Ruff Start Rescue

Ruff Start Rescue Ruff Start Rescue is a foster-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue committed to connecting people and pets.
(860)

We're devoted to saving at-risk companion animals' lives while empowering animal lovers with essential resources. We strive for a world where every companion animal has a safe and loving home and their family has the knowledge and resources needed to give them the life they deserve. Sign up for our newsletter here>>> https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/i608vLZ/newsletter

Kennel license issued

by the MN Board of Animal Health . Ruff Start is 100% foster-based but has kennels for temporary housing.

As 2025 comes to a close, we want to thank you for being part of our social media community. Every time you view, like, ...
12/31/2025

As 2025 comes to a close, we want to thank you for being part of our social media community.

Every time you view, like, or share our content, you’re not just enjoying adorable animals; you’re helping boost their visibility and connecting them with loving homes.

Here’s to making an even bigger impact together in 2026! 🎉

An urgent plea for help, with eight tiny lives depending on us 💔We were contacted by an owner who is struggling deeply a...
12/30/2025

An urgent plea for help, with eight tiny lives depending on us 💔

We were contacted by an owner who is struggling deeply and running out of options. Living on a fixed income and overwhelmed by multiple litters, they reached out not because they don’t care, but because they care so much and didn’t know where else to turn. They asked for help before being forced into a choice they never wanted to face.

Because of that call, eight puppies, just 9 weeks old, are coming into Ruff Start Rescue today. They were living in an unsafe situation, and stepping in right now means they’ll have warmth, safety, and the chance to grow up loved. Their lives were truly on the line.

This rescue doesn’t stop with the puppies. We are also supporting the owner by arranging spay and neuter services for the adult dogs and providing food assistance for all of the animals in the home, including another litter that is only two weeks old. This is what compassionate rescue looks like: supporting people in crisis while protecting animals and preventing future litters.

Right now, four of these puppies urgently need permanent foster homes that can commit to them through adoption. Ruff Start covers all supplies and veterinary care. Because of their age, we’re hoping to place them in pairs or small groups whenever possible, so they can continue to feel safe and supported.

These puppies will be arriving at the Ruff Start Rescue office at 2:00 PM today, and while they will be safe tonight, their journey is just beginning. Caring for eight growing puppies, along with spay/neuter services and food support for the animals left behind, comes with significant and immediate costs.

As we work to end the year saving as many lives as possible, we need our community now more than ever. Fostering saves lives, but donations make rescue possible. Every dollar helps cover medical care, food, supplies, and the resources needed to step in when time is short and the stakes are high.

If you can foster, please sign up today: https://ruffstartrescue.org/get-involved/foster/

If you’re able to give, a donation right now helps ensure these puppies, and countless others, get the care they deserve.

Your support today means warmth instead of fear, safety instead of uncertainty, and a future filled with possibility, for both these puppies and for the people who needed help when it mattered most.

Every step really does make a difference 💙Thanks to our amazing supporters who walk with WoofTrax, we recently received ...
12/30/2025

Every step really does make a difference 💙

Thanks to our amazing supporters who walk with WoofTrax, we recently received a donation worth nearly $10,000 from WoofTrax - Walk for a Dog and Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc., all from people doing something they already love: walking their dogs.

If you’re not using WoofTrax yet, now’s the perfect time to sign up! It’s free, easy to use, and every walk helps support lifesaving work for animals in need. Thank you for walking with us and turning daily strolls into real impact.

Learn more: https://wooftrax.com/

At Ruff Start Rescue, our mission is simple yet profound: to ensure that every animal - no matter what their past, is me...
12/30/2025

At Ruff Start Rescue, our mission is simple yet profound: to ensure that every animal - no matter what their past, is met with safety, resources, compassion and a family of their very own. For over 15 years, that mission has guided everything we do.

On one of the coldest nights of the year, that mission changed everything for Cleo and Delta. It was -25°F when the plea came in. Two abandoned shepherd puppies were found huddled beneath a stranger’s porch in Cokato, Minnesota, which is a rural community without animal control or local shelter resources. Even for shepherds, this was frigid weather, and they were just babies. When no one else could help, Ruff Start Rescue answered the call. In the freezing darkness, our team acted quickly. A few brave members bundled up and drove into the cold night, coaxing the frightened pups out from under the porch with patience, powerful knowledge for puppies in flight mode, and a little rotisserie chicken.

That night, Ruff Start Rescue became the puppies’ only lifeline.

Once in our care, Cleo and Delta received emergency veterinary treatment for frostbite on their noses and feet. Their bodies, once trembling and tense, slowly relaxed and the fear in their eyes softened into trust. As they drifted into sleep, you could almost see the relief wash over them as they came to the realization that they finally had safety, comfort, and a chance to rest.

And here’s the best part - their story has a beautiful ending, because compassionate supporters stepped in when it mattered most.

Delta was adopted by one of the very members who helped rescue her that night. She now spends her days keeping her mom on her toes with her puppy antics and has brought so much joy and love into their home! Cleo also found a family of her very own, one where she is cherished and never again has to worry about the unknown, exactly as every dog should be.

Stories like theirs remind us just how vital community support is. In urgent moments of need when there are no other options, when towns lack animal control, shelters, or resources, that’s when Ruff Start Rescue steps in to fill the gap. It’s your compassion that makes these life-saving interventions possible.

As we celebrate our 15 years of rescue and the milestone of 31,000 lives saved, we invite you to make a year-end gift to help us continue this life-saving work into the new year. Your support ensures we can continue responding to urgent calls, providing care for animals in need, and offering vital resources to keep pets and families together, especially in underserved communities. In times like these, when so many are feeling the strain of an uncertain economy, your generosity means even more. You make it possible for Ruff Start Rescue to be there for both the people and pets who need us most. Your gift today will help rescue and heal more animals, just like Cleo and Delta.

Thank you for believing in rescue, resources, and community. Together, we’ll ensure that when the next call comes in, Ruff Start Rescue will always be ready to answer! 💙

Donate here: https://app.giveffect.com/campaigns/42180-2025-year-end-campaign

Congratulations to the pets adopted the week of December 14th and their new families! đŸ„łAmbroseBentleyBrandyBuddyCinnaCle...
12/29/2025

Congratulations to the pets adopted the week of December 14th and their new families! đŸ„ł

Ambrose
Bentley
Brandy
Buddy
Cinna
Cleo
Clifford
Clover
Cocoa
Cousin Eddie
Crocus
Crunch
Curly Pepper
Dash
Delilah Rose
Diamond
Dudley
Elenor
Elfie
Elio
Elizabeth Taylor
Emmett
Feliz
Fourth Chorus
Fred
Frito
Holly
Honeybuns
Jingle
Junior
Karen
Kira
Kristofferson
Kylie
Lott
Louie
Louise
Lucky Larry
Marcel
Mayonnaise
Milk
Ophelia
Oreo
Oswald
Otis
Panda
Pepper Spice
RachelLeighCook
Rex
Sherma
Showgirl
Simon
Skeeter
Theo
Tommy
Triss
Truffle
Vanillish
Virginia
Vivian
Vixen
Wiggles
WishList

Find your new family member at: https://ruffstartrescue.org/adopt/

A brand new year means brand new beginnings, and our first Lone Star to North Star pups of 2026 are officially on the wa...
12/29/2025

A brand new year means brand new beginnings, and our first Lone Star to North Star pups of 2026 are officially on the way! ✹

On January 10, a whole crew of southern rescue dogs will arrive in Minnesota, trading Texas sunshine for snowy adventures and fresh starts. These pups are ready to kick off the new year with love, second chances, and families to call their own.

Through our foster-to-adopt program, you can welcome one of these dogs home, help them settle in, and see if they’re the perfect match, all while changing a life.

Meet the incoming pups:
https://ruffstartrescue.org/.../adoptable.../fta-animals/

Learn how foster-to-adopt works:
https://ruffstartrescue.org/adopt/foster-to-adopt/

Wear the mission with merch:
https://rsrnorthstar.itemorder.com/shop/home/

"A foster to adopt successful story continues!We have now had Hamilton for 5 years. Hammy still hates garbage trucks, ha...
12/28/2025

"A foster to adopt successful story continues!

We have now had Hamilton for 5 years. Hammy still hates garbage trucks, has made dog friends and loves finding the sun spot in the house.

He continues to make our life better with his snuggles, love and alerting us with pre barks and barking to potential dangers in West Bloomington. He has a larger pack now with other members of our friends/ family who love him. Hammy especially loves his grandpa."

Share your Ruff Start alum updates to [email protected].

Now Hiring: Chief Operating Officer đŸŸRuff Start Rescue is seeking a mission-driven Chief Operating Officer to help lead ...
12/28/2025

Now Hiring: Chief Operating Officer đŸŸ

Ruff Start Rescue is seeking a mission-driven Chief Operating Officer to help lead and strengthen our growing, foster-based organization. This senior leadership role partners closely with our Executive Director, Board, and department leaders to drive strategic goals, operational excellence, and lifesaving impact across Minnesota and beyond.

If you’re a collaborative, data-informed leader with a passion for animal welfare, strong operations, and people-centered leadership, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn more and apply at: https://ruffstartrescue.org/get-involved/careers/

Address

12526 319th Avenue
Princeton, MN
55371

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+17633553981

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ruff Start Rescue posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Ruff Start Rescue:

Shortcuts

Share

Our Rescue Story

Hope’s days were numbered in an overcrowded Ohio shelter in January 2010. The pit bull mix was suffering—emaciated and suffering with heartworm. Azure was no stranger to helping animals in need. She spent her childhood growing up on 50 acres and saving animals of all shapes and sizes, including cats, dogs, squirrels, raccoons, and birds. So when Hope’s picture with her final plea for a home popped up on Azure’s Facebook timeline, she didn’t hesitate to help. The 23-year-old told the shelter she would take Hope as part of a newly developing rescue in her hometown in central Minnesota.

Swiftly, she arranged ground transportation from Ohio to Illinois where a volunteer pilot and his wife from Pilots N Paws waited for Hope’s arrival. The couple flew Hope and another rescue dog directly to the Princeton, MN, airport. Once the plane touched down, Ruff Start Rescue had officially taken in its first rescue dog. True to her nature, Hope was in good spirits. She was placed with a wonderful foster family that was able to give her some much-deserved love, attention, and care. Unsurprisingly, Hope won over her foster family and was adopted by them. And so began Ruff Start Rescue.

Hope was the first companion animal rescued by Ruff Start Rescue since its foundation and the gateway to a career for Azure, who still acts as the rescue’s president and executive director. Ruff Start is a figurehead of the central Minnesota animal welfare community and has served as the Princeton area’s sole non-profit 501c3 animal rescue organization since July 2010.