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.
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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.

Santa Paws Pet Photos with Santa at HeadFlyer Brewery! 🎅🏻Bring your good pups (yes, every single one counts 🥰) to HeadFl...
11/27/2025

Santa Paws Pet Photos with Santa at HeadFlyer Brewery! 🎅🏻

Bring your good pups (yes, every single one counts 🥰) to HeadFlyer Brewing on November 29 from 1–5 PM for FREE pet photos with Santa! Donations to Ruff Start Rescue are welcome and appreciated.

Plus, shop holiday goodies from Twin Cities Caricatures and Pet Park Boulevard.

Event details: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GaLY5cte9/

Day 4 of Ruff Start Rescue’s 15th Annual Online Auction! 🧡Today we’re extra grateful for you, our community of animal lo...
11/27/2025

Day 4 of Ruff Start Rescue’s 15th Annual Online Auction! 🧡

Today we’re extra grateful for you, our community of animal lovers, bidders, donors, and cheerleaders who make rescue possible every single day. While you’re relaxing, celebrating, and enjoying good food and good company, take a moment to browse the incredible items still up for grabs in our online auction!

Shop & bid all weekend: https://www.32auctions.com/RSR15

As many of us are preparing warm meals and gathering with loved ones, we want to share a story that reminds us why compa...
11/27/2025

As many of us are preparing warm meals and gathering with loved ones, we want to share a story that reminds us why compassion matters, especially on Thanksgiving Eve.

On Monday, we received a call from a local animal hospital. Their voices were tight with worry. They told us they had just taken in an extremely emaciated six-month-old puppy.

Her name is Charlotte.

Charlotte’s body condition score is 1 out of 9, the lowest score a dog can have and still cling to life. At just 16 pounds, she is as thin and fragile as a puppy can be before reaching the point of impending death.

Someone found her wandering alone and called the police. She was picked up immediately and brought straight to the vet. The kind person who found her had offered her a large bowl of food, something any of us would feel compelled to do, and Charlotte scarfed it down desperately… but her tiny, starved body simply couldn’t handle it. She threw it all up.

Dogs who have suffered this level of starvation need a slow, carefully monitored refeeding plan so their organs aren’t overwhelmed. For Charlotte, even eating is dangerous right now.

When she arrived at the clinic, she was severely dehydrated, exhausted, and trembling. They acted fast. They placed her on IV fluids and started her on medication to soothe and protect her stomach. They offered her tiny, frequent spoonfuls of bland canned food. And because she was so fragile, one of the veterinarians took her home overnight so she could stay on her IV meds and be monitored every moment.

Yesterday morning brought a small sigh of relief: Charlotte perked up just a little. She managed to keep down small meals. And with that progress, the clinic felt comfortable discharging her into our care.

One of our fosters dropped everything to pick her up.

Charlotte is now safe. She’s had her first gentle bath, and her foster shared that she immediately curled up in a warm pile of towels, finally resting. She still has a long, uncertain road ahead. She has a painful sore on her side, her body is dangerously weak, and her recovery will require strict veterinary oversight and a careful refeeding plan.

But for the first time in who knows how long…
Charlotte is warm. Charlotte is loved. Charlotte is home.

While many puppies her age are full of energy and mischief this holiday season, Charlotte is simply fighting to survive. And we are fighting right alongside her. 💙

It's day 3 of Ruff Start Rescue’s 15th Annual Online Auction! 🎁The bidding battles are heating up, and so many amazing i...
11/26/2025

It's day 3 of Ruff Start Rescue’s 15th Annual Online Auction! 🎁

The bidding battles are heating up, and so many amazing items are still wide open for you to snag! Whether you’re holiday shopping, treating yourself, or supporting your favorite rescue (or all three), today is the perfect day to jump in.

From pet-lover goodies to local experiences to unique giftables you won’t find anywhere else, there’s something waiting with your name on it. Every bid helps give animals the safe, healthy, happy futures they deserve.

Browse & bid now: https://www.32auctions.com/RSR15

Auction closes Monday, December 1, at 8 PM. Don’t wait!

Thanksgiving is full of food, family, and fun, but it can also bring a few unexpected hazards for our four-legged friend...
11/26/2025

Thanksgiving is full of food, family, and fun, but it can also bring a few unexpected hazards for our four-legged friends. 🦃

As you celebrate, keep an extra eye on curious noses and sneaky snack-seekers. A little caution goes a long way in keeping your pets safe, comfortable, and happily snoozing after the festivities.

Day 2 of Ruff Start Rescue’s 15th Annual Online Auction is underway! ✨Bidding is in full swing, and new favorites are al...
11/25/2025

Day 2 of Ruff Start Rescue’s 15th Annual Online Auction is underway! ✨

Bidding is in full swing, and new favorites are already starting to emerge! From unique experiences to handcrafted gifts, cozy pet must-haves, local treasures, and one-of-a-kind finds, there’s something for everyone, and every bid helps animals in need.

Whether you’ve been outbid or haven’t started browsing yet, now’s the perfect time to jump in. Items are already getting competitive!

Start shopping & start bidding: https://www.32auctions.com/RSR15

The auction closes Monday, December 1, at 8 PM.

Burn off the turkey and help rescue animals! 💪Join SashaFIT’s donation-based virtual workout on Friday, 11/28, and suppo...
11/25/2025

Burn off the turkey and help rescue animals! 💪

Join SashaFIT’s donation-based virtual workout on Friday, 11/28, and support Ruff Start Rescue with every rep.

Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AJgetTzWT/

Congratulations to the people and pets who found each other the week of November 9th! 🎉Bear BearBernieBerthaBonesCaseyCh...
11/25/2025

Congratulations to the people and pets who found each other the week of November 9th! 🎉

Bear Bear
Bernie
Bertha
Bones
Casey
Cheddar
Cheeto
Cinnamon
Clancy
Corbin
Crosby
Dingo
Dorrah
Drifter
Fifi
Finn
Finnick
Flame
Fletcher
Ghoul
Grapefruit
Guillermo
Gwen
Hemi
Huck
Junie
Karla
Kittyhawk
Lake
Leopold
Linus
Loretta
Lucie
Lucky
Lucy
Luna Selene
LunahLu
Maggie
MollyMay
Mosley
Mousey
Norma
Oliver
Paisley
Peanut
Pebbles
Phantom
Pinto
Pip
PoBoy
Polka Dot
Poppi
Princess Pug
Pupper
Raoul
Reece
Rico
Rowan
Royal
Ruby
Seymour
Sirius
Skittles
Sterling
Stormy
Tabasco
Tandoor
Tsunami
Turnip
Vlad
Willow
W***y
Zoii

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

Winter magic is on the way, and so are a whole group of rescue pups arriving Saturday, December 6! ❄️These soon-to-be sn...
11/24/2025

Winter magic is on the way, and so are a whole group of rescue pups arriving Saturday, December 6! ❄️

These soon-to-be snow dogs are headed to Minnesota through our Lone Star to North Star Rescue Relief Program, excited to trade warm southern weather for warm Minnesota hearts. They’ll be looking for loving homes and a cozy place to land this season.

Through our foster-to-adopt program, you can welcome one of these pups in and help them begin their new life while seeing if they’re the perfect match for your family.

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

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

Show your support with winter gear:
https://rsrnorthstar.itemorder.com/shop/home/

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here… Ruff Start Rescue's 15th Annual Online Auction is officially LIVE! 🥳This ...
11/24/2025

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here… Ruff Start Rescue's 15th Annual Online Auction is officially LIVE! 🥳

This year’s auction is our biggest and most exciting yet, packed with unique treasures, incredible experiences, and amazing finds you won’t want to miss. There truly is something for everyone!

The auction kicked off today at 8 AM and runs through Monday, December 1, at 8 PM. Hundreds of fantastic items are ready for your bid—perfect for holiday gifts, treating yourself, or supporting a cause close to your heart.

https://www.32auctions.com/RSR15

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

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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.