A Collaborative Effort to Save Lives
Two animal organizations in Minnesota have made a significant impact by rescuing 60 dogs and cats from euthanasia. The Animal Humane Society and The Bond Between collaborated with the Bissell Pet Foundation to transport these animals from Alabama, marking the first-ever Bissell pet flight to Minnesota.
Rachel Mairose, executive director and founder of The Bond Between, expressed her excitement about the initiative. “It’s really exciting that people are recognizing that we can save lives that normally wouldn’t have been saved,” she said. This effort wasn’t something they had planned weeks in advance. Instead, it came about when the Animal Humane Society reached out to them just a week prior to ask for help.
Mairose explained that the shelters they were working with faced an average of 3-5 euthanasias per day. “It’s not the fault of the shelter, it’s just literally a capacity issue,” she noted. One particular incident involved a group of puppies found in a dumpster, tied up in a garbage bag. This situation highlighted the urgent need for intervention.
The Bond Between took in 10 dogs and 26 cats, while the Animal Humane Society accepted 30 dogs. Most of the dogs, except for one, and several cats are now in foster homes. Mairose emphasized that the Bissell Pet Foundation typically transports animals to the Northeast, making this trip to Minnesota a notable event.
She pointed out that flying is less stressful for the animals compared to long car rides. “They’re in the car for 12, 13, 14 hours, that’s really stressful on an animal. It also takes a lot of resources,” Mairose said. By using a plane, the transport time is reduced to two or three hours, which is better for both the animals and the shelters.
Expanding Impact and Challenges
Each year, The Bond Between takes in approximately 3,000 animals. On average, foster dogs stay with them for 32 days, and cats for 33 days. Mairose mentioned that their intake kennels are full every single day due to the constant influx of animals.
Surrender applications have increased by 28% year over year, and they have taken in 140% more local surrenders than last year. More than half of the animals they rescue come from Minnesota shelters or are surrendered locally, while the rest are from out of state.
Mairose often gets asked why they don’t focus solely on Minnesota animals. “At the end of the day, I don’t just think you can draw a line through where you stop caring,” she said. “I think that you just need to reach out to the communities that need it the most.”
She believes their mission is to ensure that no animals that could make great family pets are euthanized due to space constraints. “Honestly, that’s what it’s all about is making sure we’re not letting any animals that are going to be great family pets have to be euthanized just due to space.”
The Role of Fosters and Ongoing Efforts
Mairose acknowledged that their work wouldn’t be possible without the support of their fosters. “The Bond Between is a foster-based rescue. Fostering is free,” she said. Their fosters are the reason they can help so many animals.
Despite the recent success of transporting animals from Alabama, Mairose’s team is already preparing for the arrival of dozens of dogs from Arkansas. “It’s controlled chaos, and we just try to say yes to as many as possible,” she said. The organization continues to operate at a fast pace, driven by their commitment to saving animal lives.
