The People of Ruff Start Rescue
Meet Dr. Jeremy Riddle
The People of Ruff Start Rescue
Dr. Jeremy Riddle is Ruff Start Rescue’s medical director. He grew up in Moorhead, MN, and attended veterinary school at Iowa State University. After graduating, he worked as a vet for four years before moving to Princeton in 2004 to start his own practice. It was there that he began helping Ruff Start Rescue and eventually joined the team as a part-time employee in 2018. He has since sold his practice but continues his work with Ruff Start, helping give animals in need a healthy start for their new lives.
We asked Dr. Riddle to tell us more about his experience with rescue and Ruff Start in this interview with volunteer Mary Christine Kane.
What is a day in your life like?
My job varies from week to week, but often involves performing wellness exams and seeing sick or injured animals, writing medical protocols, consulting on bloodwork and lab testing, and treating heartworm disease in our dogs who are transported from southern states. I do whatever I can to help the vetting department save money so that we can help more animals in need.
What’s the best part about rescue work?
Being able to actually make a difference for pets who need someone to do what’s best for them — not just what an owner wants, even if it’s not in the pet’s best interest. It’s rewarding to be able to do just that at Ruff Start.
How do animals inspire you?
Their motivations are pretty simple. They’re straight with you. Even though they have their individual temperaments and personalities, they just want the basics in life without too many complex twists to what makes them tick. They want to feel safe, to live without pain or discomfort, to have enough food and water, to be loved.
What’s the best way to support animal rescues or shelters?
Financial donations are always needed, and donations of time and space are extremely helpful too. If you have extra room in your home, we always have many more animals in need than there are places for them to go. If you decide to foster, take the cases you can do the most good with, not the ones that look the most fun or get the most attention but may not fit your lifestyle. If you can’t make needed appointments or keep to treatment plans and medication schedules at home then please take a different case and let someone who does have the free time take the tougher cases. We still have plenty of fosters who need you and will be a better fit for your lifestyle.
Have you ever adopted an animal you were fostering?
I have a “foster fail” right now. “Glitter” is a blind, epileptic pit bull. I brought him home to get his epilepsy under control, and my daughter fell in love with him. She isn’t really a dog person, but Glitter won her over. So now he is home.
What are some of the biggest challenges facing rescues today?
Skyrocketing costs of medications, veterinary care, and lab fees are a challenge for the whole industry and are hitting owners and rescues alike. This means more owner surrenders, and our care dollars don’t go as far as they used to. Your donations of time and money are always needed and appreciated. They make a difference in the lives of all the animals we are trying to help.
Category: Advocacy, Education, Mission, News, Rescue Tails Tags: animal, Animal advocacy, animal rescue, animal welfare, cats, dogs, education, ruff start rescue
The People of Ruff Start Rescue
Posted: January 1, 2026 by Kelli Hanson
Meet Dr. Jeremy Riddle
The People of Ruff Start Rescue
Dr. Jeremy Riddle is Ruff Start Rescue’s medical director. He grew up in Moorhead, MN, and attended veterinary school at Iowa State University. After graduating, he worked as a vet for four years before moving to Princeton in 2004 to start his own practice. It was there that he began helping Ruff Start Rescue and eventually joined the team as a part-time employee in 2018. He has since sold his practice but continues his work with Ruff Start, helping give animals in need a healthy start for their new lives.
We asked Dr. Riddle to tell us more about his experience with rescue and Ruff Start in this interview with volunteer Mary Christine Kane.
What is a day in your life like?
My job varies from week to week, but often involves performing wellness exams and seeing sick or injured animals, writing medical protocols, consulting on bloodwork and lab testing, and treating heartworm disease in our dogs who are transported from southern states. I do whatever I can to help the vetting department save money so that we can help more animals in need.
What’s the best part about rescue work?
Being able to actually make a difference for pets who need someone to do what’s best for them — not just what an owner wants, even if it’s not in the pet’s best interest. It’s rewarding to be able to do just that at Ruff Start.
How do animals inspire you?
Their motivations are pretty simple. They’re straight with you. Even though they have their individual temperaments and personalities, they just want the basics in life without too many complex twists to what makes them tick. They want to feel safe, to live without pain or discomfort, to have enough food and water, to be loved.
What’s the best way to support animal rescues or shelters?
Financial donations are always needed, and donations of time and space are extremely helpful too. If you have extra room in your home, we always have many more animals in need than there are places for them to go. If you decide to foster, take the cases you can do the most good with, not the ones that look the most fun or get the most attention but may not fit your lifestyle. If you can’t make needed appointments or keep to treatment plans and medication schedules at home then please take a different case and let someone who does have the free time take the tougher cases. We still have plenty of fosters who need you and will be a better fit for your lifestyle.
Have you ever adopted an animal you were fostering?
I have a “foster fail” right now. “Glitter” is a blind, epileptic pit bull. I brought him home to get his epilepsy under control, and my daughter fell in love with him. She isn’t really a dog person, but Glitter won her over. So now he is home.
What are some of the biggest challenges facing rescues today?
Skyrocketing costs of medications, veterinary care, and lab fees are a challenge for the whole industry and are hitting owners and rescues alike. This means more owner surrenders, and our care dollars don’t go as far as they used to. Your donations of time and money are always needed and appreciated. They make a difference in the lives of all the animals we are trying to help.
Category: Advocacy, Education, Mission, News, Rescue Tails Tags: animal, Animal advocacy, animal rescue, animal welfare, cats, dogs, education, ruff start rescue