R.O.A.R. Fund - Reach.Out.Act.Respond.

Dear R.O.A.R. Supporters,

Now one-fourth of the way through the year we are already working at a running pace, implementing new projects and continuing with current initiatives. As you’re aware, the R.O.A.R. Fund provides financial support to our R.O.A.R. charities and to helping animals in need.  This year, for the first time, we used Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to remind and encourage our fans to purchase R.O.A.R. branded pet and consumer items to help the R.O.A.R. Fund, since proceeds of those sales goes into the R.O.A.R. Fund. We did this by sending an e-blast to our Animal Planet subscribers with the message to show their pets love by giving them a Valentine’s Day gift!

In addition to helping build the R.O.A.R. Fund for this year, our partners are busy helping animals in other ways.  Below are just some of the updates from our R.OA.R. partners, thanks in large part to the support we continue to receive from you!  

Since our last update:

• The EQUUS Foundation partnered with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to establish the Horse Stars Hall of Fame.  62 horses were inducted into the virtual Hall of Fame in March 2013.  Betsy, one of the 62, had such a profound influence on the life of an autistic child named Rowan that the boy’s family created a documentary film about their family’s journey called The Horse Boy.

• The Jane Goodall Institute has helped rehabilitate DouDou, a 5-year-old chimpanzee they found chained to a car.  Based on his condition, the caregivers believe he was left shackled to the car for almost three years before they found him. He is already showing far more confidence and playing with other chimps.

• Thanks to National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Conflict Resolution project, the bison of Yosemite National Park have safe havens when they migrate south in the winter – as opposed to the alternatives they used to face such as being killed, placed in pens, or herded back into the park with helicopters and snowmobiles.

• After the recent deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, TX, the Petfinder Foundation gave a disaster grant to the Humane Society of Central Texas to help it cope with the influx of pets separated from their owners in the explosion, which leveled an entire five-block area.

• Villalobos Rescue Center continues to provide spay and neuter services for pit bulls in Louisiana.  They have a consistent flow of requests for such veterinary services, as well as request for help owners of multiple litters who can’t take care of the puppies themselves.

Thank you,
The R.O.A.R. team