Red Star Animal Emergency Services™

American Humane’s Animal Protection Division trainers include some of the nation’s most highly regarded professionals in the fields of animal welfare and animal emergency services. All have years of real-world experience in their areas of expertise, in addition to being outstanding educators. We’re proud to introduce you to these top-notch trainers.

Bill Grimes

Basic Animal Emergency Services instructor (since 2005)
Red Star Animal Emergency Services responder (since 2006)

Being surrounded by pets and large animals is second nature for Bill Grimes, who grew up on a Kansas farm. After a 33-year career as a school teacher and superintendent, Bill admits he was “retired and bored” until Hurricane Katrina came along. After spending a week caring for rescued animals at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center outside New Orleans, Bill returned to his home in Iowa, then headed to Denver for American Humane’s Basic Animal Emergency Services class. Since then, he has responded to a variety of natural and manmade disasters, including Texas wildfires, the North Carolina puppy mill seizure known as “Noah’s Ark” and the City of Memphis Animal Shelter investigation.

Today, Bill is putting his teaching experience to good use as an instructor for American Humane’s Basic Animal Emergency Services class. “I enjoy helping people become better prepared to handle any emergency they may face, whether it’s a national disaster, an emergency in their own community or even saving their own pets. Plus, a lot of students in these classes go on to become Red Star volunteers, so it’s always great to see them on a response.”

Bill and his wife, Judith, live on a farm in State Center, Iowa, with two horses, three goats, two ducks, 50 chickens, two llamas, six birds, eight dogs and 18 cats.

Diane Robinson

Animal Emergency Services instructor (since 2006)
Red Star responder (since 2006)

In her capacity as training instructor and curriculum developer for American Humane’s Animal Protection Division, Diane Robinson both writes and teaches some of the organization’s signature workshops. Diane is co-author and instructor of Disaster Sheltering for Companion Animals and Basic Equine Care and Handling for the Investigator, and she is currently developing new curricula for American Humane’s Leadership Development Program. She also teaches Basic Animal Emergency Services and Animal Rescue Training for First Responders. Diane is a member of the Douglas County (Colo.) Search and Rescue Team and a senior responder on American Humane’s Red Star Animal Emergency Services team, with whom she has deployed to 13 disasters since 2006.

Diane’s diverse background includes a bachelor’s degree in photography from Penn State, a master’s degree in Pedagogy of Physical Education from the University of Northern Colorado, and positions coaching track and field, working in a high school art department and teaching at a K-8 charter school in the Physical Education and Adventure Education program.

Says Diane, “I’m fortunate that I get to teach what I love to do. It’s great to be around people who are so passionate about animals. They get so excited by what they’re learning and so motivated to use the information to prepare for their own disasters or to become part of the Red Star team. I also love responding; it reminds me how important my job is for the animals and people we help. And it feeds my adrenaline junkie needs!”

Of her two dogs, one cat and two horses, Diane says, “All came to me in their own unique way. My golden was given to me when his owner couldn’t control him; he was an 80-pound 1-year-old who had not been trained. My 2-year-old rescue -- a golden/shepherd mix -- is my reminder of why I do this job; he was a feral puppy who could have had a tough life on the streets or worse. Instead, he is a kind and loving dog who loves his dog brother and cat sister, who was also born to a feral mother. My half Arabian horse is my partner on the trail, and our latest addition is a Clydesdale found on a rescue website. True to the draft breed, he is a kindhearted and gentle giant.”

Ginger Adams

Basic Animal Emergency Services instructor (since 2006)
Red Star Animal Emergency Services™ responder (since 2002)

Ginger Adams, a Florida resident since she was 2 years old, has lived with and loved animals as far back as she can remember. Her passion for companion animals in particular is evident in both her long-time career as a professional dog trainer and in her avocation as an animal emergency responder and volunteer.

In 1998, Ginger began volunteering at Alachua County Animal Services in Gainesville, Fla., where she temperament tested shelter dogs. As the volunteer coordinator, she also worked to teach volunteers and the public about dog and cat behavior. Realizing the importance of disaster preparation (especially in the state of Florida) and wanting to give back to the community, Ginger attended Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) training and became a member of the NorthStar DART team in Alachua County; she remains a member of the local Community Emergency Response Team today.

Upon learning about American Humane’s role in national disaster response, Ginger became a Red Star volunteer and began teaching Basic Animal Emergency Services training in 2005. She was deployed with American Humane for the first time to Hurricane Lili in 2002 and has since been on 16 deployments with the Red Star team, serving as a team lead on numerous occasions.

Ginger also volunteers with the local “Paws on Parole” program, where she works with inmates to train shelter dogs in preparation for adoption. She has been a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers since 1998 and is also a member of Dog Scouts of America, an organization that educates the public about responsible dog ownership and the importance of the human/canine bond.

Says Ginger of her role as an American Humane instructor, “Having the opportunity to educate the public in disaster response as part of a national organization truly fills me with a sense of pride. It gives me hope that I provide information they will take back to their own communities and use when they have to consider animals in planning for a disaster, as well as insight into the job we do as responders.”