Saydee Walton, a second-year student majoring in Zoology, hopes to become a veterinarian or work at a zoo someday.

“I know that I would enjoy a career where I work with animals,” she said.

The honors student volunteers on weekends at The Red Riding Hood Rescue Project also known as The Red in Middletown, which has developed a partnership with Miami University’s Center for Career Exploration and Success (CCES) for internships and volunteer opportunities. The USDA-licensed, federal non-profit corporation is dedicated to providing rescue, sanctuary, and lifetime support to wolfdogs, a canine hybrid.

Located on 20 acres in Middletown, the Red is a Current Agricultural Use Value (CAVU) certified forest in the state of Ohio. They are in the process of adding an on-site educational center that can accommodate lessons on wildlife rescue as it pertains to the fur trade or classroom training on cooperative care.

Walton visited the sanctuary in April and again in September as part of the career center’s Into the Wild program that allows students to perform various volunteering activities. Some participants have since moved on to veterinary college or landed positions at the Sonoma Desert Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, or Exotic Feline Cat Rescue.

Saydee Walton is a Miami University student majoring in Zoology who volunteers with the Red Riding Hood Rescue Project.

A ‘pipeline’ for internships

Walton said she helped set up fences of future enclosures and with the construction of a new house for one of the wolves, Luna, “and I also helped with painting that enclosure during an independent visit to the sanctuary. From these experiences, I have learned a lot about working with woodworking and how to behave around animals that aren't as social as the typical household pets. It was a great experience and I plan to spend a lot of my time volunteering and, in the future, interning at this nonprofit.”

The Into the Wild program developed after career advisors Charlie Chen and Matt Severson wanted a way to engage with students who historically indicated they had a hard time finding ways to get hands-on experiences.

“Our experience as career advisors helped us understand some of the issues students faced when looking for professional growth opportunities,” said Chen, now associate director of Career Networks at CCES.

Chen said the partnership “helped create a pipeline” for internships.

Susan Vogt, president of The Red Riding Hood Rescue Project.

‘Needs meeting needs’

Susan Vogt, president of The Red Riding Hood Rescue Project and a steering committee member of the Big Bad Rescue Network, called the partnership a wonderful arrangement of “needs meeting needs.”

“We have an opportunity to help Miami students interested in the animal science field get hands-on experience with large carnivores and build a resume that can help launch their careers,” she said. “In exchange, we are blessed with dedicated, responsible people passionate about our mission.”

Vogt said that “finding the right people has been one of our biggest hurdles, but the partnership with Miami University has met the need. We currently have seven Miami interns, and two Miami students who have stayed with us after completing their internship. We also have students from Miami University who volunteer on Saturdays. This effort bolsters our maintenance and building efforts.”

Vogt said they see their job as mentors, helping to shape these students.

“We can teach them many things about animal care, feeding, enrichment, and protocols at our facility but we also like to expose our interns to behind-the-scenes opportunities at other facilities, with other animals, or shadowing our vet team, or learning to shoot dart guns. We may be fully volunteer run but we truly want to help build valuable resume experience.”

They also believe they are shaping the next generation of animal care givers.

“We expect a lot from our interns. But in return, we connect them with zoos, wildlife facilities or vet clinics, wherever their career path is taking them. We are 4.5 years old and we are proud that some of our interns have either gone on to vet school or landed coveted positions at the Sonoma Desert Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, or Exotic Feline Cat Rescue,” she said.

Vogt added, “There is so much good that has come from this partnership. Soon we will be building our education center and even more opportunities will open up.”

The Red Riding Hood Rescue Project developed a partnership with Miami University's Center for Career Exploration and Success.

Animal caretaking experience

Elena Malott, a Theatre and Zoology double major, said she intends to go down the zoology route for a career, “but I also love theater and Miami has a very flexible program that allows you to double major in Theatre pretty easily. I am interested in the transferable skills from theater/the arts and how those skills can be put towards conservation/wildlife education programs.”

Malott interned at The Red over the summer. “After it was over, they have allowed me to stay on board as a caretaker this fall, and I plan to continue working in the spring as well.”

At The Red, she helps with morning caretaking duties, which include feeding the dogs and cleaning their enclosures. They also do enrichment activities such as giving the dogs special treats, taking them on walks, or letting them in the new enrichment pen.

“From my time here I've gained a lot of hands-on experience in animal caretaking and a lot of insight on how a local, volunteer rescue organization like The Red runs and the importance of community. I've also been able to learn about wolf dogs in general and things like fur farms that some of our dogs were rescued from.”