Rescue the Rescue: Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue Surpasses 300,000 Fundraising Goal in 8 Days and Continues to Save Lives
Media Contact: Debra Kronowitz debrakronowitz@gmail.com 954.651.1346
Rescue the Rescue: Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue Surpasses 300,000 Fundraising Goal in 8 Days and Continues to Save Lives
With efforts led by Keith Benning Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue remains a powerful voice.
ROLLA, NORTH DAKTOA – JANUARY 6, 2025 – This holiday season, Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue (TMAR) found itself racing against time to save its home — and the lives of countless animals who depend on it.
In December, TMAR received notice of the property owner’s intent to sell. Founder Keith Benning posted a video on the rescue’s Facebook page asking its more than 600,000 worldwide supporters on social media to help Rescue the Rescue and donate $300,000 so the organization could buy both the land and building the rescue has operated from since 2016. The remaining funds needed to secure the property, according to Benning, would be pulled out of savings. Without these funds, the lifeline for homeless, sick and injured animals in one of North Dakota’s most economically challenged areas was going to be lost, leaving vulnerable animals with nowhere to turn.
The campaign garnered support from its social media community raising $300,000 in just 8 days—on New Year’s Eve, more than $200,000 was raised and on the morning of January 1, the rescue met its $300,000 goal. Donations are still being accepted as the fund closes on January 31, 2025. As of today, $380,000 has been raised.
“Our supporters are amazing. To see everyone rally behind us validates what we’ve been doing. Without these donations, thousands of animals would be without a safe place. If we couldn’t buy the land and had to close, we wouldn’t have any functional space to relocate to,” says Benning.
Since the $300,000 has been met, donors can now earmark their contributions toward the land purchase or for badly needed repairs and upgrades to the 40’ x 60’ building it operates from. “We have used a lot of duct tape over the years, so money earmarked for repairs will allow us to start upgrading; money earmarked for the land purchase means it is just a little bit less of what we have to pull out of savings,” says Benning.
Benning founded TMAR in 2016 after discovering that his community lacked animal services within a 100-mile radius. Originally from Chicago, he began with a GoFundMe page called “Saving Grace,” operating out of a one-bedroom house. “We started Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue by accident,” says Benning. “If something is wrong, you can either do something about it or complain. We did something about it. We had no mentors or resources—just the will to save lives.”
Since then, more than 8,000 animals have been adopted, with another 3,500+ placed with partner rescues. The organization has also built a vast foster care network, earning support from followers in 52 countries and over 150 volunteers, including remote participants from Australia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Norway.
TMAR has also made a significant impact locally, organizing 4 free spay and neuter clinics and 8 free vaccination clinics annually, along with a food bank and emergency aid for area residents.
“We are grateful for the support from our community with whom we have been able to empower. Without our work, things would go back to the way they were—no first aid when someone can’t get a vet appointment or afford care, only one spay and neuter clinic a year that people line up for at 3 A.M., and animals being dumped because the nearest shelter is two hours away and always full.”
TMAR recently began work on a new facility, but progress has been delayed by challenges, including a lack of HVAC, limited electricity, and contaminated well water from a nearby fracking site. “We’re years away from making it fully functional,” says Benning. “Our only realistic option to continue saving lives is to purchase the current rescue building and land.”
Rescue matters. Approximately 6.3 million animals enter shelters in the United States each year. About 4.1 million animals are adopted from shelters each year and approximately 920,000 animals are euthanized each year due to lack of space.
“Compassion, fatigue and long hours without a break can be overwhelming,” says Benning. “But when you see that look from a scared puppy—the moment he realizes he can trust that food and water aren’t just a one-time thing—that’s what keeps us going. Or, when a feral dog makes those tiny steps of progress, until one day, he takes a leap of faith and realizes nothing bad is happening, that people are good, and that life can be good—that’s what it’s all about,” says Benning.
To donate, please go to https://donorbox.org/rescue-the-rescue-tmar
For more information:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/turtle-mountain-animal-rescue-needs-040439372.html
https://www.valleynewslive.com/2025/01/01/turtle-mountain-animal-rescue-surpassesfundraising-goal/
To interview Benning or to learn more about TMAR, please contact Debra Kronowitz at 954.651.1346 or via email: debrakronowitz@gmail.com
ABOUT TURTLE MOUNTAIN RESCUE
Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue (TMAR) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and re-homing abandoned, abused and neglected animals in one of North Dakota’s most economically challenged regions. What started as a small, grassroots effort with a GoFundMe page and a one-bedroom house in 2016 has since grown into a lifesaving operation serving a 3,000-square-mile area. TMAR has rescued and re-homed over 8,000 animals, including dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens, with more than 4,500 finding their forever homes. The rescue also operates a large foster care network and runs various community outreach programs, including free spay/neuter clinics, vaccination drives, and an emergency food bank for pet owners in need. TMAR’s mission goes beyond just saving animals—it’s about creating hope, inspiring communities and offering essential services to area residents who would otherwise have nowhere to turn. Through dedication, love and unwavering perseverance, Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue continues to be a lifeline for animals in need, providing them with a chance at a better life.
RESCUE CLIPS
Meet Keith Benning
Saving A Life - Chance
Intake
The Rewards - Adoption
Learning To Trust
Live Rescue of Dog and Puppies in -24 Fahrenheit!
