Greater sedona pet rock rescue clears the city of feral rocks

Three years ago, the streets of Sedona, Arizona, were swarming with feral and abandoned rocks, cast aside like yesterday’s trash or the physical evidence of thousands of years of geologic processes. 

“They were all along the interstate, scattered in vacant lots, some just lying on sidewalks,” said resident Ted Hawk. “To be honest, we didn’t think there was a problem with it.”

But today, thanks to the hard, selfless work of Greater Sedona Pet Rock Rescue (and Landscaping Services), the rocks are off the streets, hoping for a chance to be adopted by a loving family and spend the rest of their lives in a forever home — or a path running around that home, if you go that route. 

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" Pet Rock Rescue’s Jeanie Raddish spending quality time with Larry Bob, Melon, Peabody, Mr. Chips, and Solange, all of whom would find a forever home bordering Mr. Henderson’s pool. Via Shutterstock

“I just thought it was wrong,” said founder Jeanie Raddish. “All these poor rocks just strewn about. I wanted to give them a chance for a better life as a member of a loving home — or as part of a weed-resistant border to that home.”

So Jeanie and her team of volunteers began getting the rocks off the streets. All told, they’ve rescued 867,098 rocks, in multiple shapes and sizes, from a tiny pebble no bigger than your average pebble to a giant boulder called Big Red, who sleeps in Jeanie’s bed along with seven other rescue rocks. 

But one little rock is close to her heart. 

A rock would be very happy inside that home — or outside it.

“Peanut was found on the sidewalk outside a fast-food restaurant,” recalls Jeanie, tearfully. “She’d been getting stepped on for weeks, sometimes kicked into the street. When we saw her, we knew we had to do something.”

So Jeanie walked over and picked up the little rock. 

“I put her in my pocket and she didn’t make a sound, not a peep,” she said, “even when I was finishing my shake and the straw made the GARRRHHHHGH sound. She’d found her home.”

Jeanie drilled a hole into Peanut and now wears the rock around her neck as a reminder that all rocks deserve a chance to be pet rocks. 

“We’ve got like half a million rocks back at the yard, if anyone needs one,” says Jeanie, brightly. “Take a handful. Really, come on by. You can change a life — or thousands of lives, if you’ve got a truck.” 

“Rocks are a great alternative to mulch!” she added. 

And now, a special offer for Rockster readers!

Greater Sedona Pet Rock Rescue (and Landscaping Services) is offering a special 5,000-for-1 deal for Rockster readers. That’s right: Adopt one pet rock, get 5,000 — or however many you want, really. Just enter the code WHATDOWEDOWITHALLTHESEROCKS? at checkout.