North Dakota
Fans worldwide give over $372K to save North Dakota pet rescue property — and the money keeps coming
ST. JOHN, N.D. — Keith Benning still can’t really believe it.
When he posted a video plea Dec. 23 to ask supporters of his Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue to donate $300,000 so the organization could buy the rescue’s building and land, he could barely say the number out loud.
Surely, that was an impossible request, he thought. Obviously, this was more than he could hope to raise — especially by the end of January. But it was the bare minimum needed to buy the property before the landlords sold it to someone else.
Without the building, Benning said in the video while cuddling a litter of tiny puppies, the nonprofit would have to close.
But he underestimated the following of this “accidental rescue,” which started 11 years ago when Benning took home two skinny, sickly strays. Today, the Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue has completed over 8,000 rescues, placed pets in 35 U.S. states plus two Canadian provinces and amassed a worldwide social media following of over 600,000.
By New Year’s Eve, over $200,000 in donations had flowed in. By the morning of Jan. 1, the rescue met its $300,000 goal.
Still, the donations kept coming — to the tune of over $372,000 by Friday, Jan. 3.
“I’m shocked, amazed, awed and very appreciative of it,” Benning told The Forum. “The generosity of people in such a small amount of time has been amazing. I’m still nervous because the deal is not done yet, but it puts us in a better place because every dollar we go over is less we have to take out of savings.”
Contributed / Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue
Benning figures a combination of donations and the rescue’s savings will be needed to buy the rural Rolla, North Dakota, property, which will cost substantially more than $300,000.
Donors can now opt to earmark their gifts for badly needed upgrades and repairs inside the 2,400-square-foot building that houses its operations. “We use a lot of duct tape and zip ties,” he said. “This can go toward building more permanent things.”
Poverty + vet shortage = overpopulation
Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue has come a long way since 2014, when law enforcement officers found two malnourished, mange-riddled dogs in the freezing cold.
Benning, then a Rolette County deputy, volunteered to take them home.
Word quickly spread about the new deputy’s soft spot for homeless animals. His one-bedroom house became a de facto sanctuary for sick, abandoned and unwanted animals. “It kind of exploded,” he said.
Benning learned as he went along. “I really didn’t know anything about rescue,” he said.
But he saw strays were rampant in the remote area. The closest rescue was 118 miles away. The only animal control was a dog catcher, who euthanized all stray animals caught because there were so many of them.
Contributed / Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue
The area’s isolation, coupled with widespread poverty fueled by a lack of job opportunities and public transportation, led to animal overpopulation. The locals actually already rescued many animals, he said, because so many of them took in these strays as pets. But local vets were scarce and people couldn’t afford veterinary services, so many animals weren’t spayed or neutered.
“Anytime you get a combination of lack of affordable vet care and a situation of higher jobless rate, you’re going to have animal overpopulation,” he said.
Other independent rescuers before him had tried to help but typically burned out within a year. Benning recalls a dispatcher pulling him aside to say, “Hey, you’re a good guy and what you’re trying to do is a good thing. I have lived here for 40 years, and I have seen so many people try, then burn out. Don’t put yourself through it; just accept it for what it is.”
Benning responded by betting the dispatcher a 12-pack of beer that he would build an animal shelter. “I’m not buying him that beer,” Benning says today.
Adds pet food bank, neuter clinics
By 2015, Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue became an official nonprofit. A year later, Benning was able to move the operation into a 40-by-60 building on more than 200 acres of land northwest of Rolla.
After a major cleanup, it was furnished with donations, cast-off equipment and garage sale finds. A 1990 Dodge Ram van with holes in the floor transported animals to and fro.
Contributed / Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue
There was no lease. The out-of-state landlord just wanted someone to live there and keep an eye on the property. But Benning knew the location could be sold at any time.
“Luckily, the owners have been really cool with us,” he said. “But I’ve lived in fear for years that we were going to get a call that said, ‘Ok, we’re going to need you to go.’”
All the while, Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue grew,
adding a network of 150 volunteers,
offering advanced first-aid to animals and rescuing cats and horses as well as dogs. They also bring a Kansas veterinarian to the area four times a year to conduct free spay-and-neuter clinics and partner with the online pet-product company Chewy and the Humane Society to offer a pet food bank when owners need temporary help.
As a contingency plan, the rescue invested in a 30-acre plot of land and started drawing up plans for a new facility. But the process took a long time. They had no experience in proper shelter design until Benning could visit shelter-medicine facilities in Wisconsin and Berkeley, California. It was hard to find contractors to work in the remote area. And numerous efforts to drill well water on the new property failed to find water that wasn’t contaminated.
That means they own a shell of a building on the site, which has no electricity, water or HVAC.
So when the call finally came in December to tell them the rescue’s facility would be sold, Benning knew they were in no position to relocate.
But there was light on the horizon. As soon as Benning’s first video dropped, Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue’s supporters rallied. A special Facebook group, called We Love Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue, was instrumental in spreading the word and generating donations. “They’ve just been working like crazy, and it’s really amazing the kindness and generosity of people,” he said.
Donors stepped up with matching funds. People from as far away as the United Kingdom and Italy watched the video. “The weird thing is the following overseas. We have people that watch the videos in 52 different countries,” he said.
Benning believes Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue fans are attracted to the transparency of the operation. “We don’t just show the good stuff but the bad stuff too. We show a lot of behind-the-scenes and how much work it is,” he said. “I think people appreciate that: being allowed to be let in and see how things work.”
He admits it’s been a tough road and he’s felt burned out many times. “I have wanted to give up, to quit, to go back to having hobbies and free time without the looming dread that I’m failing the animals because I’m only working 14 hours instead of 16 hours.”
But something always arises — a puppy battling mange or an owner who was able to save their dog — to keep him moving forward.
And so it looks like he won’t be buying anyone that 12-pack anytime soon. “That slowly transformed into a saying I came up with: ‘You can’t fail if you don’t quit,’” he said. “So don’t quit.”
Give to Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue at
https://shorturl.at/ZIcC2.
WEST FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Authorities have identified the man killed and the driver involved in a fatal overnight crash in West Fargo.
Jose Rodriguez, 38, of West Fargo, died after being struck by a vehicle early Wednesday morning, according to the North Dakota State Patrol.
The driver, Carly Vizenor, 25, of West Fargo, was not injured. Charges and restraint use remain under investigation.
The crash happened at approximately 2:46 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of 32nd Avenue South and 9th Street West.
According to the State Patrol, a 2016 Ford Fusion was traveling westbound on 32nd Avenue South when it struck Rodriguez, who was crossing the street approximately 20 to 30 yards east of the 9th Street intersection.
The driver left the scene and returned approximately 10 minutes later.
Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene.
The North Dakota State Patrol, West Fargo Police Department, and West Fargo Fire Department all responded to the crash.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
Getty
NDSU could make the CFP in 2026.
Winning has been the standard at North Dakota State for decades, and one college football analyst expects a similar result in the FBS right away.
Brett McMurphy of On3 believes NDSU will run the table 12-0 with a Mountain West Conference championship and make the College Football Playoff. McMurphy projects the Bison to face Oregon in the CFP, the Fargo Forum’s Jeff Kolpack reported.
That would mean the Bison would go on the road to Eugene against a perennial FBS contender, which didn’t go well for the last Group of Six team to play the Ducks. Oregon steamrolled James Madison 51-34 in last season’s CFP before the Ducks took down Texas Tech and lost to eventual national champion Indiana.
It’s not impossible for the Bison to get that far based on Sagarin Ratings and the program’s history of success against FBS teams. The Bison would need to maximize what they can control and to have a few things fall their way.
That said, all of this would be contingent upon the Bison receiving clearance for postseason competition from the NCAA on Thursday. Transitioning teams normally face a two-year postseason ban, and NDSU had been in a similar situation before, with a four-year postseason ban during the move from Division II to the FCS in 2004.
NDSU Looking to Pass JMU Again
In 2016, the JMU interrupted NDSU’s five-year FCS championship run with a playoff upset at the Fargodome.
NDSU then beat JMU in the 2017 season championship to win a sixth title in seven years. The Bison beat JMU again in the FCS championship game again for the 2019 season before the Dukes joined the FBS in 2022.
JMU’s success at the FBS level has resulted in two bowl game appearances and Sun Belt Conference title. Amid the conference crown, the Dukes slipped into the CFP as the ACC went topsy-turvy when a 5-5 Duke Blue Devils team at the time upset Virginia.
JMU made the CFP, and Miami represented the ACC while Notre Dame sat at home despite a 10-2 record and a close early-season loss to the national runner-up Hurricanes. NDSU, meanwhile, had a 12-0 regular season in the FCS and got stunned in the FCS playoffs by Illinois State, the second team ever to win a playoff game in Fargo.
The Bison looked like a program retooling to get back up from a postseason disappointment in January, but February brought the news of NDSU’s long-anticipated move up to the FBS. The Mountain West Conference invited the Bison amid the conference’s restructuring with five teams leaving for the Pac-12.
That made the former FCS titan attractive to the Mountain West, which notably lost former CFP entrant Boise State. Whether or not NDSU can become the Mountain West’s new Boise State or pass JMU as a premiere Group of Six team remains unknown.
Common Opponents Key For Bison
The Bison have the odds stacked against them in 2026 to make the CFP, but it’s not impossible.
NDSU doesn’t have a Power Four opponent, but the Bison can make up for that by margin of victory, especially with any Mountain West contenders that have Power Four opponents during the season.
New Mexico has the biggest Power Four opponent among Mountain West teams with Oklahoma, and UTEP faces Oklahoma and Michigan. San Jose State faces USC, another team with CFP hopes.
NDSU beating New Mexico, UTEP and San Jose State handily will especially help in making a run for the playoff.
Matthew Davis covers the NFL, WNBA and college sports for Heavy.com. As a contributing writer to the StarTribune, he has also covered Minnesota prep sports since 2016. More about Matthew Davis
April 20, 1957 – May 2, 2026
Via Miller-Carlin Funeral Home
Steven Privratsky, 69, of Hettinger, North Dakota, passed away peacefully on May 2, 2026, surrounded by his loved ones.
Steven was born on April 20, 1957, in Dickinson, North Dakota, to Steve and Minnie (Binstock) Privratsky. He was raised on the family farm, where he learned the value of hard work, dedication, and family values that he carried with him throughout his life. On June 3, 1977, Steven married the love of his life, Lori Lien, and together they were blessed with three sons: Scott, Mark, and Jason.
Steven was a proud farmer and dedicated many years to raising cattle, planting fields, and cutting hay. Farming was more than a livelihood; it was a way of life he deeply cherished. Steven was also a car enthusiast and a mechanic at heart, and in 1999, he opened Steve’s Service Plus, where he became the town’s trusted mechanic. He took great pride in his work and truly enjoyed visiting with customers, sharing stories, and lending a helping hand.
Above all, Steven’s greatest joy was his family. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren, creating special memories and turning the farm into an “amusement park” with tractor, truck, and skid steer rides. Over the past five years, living closer to family in Minnesota was a true blessing. He treasured attending his grandchildren’s activities and being present for the moments that mattered most.
Steven is survived by his loving wife, Lori; his children, Scott (Carmen) Privratsky of Rice, MN, Mark (Sarah) Privratsky of Eden Prairie, MN, and Jason (Kristin) Privratsky of Grant, MN; seven grandchildren, Makenna, Grant, Benjamin, Luke, Caleb, Logan, and Nolan; his siblings, Delores (Harold) Messmer, Lewis (Linda) Privratsky, Larry Privratsky, Mary Kay (Allen) Whitehead, Debbie (Roy) Hofland, and Jeff Privratsky; and his in-laws, Tony (Bev) Volesky, Sharon (Denis) Wells, Donna Lien, Sandra Lien, Lyle (Pat) Lien, Ruth Klein, Alton (Tammy) Lien, Rita (Bill) Frank, Kevin (Terri) Lien, Carla (Jim) Messer, and Curtis Lien. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Steve and Minnie (Binstock) Privratsky; his sister, Betty Jane Volesky; his in-laws, Harold and Dorothy (Shern) Lien, and Linda Privratsky; and his nieces and nephews, Rhonda Starling, Dustin Perfett, Cody Perfett, and Corie Lien.
Steven will be remembered for his strong work ethic, kind heart, and deep love for his family. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Miller-Carlin Funeral Homes, 3013 Roosevelt Road, St. Cloud, Minnesota. A second Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Hettinger Lutheran Church, 904 2nd Avenue South, Hettinger, North Dakota, with visitation at 10:00 AM and funeral service at 11:30 AM, with fellowship and burial to follow.
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