Homeward Bound is dedicated to rescuing homeless and unwanted animals. We are a non-profit, 501(c) 3-tax exempt, no-kill dog rescue and placement organization based in Minnesota. Although our focus is primarily on rescuing dogs, we also rescue cats, kittens, & other animals. We are an independent organization and depend solely on adoption fees, fundraisers, and donations to operate. We receive NO government support. Homeward Bound has been in operation since 1991 & has placed over 12,800 dogs in loving homes. We try our best to match the dogs with the needs, wants, personalities, and lifestyles of potential adopters to ensure a healthy, happy, & permanent home. All Homeward Bound dogs must live indoors. Dogs are social pack animals by nature and we want them to be able to have all of the companionship, love, & attention they deserve, as well as a chance to bond with the family.

We rescue all types of dogs, ranging from small to large breeds. Roughly 40% of the dogs we rescue are purebred while the other 60% are mixed breeds. The age of the dogs varies from puppies to adults. We will tell you about each dog's history, personality, & behavior, including whether or not they are good which children and other pets, their exercise needs, & other important information.

Each week, new dogs are rescued and we hold pet adoptions every Saturday at a Petco location from 11:30a.m. - 4p.m. in the Twin Cities area. Please see our Adoption Dates and Locations for more information.

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SAD NEWS FOR THE DOG RESCUE COMMUNITY: Homeward Bound would like to remember an amazing rescuer, a woman who went to bat for the otherwise forgotten dogs, and someone who worked extra hard to connect rescues across not only MN but the entire country. Bev Kauth, rescuer above all, died unexpectedly on June 27th and this is a woman who was responsible for forging rescue friendships and saving hundreds of otherwise forgotten dogs. The rescue community will grieve her loss, and Homeward Bound will make sure her memory lives on. Rest in peace Bev, and we know you were met by thousands of dogs as you crossed the bridge, who know you cared enough about them to try.

1ST ANNUAL HOMEWARD BOUND MOTORCYCLE RUN: - JULY 11TH Homeward Bound is excited to announce that on July 11, there will be a motorcycle run from 10am-12:30pm. Registration starts at 8:30 and the ride begins at 10 at Leather & Lace Motorcycle Apparel, located at 3411 St. Croix Trail So. Afton, MN 55001 (next to Selma's Ice Cream parlor and across from the village park). It will end at approximately 12:30 (about 100 miles). The cost is $15 for a single rider and $20 with a rider, and it is requested that you bring a dog/cat food donation (IAMS), gently used toy, blanket, leash, etc. Proceeds from the run will go to Homeward Bound. Music will be provided by Brian Mackey and there will be a drawing for "Welcome Home," a framed print by Rick Kelley. If you have questions, please call 651-998-1344. Read about other dog wash events/fundraisers...

WARM WATER DOG WASH: - JULY 18TH Please join us on the 18th for a warm water dog wash! This fun event is from 9-1 at the Calhoun Beach Club located at 2925 Dean Parkway in Minneapolis (for directions go to www.calhounbc.com/mapquest.php). The wash will take place near the big garage doors on the Lake Street side. Our friendly volunteers will bathe your puppy/dog and doggie and people treats will be provided. The event is free, although donations are much appreciated and will go directly to Homeward Bound. We are suggesting a $10 donation. Reservations are not required and we will have this event no matter what the weather is like outside. If you have questions, please call Cheri at 612-759-8982.

WHY SO MANY BLACK DOGS? We often hear people complain about the number of black dogs we have in our program and feel that now is the perfect time to educate the public about how hard it is for black dogs to find homes. Black or darker colored dogs, especially the larger sized ones, are often the first to get euthanized at pounds, shelters, & humane societies when space becomes an issue. People tend to overlook the black/darker dogs for the lighter colored dogs - they see darker dogs as "just another black dog" rather than as a unique individual. It doesn't matter if the dog is purebred or not - if a dog is brought to a shelter/pound/humane society and they have dark colored fur, their chance of getting adopted is very slim. This is a shame because black dogs are just as wonderful as lighter colored dogs. Please consider adopting a darker colored dog!

HOUNDS, HOUNDS, HOUNDS! Melting sad eyes, soft scratchable ears, goofy affectionate personalities - what more can you ask for in a companion dog? Homeward Bound has many hounds right now, and some of them have been with us a long time. Why? Well, here in Minnesota, Hounds get a bad rap. People seem to think that they are all loud, hard to train and completely uninterested in their people. That's breed profiling and nothing could be further from the truth. It's true that some Hounds bay, most are intelligent (which just means you need to change your training method) and all of our Hounds love people. We have small Hounds (Forrest), medium Hounds (Bailey, Barney, Ginger, Rusty, Sydney and Tanner) and large Hounds (Atlas and Oscar). We have Hounds who love dogs best (Forrest) and those who love people more than anything (Bailey, Oscar and Sydney). We have Hounds who are fine with cats (Barney, Forrest, Ginger, Rusty and Tanner) and some who may not even need a fenced yard (Forrest and Rusty). Some Hounds prefer kids (Barney and Tanner), some prefer adults (Sydney) and some love everyone equally (Atlas, Bailey, Forrest, Ginger, Oscar and Rusty) . In short, we have Hounds for just about everyone. Some of our Hounds have been with us for such a long time and they continue to be passed over week after week. If you have room in your heart for a rescue hound, please email Jackie, who has two Hounds of her own and can talk to you honestly about the pros and cons of owning them. She can be reached at jackiesinger@comcast.net, and would love to introduce a new group of dog-lovers to the joys of hound ownership.

GARAGE SALES! If you go to garage sales, please keep your eyes peeled for dog and cat supplies! What we are in most need of are toys, plastic/Igloo dog houses, collars, leashes (we never have enough leashes!), wire collapsible kennels, dog sweaters (for winter), and all kinds of blankets (towels, sleeping bags, baby blankets, sheets, comforters, etc.) Please see our wish list for more information. Dog and cat food donations and always needed, as well as pressed rawhide bones! Any of these items can be dropped off at the Petcos in Fridley, Maple Grove, Maplewood, and Burnsville. Thanks!

AFFORDABLE VET CLINICS, BOARDING KENNELS, GROOMERS & OBEDIENCE CLASSES? We are in the process of putting a list together of recommended vet clinics, obedience classes, groomers, and boarding kennels and we would love your input! Please send Megan an email at homewardbounddogrescue@yahoo.com if you have a favorite vet, kennel, or obedience class that not only is affordable, but also does a fantastic job. Please include the name of the place, phone number, and city/address. Feel free to send any other pertinent information as well. Thanks!