Homeward Bound Rescue of MN

25/03/2025

Some fresh faces to share this afternoon, including two pairs of bonded kitties ❤. Please click on their photos to learn more about them.

If you are interested in adopting a dog, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/preadopt

If you are interested in adopting a cat, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/application/cat

20/03/2025

**adoption pending***

Please only apply if you meet the following requirements: fenced yard, another active dog, and kids (preferred, but not required). Chloe's foster is perfectly happy waiting for the just right home to come along for her.

The time has officially come for Chloe (who was able to have cataract surgery, thanks to your donations) to find her forever home.

Writing a biography for the perfect dog should be easy. One would simply need to list all of the remarkable things that make her so so special. With the perfect dog the list is practically endless. And yet as I sit here trying to write it, I realize that my words are the words that will allow her to move from my temporary refuge to her perfect forever home. And that makes it near impossible to find the words.

Chloe exudes love. And all of the energy of a young lab. Not the chaotic energy you are probably imagining, but the energy of a soul teeming with excitement at a world she can finally see. Chloe was going blind. But thanks to the selflessness of her previous owners, she was put into rescue care in the hopes that her juvenile cataracts could be treated and she could live a life with vision.

Thanks to the generosity of so many people (and one very special lady from South Dakota, you know who you are!) Chloe was able to have a surgery that completely and fully corrected the blindness in her right eye. And she hasn’t looked back - pun absolutely intended.

We’ve had the privilege of fostering Chloe during this period of surgery, appointments, eye drops, and drastic changes to her environment. Through all of it she has been the very best girl.

She loves absolutely everyone she meets, which makes sense. Everyone she has met has absolutely loved her right back. At 63 lbs. she is not exactly lap dog material, but once she climbs into your lap you will think she is. She drinks water like a hippo, shoving her whole block head into the bowl at times. She is trained in all the ways that are important. She is perfectly content to sleep in her crate or your bed. She has the occasional accident in the house, but that’s usually only when a new friend comes over and she can’t contain her excitement.

For us, her best qualities are how she is with our lab Tasha, and our three pre teen kids. She takes turns between being a wrestling partner and a pillow, seamlessly switching between the two. Because of this - her ideal home would have both kids and another dog that likes to play.

She does have a super power - enjoying the fresh air and seeing the world outside. Ideally, she would do that from a back yard. She seems to enjoy nothing more than holding stock still and SEEING everything around her.

Some folks might be wondering why we aren’t foster failing with Chloe. It’s very simple - fostering and rescuing dogs is just too important. We can’t continue to foster if we have two dogs of our own. That said, expect a rigorous and thorough vetting process if you would like to adopt our sweet Chloe. I know the perfect family is out there for her! Is it yours? Please email [email protected] with questions. Please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/preadopt

19/03/2025

Driver's needed!!

We are in search of a driver to bring two kittens ( 6 months, will be crated) from Cottage Grove to Forest Lake Thursday the 20th by 8 AM

They will need to be picked up in Forest Lake and bright back to Cottage Grove around 1 PM the same day.

Also, looking for a driver on April 3rd! For Bindi the puppy, who will travel with a crate, from Minnetrista MN to Forest Lake by 8 AM. She will need to be picked up/returned to Minnetrista around 1:00 PM.

Can anyone help with any of these drives, even if it's just one way? Please email [email protected]

16/03/2025

Fosters needed!

These English Labs have been part of a local breeding program and due to personal health reasons the owner is letting them go to rescue. No negative comments please- they are choosing the responsible route by surrendering to rescue.

These girls are very friendly, great with people and other dogs. They are outside dogs right now and we need fosters willing to house train, leash train, and show them how to enjoy life as a house dog. Ten have already gone to fosters and are responding VERY quickly and well to training.

Taya the chocolate female is 11 years old and the sweetest girl. Then there are two female Yellow Labs, 14 months, and due to training would be best split up, although they love other dogs.

Please email [email protected]

If you are new to fostering, please fill out an application at: www.homewardboundrescue.com/application/foster

16/03/2025

Definitely a photogenic group to share today. Please click on their photos to learn more about them.

If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/preadopt

14/03/2025

Fosters found! Thank you!

Fosters needed by Monday!

Take one or take two-- we just need someone to step up and say they want to embrace the chaos of accidents, chewing, crying that comes with babies. It's balanced with puppy breath, tails that wag nonstop, and those melt your heart brown eyes. These 3 Lab/Retriever mix pups ( female is in the middle) are 12 pounds at 14 weeks old. They are fully vetted. Please email [email protected] if you can help! Available and in need now

If you are interested in fostering, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/application/foster

11/03/2025

Look at these faces. Young, old, small, medium, and large. So many adorable pups searching for their forever homes.

Please click on their photos to learn more about them. If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/preadopt

10/03/2025

Temp foster (or better yet, an adopter) needed! Marley's foster will be traveling March 23rd-28th and he is looking for somewhere to crash while they are away.

Marley is a 4 month male mixed breed puppy, likely will be around 45-50 pounds as an adult, raised in a very supportive foster home so the start he has had to his life is a positive one. He is almost house trained, crates when alone, walks on the leash, and is very confident and social with people and other dogs. Marley is the perfect blend of playful and cuddles, and will make a wonderful family pet or companion dog. He is still a baby at 4 months, but has such a solid start. Please email [email protected] with questions.

If you are interested in fostering, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/application/foster

If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/preadopt

03/03/2025

Spotlight on our cats!

Did you know we have several cats currently available for adoption. Please click on their photos for more information.

If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/application/cat

28/02/2025

Driver found, thank you!

We were notified about these babies, and though we are not able to help due to lack of fosters, Great Tails animal shelter in Grand Rapids, MN has open fosters, if we can get them there ( about two hours between where they are and where they need to be).... can anyone help?

6 puppies from Onamia, MN to Grand Rapids, MN.

Please email [email protected] if you can help!

We want to help get them into indoor, adoptive homes and spay/neutered so that they are not contributing to overpopulation.

24/02/2025

Look at these adorable faces who are searching for their forever homes. Please click on their photos for more information.

If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/preadopt

23/02/2025

Good morning everyone. Check out these updated photos of some of our already posted dogs. Please click on their photos to learn more about them.

If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/preadopt

22/02/2025

I know it seems like we are a broken record lately asking for fosters, so we wanted to take a moment to make this post.

We have a wonderful small group of dedicated fosters, who we could not do this without. Unfortunately, they either already have dogs who aren't getting adopted (which subsequently means we cannot save more), or they are unable to help at this time. Lately, we have had several people sign on as fosters, which is wonderful. However, we need to take a moment to reiterate something. We are a completely foster based rescue, meaning we do not have a facility. When you sign on to foster a dog, you ARE saving a life. This is a dog/cat that would otherwise not be able to come into rescue without you. That is a wonderful thing, BUT, as their foster, you cannot back out at the last second, or simply stop responding to us after commiting to help. And if you do take home a foster and quickly decide not to continue fostering, please understand we will do everything in our power to find another foster quickly, but it cannot happen instantaneously. Lately, we have been put in several situations that left us scrambling at the very last second, or unfortunately resulted in a dog being left behind at a partner shelter because we did not have time to find another foster home before they would have arrived. Not only does this break our hearts, but it also puts that dog in further jeopardy.

Those of us who run this rescue have been doing so for over two and a half decades. In that time, we have watched the Minnesota rescue community evolve into nothing short of amazing. 25+ years ago, there were only a few of us out there. But, animal rescue as a whole has reached a point we have never seen before. Adoptions are incredibly slow, volunteers are burning out, and fosters are disappearing (whether it be because of burn out, or because they adopted the dogs they fostered, and are no longer able, which is still a great thing, but it's a double edged sword). Our partner shelters are bursting at the seams with significantly more animals coming in, than going out. The ones we are able to help feel like drops in the bucket, and it is overwhelming. We wish it was just us experiencing this, but almost all rescues are desperate for help right now.

In 2024, we were able to save 216 dogs and cats, and that is amazing considering what a small rescue we truly are (compared to some of the others). We are incredibly proud of Homeward Bound, we have been around since 1991 and are one of the oldest rescues still in operation in the state. That is no easy feat, and in order to continue our mission, we need more committed foster homes.

If you are interested in becoming a foster home, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/application/foster

13/02/2025

We wanted to share two very special "In Memory of" pups. We love receiving updates on our alumni, and while these two beautiful pups are no longer with us, it brings us nothing but joy to know they went on to live long, wonderful lives with their forever families. You can click on their photos to read a bit more. And a big thank you to their families for giving them the life they deserved.

"Until we meet again at the rainbow bridge🌈🐾"

12/02/2025

We are desperately hoping to find fosters for these three dogs by this weekend. Please click on their photos for more information. Please email [email protected] if you can help.

If you are new to fostering, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/application/foster

11/02/2025

Hello everyone! We wanted to share an update on our medical fundraiser dogs.

First, we were able to raise enough funds for all three dogs, so a HUGE THANK YOU to all of our supporters. Lil Wayne had his dental last week, Peppin will have his on the 20th, and of course, our biggest medical case, Miss Chloe, the young lab with juvenile cataracts, had her surgery last week and is recovering well. She is already regaining vision in the affected eye, and will be available for adoption soon!

Thank you all for your ongoing support, we could not continue our mission of helping dogs in need, especially the complex medical cases, without your support.

10/02/2025

We are in need of another crate, this time in the Farmington area for a Lab mix puppy, 36 inches or so. Please email [email protected] if you can help! Thank you!

Hello rescue supporters! We are looking for a crate to fit a smaller Lab mix, used is absolutely fine, in the Bloomington area. If you are able to help, please email [email protected]

09/02/2025

These four adorable pups will be joining us soon. Please click on their photos to learn more about them. If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application at www.homewardboundrescue.com/peadopt