Red River SPCA
We no longer post a “Pet of the Month.” We consider each pet as being special. Instead of a shelter facility, our "babies" are in foster care within different homes in the North Texas area.
When possible, we take on orphaned puppies and kittens that require food more specialized than what the rest of the fostered animals receive. This special food, plus regular food, plus vaccines, flea-tick-heartworm preventatives and other health-related expenses (including vets) are what your donations would be helping.
Every penny donated to Red River SPCA (payable to “Red River SPCA,” sent to Red River SPCA, 1215 CR 140, Whitesboro TX 76273) goes to the critters and is tax-deductible. Receipts are available upon request. Thank you!
Tommie speaking: Starting on 24 July ‘08, I began receiving unique emails from friends-in-rescue. These emails each expressed shock and disbelief about an enclosed LETTER. Each friend sending it offered to help me in any way possible.
The LETTER contained false allegations that are unsupported by any evidence but that carry the objective of smearing my name. I suspect that LETTER can be traced to someone whose toes I stepped on during my duties as cruelty investigator. Or perhaps true happenings were changed into dreadful lies. Those of you who know me – who know Red River SPCA as a group – know these falsehoods for what they are.
I urge my fellow members/supporters (some listed by name in LETTER) not to fret the “documented incidences” planted within LETTER. They appear to be scare tactics as well as being false. So let’s just keep doing our best to help the animals and allow time for “whatever goes around [to] come around.” Because it will.
This bothers me most: LETTER urges readers to cross-post. If this sort of defamation is shared with animal lovers who know me – and recognize the allegations as being false – then they must wonder how much to believe of emailed “warnings” as a whole. Whether it originates from careless investigating or thrill-seeking sensationalism, spreading this kind of misinformation weakens sincere efforts to shut down individuals and groups who actually ARE guilty of whatever wrong-doings are described in the emailed posts.
Red River SPCA is a non-profit organization. Started in 1987, RRSPCA is dedicated to helping people and pets to enjoy each other. RRSPCA is operated entirely by a handful of volunteers fostering at their residences. We are a no-kill "shelterless.” We rescue and rehabilitate, investigate abuse calls, answer MANY questions in person and by phone (also email). We help people get their pets sterilized low-cost, offer animals for adoption and speak to groups.
Prior to the summer of '03, Red River SPCA helped 500-700 animals each year (average of 50 dogs and 30 cats at a time) in Cooke & Montague Counties, the western part of Grayson in Texas plus that area of Oklahoma right across the Red River from Gainesville TX. Most are dogs and cats of all ages and sizes. However, this area is largely rural, so RRSPCA also rescues a variety of livestock and even wild critters. (We rehab and release wild critters. They are not adoptable.)
Before we had other foster homes, most of the critters were fostered at Tranquility Base, farm residence of Tommie Kirksmith-Newman and, since '05, of Ned Newman.
I am Tommie, RRSPCA's President & Investigator. My first husband, Jack, passed away in '03. Changes since then included having to scale down on the number of dogs kept here at the farm. Ned Newman’s late wife, Linda, helped me build RRSPCA, so he is accustomed to caring for critters and he knows why I still go by Kirksmith professionally.
Red River SPCA’s listed phone, 940-668-6309, rings on my personal phone, 940-668-6714. If I do not answer the ring, my recorder explains this. Any phone calls I make (such as responding to a message) will show my personal name on the caller ID.
EACH LISTED ANIMAL IS SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE INFO (AS PART OF THE ANIMAL’S DESCRIPTION) ABOUT THE FOSTER LOCATION. IT IS QUICKER FOR YOU TO CONTACT THAT PERSON DIRECTLY THAN TO GO THROUGH ME -- UNLESS, OF COURSE, I AM THE ONE LISTED AS FOSTERING IT.
Rather than charge specific adoption fees, RRSPCA asks for tax-deductible donations to reimburse our health-related expenses for each animal (shots, sterilization, other vet costs) The fee varies because some animals we take in have already been fixed and some require a vet for other purposes.
We do everything possible to keep the cost down, including ordering vaccines, wormers and other such items that are legal for us to give. Some medications – most common being a rabies shot – can only be given by a vet.
Once a month, we take a load of dogs and cats to Homeward Bound in Durant OK (580-924-5873) for their low-cost spay/neuter+rabies “marathons.” Besides appreciating the nice folks there, we are thrilled to find a vet who performs juvenile sterilizations.. His philosophy: “The younger the better!” Of course, this only applies to healthy youngsters.
We require a completed adoption application on all of our animals.
As per state law -- Title 10, Chapter 828, Section 828.002 of the Texas Health & Safety Code "spay/neuter statute" for shelters -- we require sterilization agreements for adopting unfixed dogs or cats of any age. (We take in a few unfixed adults.)
Directions: Most of the cats and bigger dogs are fostered at Tranquility Base. Address is 1215 CR 140, Whitesboro TX 76273.
Whitesboro is in Grayson County, but the farm is in northeast Cooke County and is accessed by Hwy 82. Hwy 82 runs east/west. It connects with I-35 at Gainesville and with Hwy 75 at Sherman. Tranquility Base is about 15 miles from Gainesville and 24 miles from Sherman.
Because our mailing address differs from our resident county, you might not find us by using www.mapquest.com or similar Internet map directions using our Whitesboro address. If you have this problem, aim for the intersection of Hwy 82E and FM 678, Gainesville TX 76240. That will get you most of the way here. The rest is described below.
Coming from Gainesville, get on Hwy 82 and head east. You want FM 678, which is 13 -14 miles from the I-35 intersection. You will drive through OakRidge. It'll have convenience stores that sell gas & booze on the south side and Shooters Bar & Grill on the north side. Go another mile and a half to the blinking light at FM 678. Just before you reach the blinking light, you'll see "knot meter" that shows how fast you're going.
Turn north onto FM 678, go half a mile and turn right onto CR 140. Tranquility Base, is about a mile east, on the north side.
Coming from Sherman, go through Whitesboro plus another 4 - 5 miles west to the blinking light at FM 678. It likewise has a "knot meter." Turn north (right) and proceed from there --
I will know when you have arrived. My doorbells will bark!
Red River SPCA
1215 Cooke County Road 140
Whitesboro
TX
76273
Phone: 940-668-6309
Email:
redriverspca@ntin.net
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