Help prevent animal cruelty by volunteering with RedRover Readers humane education program
Sacramento, CA (May 8, 2012) – RedRover, a national nonprofit animal protection organization based in Sacramento, California, had their $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever set fire to a cat matched by the Yolo County SPCA for a $5,000 total reward. RedRover hopes this will lead to more witnesses coming forward regarding the horrifying animal cruelty that occurred Wednesday in West Sacramento, California.
Witnesses walking near Circle Park Wednesday night saw what looked like a moving ball of flames, then realized it was a cat. They contacted Yolo County Animal Services and waited with the injured cat until officers responded and took her to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine for treatment. Sadly, she had to be euthanized due to her severe injuries.
Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call Yolo County Sheriff’s Department’s Animal Services Section at 530.668.5287.
Download, share and post the reward flier (PDF)
A study conducted by the Massachusetts SPCA and Northeastern University showed that people who abuse animals are five times more likely commit violence against people, four times more likely to commit property crimes and three times more likely to be involved in drunken or disorderly offenses. RedRover is working to prevent animal cruelty before it happens through their unique RedRover Readers program, designed to promote empathy, compassion and critical thinking skills in children. This community-based literacy program is aligned with academic content standards and helps children explore the bond between people and animals through stories and discussion. RedRover Readers volunteers visit elementary school classrooms, after-school programs, animal shelters and other venues to read to children and facilitate discussions to promote empathy.
“The RedRover Readers program has the potential to mitigate these kinds of cruel acts. By reaching children at a young age, we can foster empathy and help them grow into thoughtful adults,” said RedRover President and CEO Nicole Forsyth. “We know that violence toward animals is often a precursor to violence toward people, so we encourage our community members to take animal cruelty seriously and provide children the opportunity to develop the skills they need to make good decisions.”
RedRover welcomes teachers and volunteers who are 18 and older to attend the next RedRover Readers volunteer training workshop in Sacramento. The RedRover Readers volunteer training includes: how stories about animals illustrate the human-animal bond, using questions to generate critical thinking, tips for reading aloud and for effectively working with children, the relationship between reading and developing empathy, and implementing RedRover Readers discussion and activity guides. Pre-registration is required.
RedRover Readers Training Workshop
Date: Saturday, June 30
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $55, includes t-shirt, ID badge, discussion and activity guides, and mandatory background check
How to Apply: Visit www.redrover.org/readers
Teachers also have a special opportunity to learn to implement the RedRover Readers curriculum in their own classrooms by attending RedRover’s free professional development workshop, Humane Literacy: Promoting Empathy, Critical Thinking and Language Skills in the Classroom. Hosted at the Sacramento County Office of Education, course completion offers free access to online curriculum and continuing education credits, making this the perfect creative way to enhance literacy skills, meet character education mandates and develop traits such as trust, respect, responsibility and empathy in students.
RedRover Professional Development Workshop for Teachers (pizza dinner provided)
Date: Wednesday, May 16
Time: 3:30 to 8:00 p.m.
How to Apply: www.issregister.net (for event #4343)
Founded in 1987, RedRover focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the bond between people and animals through emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education. RedRover pledges rewards around the country to encourage witnesses to step forward with information about animal cruelty crimes and encourage law enforcement to work towards solving these cases. However, RedRover has only paid the reward twice in 18 years, demonstrating the need for law enforcement, prosecutors and citizens to take animal cruelty crimes more seriously. Learn more at www.redrover.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Leili Khalessi 916.429.2457 ext. 314 or lkhalessi@redrover.org
Update: On May 30, a youth confessed to setting the cat on fire.
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