By Jennifer Johnston, RedRover Responders volunteer Guest contributor and volunteer Communications Assistant

Over 40 RedRover Responders volunteers helped set up and operate the emergency shelter in LaChute, Quebec, to care for over 500 dogs and puppies seized from a large-scale breeding operation. On Sunday, September 25, RedRover demobilized, and Humane Society International (HSI) Canada continued the care of the rescued animals.

Today has been more of the same 1,000 kilometers-per-hour pace of feeding, cleaning, monitoring and more to keep the rescued dogs comfortable and safe. One news article (below) reported yesterday that 90 puppies -- and counting -- have been born at the temporary emergency shelter since the dogs' rescue. It's hard to imagine keeping track of all those pregnant mamas, nursing mamas, delivering mamas... and all their darling bundles of joy.

Deployments are always physically challenging. The very nature of the work we do -- temporary emergency animal sheltering -- means lots of bending and lifting and scrubbing and walking. Repeat until done. Then do it again the next day. It is exhausting work, but the reward of helping the helpless makes it worthwhile.

RedRover Responders volunteers haven't gotten much sleep for the past few days. After volunteers spent a couple days setting up the temporary emergency animal shelter to prepare for the criminal seizure of more than 500 dogs from a breeding operation in Quebec, the first truck from the field rescue team arrived around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. More than 20 RedRover Responders volunteers set to work unloading about 150 dogs and getting them settled into their new digs at the emergency shelter, complete with dry bedding, clean water and fresh food.