Red Lake Rosies Rescue Inc

Red Lake Rosie's Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located on the Red Lake Reservation in northwestern Minnesota. Its mission is to decrease the overpopulation of companion animals on the Red Lake Reservation of northern Minnesota. 

The overpopulation of companion animals and the resulting homelessness, disease, starvation, and abuse have remained unchecked for generations on the reservation. Red Lake Rosie’s (RLRR) is named after Rosie, one of the first dogs rescued. 

The Red Lake Reservation, which is approximately the size of Rhode Island, has a population of 5,000 people.  There have been no other programs in the history of the nation that address the needs or protect the rights of companion animals until Red Lake Rosie was formed in 2006. Hampered by isolation, harsh climate, high unemployment, poverty and high incidence of crime and domestic violence, the companion animals suffer more than any other group.

 There are no veterinarians on the reservation, and pet health care, vaccinations, and spaying/neutering are almost non-existent.  Even those animals that are not homeless often live outdoors without shelter and are expected to forage for their food. Many have malnutrition, dehydration, gunshot and other forms of abusive wounds, injuries from collisions with autos, as well as infection with mange mites and other parasites. It is a common and acceptable practice for residents to drop off litters of puppies and kittens, as well as adult animals at the community garbage dumpsters, where they are left to die of starvation, exposure, and/or disease.

On the west boundary of the Red Lake Reservation RLRR  has built an animal shelter with 30 outdoor dog/puppy kennels, and an indoor shelter for cats, kittens, and very young puppies and smaller breeds in an older building. All of the animals at the shelter must be transported to rescues in the Minneapolis/St Paul area, 270 miles away, since there are very few potential adoptive homes in the rural communities near the reservation.  

There is a Twin Cities group of volunteers who support RLRR's grassroots local volunteers efforts by assisting with animal, food, and supplies transport, fostering, staffing spay/neuter clinics, and fundraising.  75% of all funding is used for animal medical and neuter/spay efforts.  

2006 – 500 animals rescued and transported; 346 animals  neutered/spayed

2007 – 503 animals rescued and transported; 455 animals neutered/spayed

2008 – 619 animals rescued and transported; 526 animals neutered/spayed

2009 – 859 animals rescued and transported; 599 animals neutered/spayed

2010 – 771 animals rescued and transported; 700 animals neutered/spayed

2011 - 609 animals rescued and transported; 731 animals 

neutered/spayed

2012 - 675 animals rescued and transported; 530 animals 

neutered/spayed

2013 – 700 animals rescued and transported; 452 animals spayed/neutered

2014 – 829 animals rescued and transported; 516  animals spayed/neutered

2015 – 859 animals rescued and transported; 602 animals spayed/neutered

2016 -  893 animals rescued and transported;620 animals spayed/neutered 

2017-  815 animals rescued and transported;600  animals spayed/neutered