiliency and their will to move on. And then we turn off the TV and go to sleep, comfortable in our own intact homes and in our own beds with our beloved families and pets nearby. Sweet dreams...

I am ashamed to say that is how I reacted until I participated in several disaster responses as a RedRover Responder in the past couple of months. To see the destruction and the emotional toll in pictures or on video is one thing; to see it in person is another; to meet someone who is going through the loss is a whole new ballgame, one that changes you forever. That is what happened to me this past week in Pierre, South Dakota.



Amy Green holds two
tiny rescued kittens.



I spent the past few days, along with two other RedRover Responders assisting in caring for animals displaced by flooding or by forced evacuations due to the rising Missouri River. We had approximately 100 animals; dogs, cats, chinchillas, rabbits, chickens and even a goldfish. I assumed we would be far removed from the threat of flooding, so I was surprised on landing in Pierre (in a torrential downpour, by the way) that the road to our hotel was closed due to flooding, and after finding a round-a-bout way to get there, saw sandbags stacked up all around the hotel in an attempt to keep the water from creeping any closer to the building. That was when I first realized the fear the people in this community were experiencing. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep well, but made my way to the temporary shelter the next morning and began tending to the animals that had been left in our care. As the day wore on and the rain continued, the threat of further flooding increased. It was then that I met Denice Felker and her three Schnauzers – Tasha, Teddy and Pepper.

We were getting ready to get the animals settled in for the evening when we received a call from a local emergency services organization asking if we had room to house more animals. We assured her we did and that we would be happy to stay until they arrived. Shortly after, Denice and her schnauzers arrived. She had been given minutes to evacuate her home in Fort Pierre as the river crept closer and closer. She was terrified of losing her home, but even more terrified of leaving her “kids.” But her choices were limited so she came to us.

With tears flowing, she shared her fears of losing everything, and of trying to rebuild what was left on her own, but her biggest worry was leaving her babies. The three dogs obviously knew something was wrong as all three were clinging to her and whimpering.

Amy comforts and calms Jasmine.

We all choked back tears as we assured her we would take very good care of her babies and give them as much love and attention as possible. We weren’t sure when we would see Denice again, but knew she wouldn’t and couldn’t stay away long.

The following day, as all of our dogs were taking their afternoon naps and everything was quiet, Denice walked in. I approached her right away, happy she was able to come and visit her babies, and then thrilled when she told me she was taking them home! I told her how happy I was that she had suffered no damage and was able to move back home. And then I felt awful as her eyes again filled up with tears and she told me that her home was sitting in several inches of water and she wasn’t sure what to do or who to call for help. But in the same breath, she told me how grateful she was that we had been here for her and her babies at the moment they needed us. And I felt so honored that she trusted us to take care of the three loves of her life while she figured out her next moves. And witnessing her strength of character I had no doubt her next moves would be winning moves.





Denice is reunited with her Schnauzers.



But the best part of this story is the reunion! I have never heard or seen three dogs so happy to see their person. We couldn't get them out of their kennel fast enough! When we were able to round them up they leapt into her arms and covered her with kisses for at least 10 minutes! They kissed her, they kissed us, and they kissed each other! And then it started all over again!

Once things calmed down, I asked Denice where she would be living while her home was being repaired and she told me she and her babies would be returning home. I was concerned, knowing the dangers of living in a home that had suffered that kind of damage, and worried about how her dogs would adapt, but she responded with such a simple and amazing statement; "they may not have a yard, but they have me...and I have them. We’ll figure it out together."

And now this story gets even better... As we were talking, one of the local volunteers overheard Denice talking about her concerns. I had seen Michelle Jones each day but with our jam-packed days hadn't had a chance to get to know her. She approached us and gave Denice the name and number of the Civil Air Patrol, who she said would be willing to send cadets out to assist her with any labor needed. She then described how they had been helping her and her husband since they had been forced to evacuate their home a month ago and how she was planning on calling on them again since the waters had finally reached her home in the past week.



Flood victim Michele holds
her favorite cat.



 I was stunned! Here was a woman whose home was possibly ruined, and she had spent the past ten days (as I discovered from the volunteer logbook) volunteering her time to help care for the displaced animals of her neighbors! Though she downplayed her selflessness by saying it helped keep her mind off of her problems, I couldn't help but wonder how many people would spend their time volunteering their services to those impacted by such a disaster when they were facing their own disaster, and I realized that I was in the company of not just one, but two very strong and special women. Humbled and inspired, I knew that those of us listening to their stories would be better people for having met them, and would never again turn off the nightly news and sleep soundly after hearing of another natural disaster displacing people and animals without making plans to do something to help.

 I am so thankful for all of our RedRover Responders, especially those who have deployed in the last few natural disasters, for helping people like Denice know that there is someone in their corner who is looking out for them and their animals in their time of need. After witnessing the after-effects of these devastating disasters first hand, and seeing the results of the different reactions to the disaster, I am hopeful that if we are ever faced with similar situations we will be able to deal with them with as much strength and gratitude as Denice, and with as much compassion and selflessness as Michelle.

UAN volunteers form a temporary family for flood evacuees

We still have our eyes trained on the Mississippi River, watching it rise slowly, but steadily. UAN has officially demobilized from the emergency shelter in Natchez, Mississippi and transferred operations to our partners and the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society. Animals are still coming into the shelter and a few are going home, but everybody is still in waiting mode to see what the river will do. If it does crest the levee, flooding will be a very slow process and everyone is packed and ready to evacuate if and when needed.

This deployment was so different from the hoarding and puppy mill rescues UAN has undertaken lately. It’s so easy to give your heart over to an animal who has experienced neglect and cruelty for most, if not all, of his life. The animals we worked with in Natchez are all owned and very, very loved, but we still fell for each and every one of them.

Cooter, the basset hound who made it clear when he needed to go for a walk; Roscoe, the bloodhound who was used to spending his days roaming the fields and was terribly confused by the whole leash thing; Cassie, the pretty Calico who did rollies and stretchies whenever we were near; Deuce the bossy dachshund who thought he was a rottweiler; and Doll Face, a stray with demodex mange who came in from an evacuated foster home. These animals and more all caught our attention and inspired the volunteers to give and give, then give some more.

I was in awe as I watched the UAN volunteers get to know each animal so quickly, learn their likes, dislikes and quirks and most of all, treat them as they would their own pets. They spent time with them on walks, going at the animal’s own pace if he was frightened or caught on to an interesting scent. They sat in the grass with the older guys, making sure they had quality time out of their kennels. The cats had a constant supply of toys, treats, pets and snuggles. Even the feral cats who were surrendered to us improved dramatically each day as the volunteers sat with them and slowly earned their trust.

While we hope and pray that the levees hold and the waters recede, the volunteers should be proud of their work through the long days in heat and humidity, making sure all of “their buddies” stayed safe and happy while separated from their families. Becoming a temporary family and treating all of these animals like their own pets was difficult and draining for the volunteers, however, seeing the contentment of the animals and the gratitude of the owners made it all worth it.

Peace of mind for flood evacuees in Mississippi

“Ya’ll are doing God’s work," “Bless ya’lls hearts," “Oh, I was so worried, now I feel much better," “Ya’ll will get to heaven before your toes are cold.”

These are the common phrases we hear throughout our long 10-hour days here in Natchez, Mississippi. The residents are still so amazed that this emergency animal shelter exists, and are even more awestruck when they walk through and see our operations.


UAN volunteers made hammocks
for the cats.

The cats are happily resting in their hammocks. The dogs are either patiently waiting for their walks, dozing in their kennels or out getting one-on-one social time and exercise. Even the younger, un-vaccinated puppies are able to get out of their kennels, run around and get some sunshine in our specially created puppy pens. Contagious disease control and prevention are always a high priority in any shelter and especially a temporary, emergency shelter full of owned animals.

A UAN volunteer bottle feeds a kitten.

Romie’s grandma brought him in yesterday. Romie is a Great Dane/Lab mix weighing in at about 140 pounds. His owner is active military and grandma is caring for him while her son is out protecting our country. Obviously, like the others, Romie deserves only the best. The fact that his owner was recently injured in the line of duty and his dog’s care was entrusted to us makes us even more inspired to ensure his ultimate comfort during his stay at the UAN temporary shelter.

Romie's special double-wide crate.

Romie fit “OK” in our largest crate, but “OK” is not good enough for us. The volunteers and staff MacGyvered a double-wide crate for him so he can spread out and be very comfortable. As you can see from the photos … he’s not too worried about the impending floods, budget cuts, the economy or anything else for that matter.

The special puppy play area.

One of the most gratifying occasions on this deployment is being able to take pet owners through our shelter and show them how comfortable and well cared for the animals are. Many stated they were not going to evacuate because they didn’t know where they would take their pets. Now that they know they have a safe place, they are packing, bringing their animals in to the emergency shelter and preparing for whatever the future holds. One woman said her neighbor told her to just “Let her dog go and hope he can swim.” The thought was devastating to her and she cried in relief to know there was a better option.

The staff and volunteers consider it a privilege to be here and to be able to help this community. And we are all very happy to know that our toes will not get cold on our way to heaven.

Mississippi residents grateful for emergency pet shelter

Shock, then gratefulness. These are the emotions residents around Natchez, Mississippi are experiencing when they learn UAN volunteers are running a free emergency shelter for pets living in the path of the flooding Mississippi River.

A kitten sleeps comfortably at the
emergency shelter in Natchez. 

“People are astounded that the shelter is free and there is no catch,” said UAN Emergency Services Manager Janell Matthies, who flew to Mississippi to run the shelter and manage the UAN volunteer team. “Many of them are telling us that they know they will lose their homes in the flood.”

The Mississippi River reached a record 58.48 feet in Natchez on Wednesday and is expected to crest at 64 feet next week.

Janell said one woman who visited was very worried about being separated from her eight-year-old pit bull. They’ve been together since he was three weeks old and have never been apart.

“I brought her through the shelter and showed her how comfortable the dogs were,” Janell said. “She was crying the whole time because she was so relieved to know she can bring her best friend here and he will be taken care of.

Volunteers take an evacuee for a walk.

Indeed, the evacuated dogs and cats who have already been evacuated to the shelter – about 50 of them – are being spoiled rotten by the UAN volunteer team. Volunteers are walking dogs three or four times a day. They have comfortable bedding in their kennels and plenty of food and treats. Yesterday the volunteers made the trademark UAN “hammocks” for the cats.

Among the shelter residents are three litters of kittens so young they need to be bottle fed. The kittens were being cared for by foster parents who had to evacuate, and are now getting round-the-clock care from the volunteers.

Janell acknowledged the Adams County Sheriff Chuck Mayfield for encouraging residents to evacuate their pets and inviting UAN and The Humane Society of the United States to set up and operate the shelter.

“Sheriff Mayfield is a smart man who is very community oriented and proactive for the animals,” Janell said. “He also knows from watching other disasters that people won’t evacuate if they don’t have a place to bring their pets.

UAN volunteer Jerry Lousteau
in the kitten "nursery"

Members of the community have been supportive and grateful for the emergency animal shelter. When word got out that volunteers could use a few ice chests to keep drinks cold, someone brought a refrigerator. And after someone said, jokingly, that it would be nice to have a rocking chair volunteers could sit in when bottle feeding the kittens, the president of the local humane society brought three of them.

Animal flood victims in Missouri returning home

Submitted by UAN volunteer Debbie Ferguson of Kildeer, Illinois

Happy to see his family coming for him!

Each day seems to get a little bit easier for the UAN volunteers who have been sheltering more than 500 animals threatened by the flooding of the Mississippi River. Since the threat of more flooding was lifted Monday, more than half of the animals have been reunited with their families! After today we have 153 dogs, 96 cats, 5 horses, 1 dove, 1 rabbit, 1 guinea pig and 1 lonely but very friendly goat. All seem to be settling into their temporary homes quite well due to the many volunteers who have traveled to Missouri to give them the love and care they need while separated from their families.

This girl spent 15 minutes in this position,
happily chewing her toy.

The dogs seem to be especially happy as we have been able to move many of them into larger units and spend more time socializing with them as their numbers have dropped. Their personalities have been coming out as their fear and anxiety disappears. We see the two basset hounds wrapped around each other, the little bulldog happily chewing on her toy, butt up in the air, and the many smiling dogs throughout the shelter, and our exhaustion from the long, hard days is replaced by the satisfaction of a labor of love.

The last bunny waits to be
reclaimed by his family.

Our lone remaining bunny is hanging out with the last guinea pig. Gus the goat has a nice little pen all to himself, close to the horses, but really appreciates human company more than anything else. The cats love their cozy beds and the many beautiful kittens spend their time sleeping, playing with each other, or bothering Mom.

Gus the goat.

All in all, this has been a most rewarding week for those of us lucky enough to spend time with these lovely animals. Though most of the animals will go back to their homes, a number of strays and voluntarily surrendered animals will soon move on to adoption shelters to find new forever homes. We have enjoyed spending quality time with these animals, getting them socialized and accustomed to giving and receiving love, and we know they are going to have great lives with loving families soon. And that is the primary reason we do what we do.

A beautiful kitten

Each day I see my fellow volunteers leave for home with tears in their eyes as they say goodbye to the animals they spent so many days caring for and loving. We know when we arrive that our relationship with these animals will be temporary, but we still lose our hearts to them and grieve at the loss of these beautiful animals that have touched us so deeply. Tomorrow I say goodbye once again to my many charges: shy Rudy, sweet Kelly, no-name Benji-dog, wild Max, the two Buddys, my three surrendered young Labs and so many more. And I will leave with tears in my eyes as well, some of sadness at my loss, but many of happiness for the future of these animals I had a small part in saving.

And it makes me think about the comments I get when I tell people about UAN and what we do. The typical question is “How can you do it? It would break my heart!” And my response is the same as every other animal lover who has participated in any kind of rescue: “How can I not?”

Animal flood victims getting royal treatment from UAN volunteers

Submitted by UAN volunter Debbie Ferguson of Kildeer, Illinois

It has been a hectic week for the ten UAN volunteers who traveled from across the United States to assist with a flood response in Kennett, Missouri. With the Mississippi river at an all-time high, residents in southeast Missouri were warned of imminent evacuation orders and many were proactive and took their animals to a local shelter for safekeeping.  It soon became clear that the shelter could not handle all of the animals, so the ASPCA was called in to assist.

Early morning horse feeding.

UAN volunteers began arriving last Thursday to help with the intake and sheltering of a wide variety of animals: horses, ponies, chickens, cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, a duck and even a goat. Hundreds of animals arrived each day and the total count reached well over 500 animals by Sunday afternoon.

Yes, we have chickens, too!

With a large number of very noisy dogs disturbing the peace for the other species, the decision was made to move them to a very large warehouse a couple of miles away.  Though the move created extra work for everyone involved, it soothed the nerves of the other animals tremendously and provided a large outdoor area for walking the dogs,  making everyone happier.

Though the majority of the animals were dropped off for safekeeping to be picked up when the flood threat is over, we also have a number of strays and animals who were voluntarily relinquished by their owners for various reasons. Those animals will be sent to adoption shelters and rescue groups after the owned animals are reunited with their families.

A happy pup gets hugs from his family

We were happy to hear last night that the National Guard had been instructed to leave the area and the potential order to evacuate was removed. So… we anticipated a busy day of animal reclaimis today and we got it. 

With well over 300 dogs, we were kept very busy feeding, watering, cleaning and walking them this morning, but the amazing UAN volunteers completed all tasks by 11 a.m. and the dogs were sleeping soundly around noon, when families started coming to pick them up. It was fun to see the reactions of both the dogs and their people when they were reunited. 

A happy reunion

The first to arrive was a man who came in for his two small dogs; he couldn’t get the smile off of his face when the dogs jumped into his arms. And his dogs couldn’t stop smothering him with kisses. 

The next was a family of four picking up their three dogs. When the first of the three dogs was handed over, both Mom and Dad were in tears and the pup couldn’t decide who to kiss first. 

And the day continued with other families and their dogs being reunited. At this writing, people are still coming in to pick up their dogs and the joy of watching them makes the hard work and long days worthwhile for all of us volunteers. At the same time, it is bittersweet, as many of us have become attached to our four-legged charges.

UAN field leader Shannon Asquith
says goodbye to a favorite dog

Field Leader Shannon Asquith tearfully said goodbye to a beautiful German shepherd she had grown very attached to. And most of us are watching to see if the next reunion will be with one of “our” dogs, because we want to personally walk them to their owners for a last goodbye.

I am waiting for the owner of a wonderful mother/daughter pair who have captured my heart completely, so I can rejoice in their reunion. 

Inseparable and adorable mother and child

We still have a large number of animals to care for but are hopeful that the majority will be back in the comfort of their own homes soon. And some of us may then move further south to assist in a similar emergency sheltering operation occurring in Mississippi right now.

More tomorrow…

Helping flood victims in Missouri and Mississippi

As floodwaters, saturate parts of the Midwest and Southeastern United States, UAN's Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) volunteers are hard at work taking care of hundreds of animals evacuated in Southeast Missouri.


A puppy at the temporary shelter for
flood evacuees in Kennett, Missouri

Last week, staff at the Caruthersville Humane Society began housing a few evacuated animals, but quickly outgrew its space as animals poured in. Now more than 500 dogs, cats, birds, bunnies and even two guinea pigs are enjoying comfortable and temporary accommodations in an old warehouse and a fairgrounds building in nearby Kennett.

EARS volunteer Shannon Asquith is leading the volunteer team and said the temporary shelter took in more than 100 dogs per day three days in a row.

"There was a lot of pre-evacuation planning and it worked," she said. "Everybody responded. I think we have every dog and cat in Caruthersville in the temporary shelter!"

Meanwhile, another UAN volunteer team is arriving in Natchez, Mississippi to set up an emergency shelter for families expected to evacuate their pets in advance of anticipated flooding of the Mississippi River there.

Please check back soon for photos and stories from these disaster responses.