Fiercely Protecting the Human-Animal Bond for Children and Survivors
July 2nd, 2025
By Johanna Casao, Communications Manager –
In May, the farm at Maine State Society for the Protection (MSSPA) of Animals was the backdrop of our latest RedRover Readers volunteer training. Kind News™ magazine editor and workshop facilitator, Heidi Colonna, led the session with a group of 11 classroom teachers, librarians, school administrators, and animal shelter-based humane educators. On another collaborative front, the dedicated staff at MSSPA worked with our RedRover Relief program to receive and implement a Safe Housing grant to support domestic violence (DV) survivors and their pets.
POV: Heidi Colonna, Kind News™ Writer and Co-Editor
Q: What were some key takeaways for the RedRover Readers training at MSSPA?
A: The goal? Give them the tools to inspire empathy around quality, humane-themed children’s literature. The key is to prompt kids to bring their experiences with animals into the book discussions. It’s the asking of thoughtful questions that’s important – and really listening to what children have to say. Attendees practiced their new skills by role-playing readings with Call the Horse Lucky by Juanita Havill and other program titles. One noted, “The workshop has me so excited to bring [the program to] both to the school I work at and to my Farm Camp program.”
The educators’ day on the farm saw a full span of RedRover programs in action: Participants signed up to receive Kind News to carry the themes of empathy and the human-animal bond into their classrooms and programs through the next school year. One workshop participant shared the story of a RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant aiding in the veterinary treatment of a friend’s beloved cat. And on a break from the daylong training, participants got to see plans for the new facility to help those horses needing a safe place to land.
POV: Peg Keyser, MSSPA Advancement Director
Q: What impact did hosting our humane education program event make?
A: We were so happy to host the RedRover Readers program here at the farm. Maine has ‘enjoyed’ about 14 straight weekends of rain, and the workshop took place during one of those soggy weekends. But good spirits prevailed! And it was a terrific success.
Q: Your organization is also working with our RedRover Relief program through a Safe Housing grant. What does receiving this grant to support domestic violence survivors and their pets mean to you?
A: The MSSPA has been envisioning this opportunity for nearly three years. Receiving horses on the farm – in varying health conditions, and with untold backstories – is what the MSSPA has done for decades. It made sense to extend the “invitation” to survivors of domestic violence to house their horses here at the farm: we already do this work, we are skilled and equipped to receive horses, and it made sense that the project to build this barn included this plan.
And now, it is coming to life! RedRover planted the seed for this idea at a Don’t Forget the Pets workshop that I attended three summers ago on behalf of the MSSPA. The workshop welcomed DV shelters, and animal shelters that catered mostly to companion animals – and the MSSPA!
“Horses?” The question floated around during the workshop, and it was clear that this could happen. While this is new territory for the MSSPA AND for RedRover, I feel so confident that this program will be a success. Our staff, volunteers, and donors are all moved by the promise of what this program will offer. We cannot wait to be a Safe Place to Land for the horses of domestic abuse survivors.
Q: Can you share how the process has been and how planning your DV assistance program is going?
A: The MSSPA reached out to Safe Voices domestic violence shelter in Lewiston/Auburn to begin to work on this partnership. And it has been a partnership right from the start. They certainly believe (as we do) that there is a real and substantial need for these services. Since no formal program exists in Maine (that we are aware of), there is no hard data. But the very first phone call I placed to Safe Voices was answered by a staffer there. When I told them why I was calling, she said, “My horse is still with my ex.” It was as if we were meant to work together and partner on this endeavor.
We still have to build the barn! So we are a ways away from seeing this vision become a reality; however, we are two thirds of the way to our fundraising goal, and the most generous McCulloch Family will give the MSSPA a lead gift – with a matching component – of $500,000. They, too, were moved by this aspect of the build. Both RedRover and Greater Good Charities signed on with enthusiasm in support of this work and extraordinary generosity. We break ground in ONE MONTH!
And if all goes as planned, the barn will be operational by December 1. I expect, in the early part of 2026, we will be actively spreading the word to DV shelters across the state of Maine to make them aware of this offering. When we are closer to completion on the barn, Safe Voices will come to the MSSPA to offer a training to our staff so we are prepared to engage with the DV survivors in a sensitive and appropriate way, and we will also be training the staff to prepare to fold these horses into the lifesaving rehabilitative work that already happens here.
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The MSSPA, supporting survivors and their pets through RedRover Relief, as well as preventing cruelty through humane education through RedRover Readers, connects the pillars that hold up our beliefs: Pets Are Family, and showing animals a little bit of kindness goes a long way. Through your support, we create this kind of community connection together! Thank you.
