We have adopted 2 amazing dogs from this rescue. Yes, they both have come from the South and have obviously been abused and needed some TLC. That is not the rescue's fault, that is the fault of their previous horrible owners. Everything went very smoothly, as far as pick up/drop off and fosters. Unfortunately, one foster's house was quite dirty and neglected. But I mostly felt bad for the foster and for the many dogs staying there. She was just trying to help, and if it hadn't been for her having at least some place for these dogs to go, they would have been put down. I emailed Katie many times with questions after first adopting and she always got back to me quickly and pointed me to the right people for my answers. (Ex: Laura, the veterinarian) Heading Home K-9 Rescue does seem to take in harder cases, but these dogs need love just as much, if not more as the little puppies that don't have the emotional scars, that are at other rescues. Other rescues may turn away dogs like mine, which is a shame. I can't imagine my life without my Brownie and Stan. This Rescue helps many dogs that otherwise wouldn't have a chance. We plan on adopting from them again one day. Thank you Heading Home K-9 Rescue. read more

I have adopted three dogs thru this rescue. They are the best! I had nothing but excellent communication with both the staff and the fosters. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. THANK YOU HHK9 from the pack! read more

Heading Home K9 Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

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I would not recommend this rescue. I filled out an application about a month ago and never got a response. I sent two follow up emails and their automated response said that they would get back to me within 72 hours. It's been pretty much a month and I never heard back. Even if your application doesn't get approved they should respond to let you know that. I don't want anyone else to have to experience the same thing. read more

Ok - so I *rarely* give out 5 stars. I kindof feel like I should because I've had a good experience, but I also know there are some weird things going on. Here's the thing: I think a lot of what you're reading on this page is true. But that doesn't mean that there isn't another side. Yes - HHK9 and Katie get their animals from out of state. But *most* rescues do. I work with another rescue and this is super normal. And yes - I, too, found a dog with them that ended up being super sick. And yes - my initial experience was CRAZY sketchy. Here's the deal: I found a dog I loved and her foster made me give her $300+ in cash immediately or I'd forfeit my application and the dog. And after giving over the cash because...I'm an idiot?...the foster said "don't worry about the enlarged lymph nodes. Super normal. Don't have it vet-checked." Naturally, had it vet-checked and the dog had lymphoma. BUT Katie and HHK9 were really supportive after that. They gave me my money back even though it's likely that the sketch foster kept the cash for herself. And they moved the application status so that I could keep my dog as a hospice foster and HHK9 would cover the vet bills. And they let me use another woman in their network to babysit my dog every time I suddenly had to travel which saves SO MUCH on dogsitting. And now that the dog has passed away, HHK9 is letting me keep the ashes. So...I mean, it's not like they ghosted me after selling me a broken dog. Basically, they aren't monsters. I think they're just trying to look for homes for sweet animals who don't have a home. And sometimes those sweet animals also happen to be broken. I do agree - other rescues typically have better vet check ups before adoption. The other rescue I work with does a pretty comprehensive vet exam before listing a dog. And I also agree that it's weird that so many of us have gotten sick animals. But seriously - take advantage of the 2 week trial period, get your animal checked out, and then love your animal! I've learned a lot in this experience. read more

We have adopted two dogs from HHKR and had a good experience both times. This rescue specializes in dogs that other rescues overlook, often dogs with heartworms or dogs that are the color black which adopted less often. One of the dogs (a black lab mix) we adopted had heartworms when we got him, a fact that was disclosed to us. HHKR treated him before the adoption and he is in great health today. The other dog was traumatized by her pre-rescue circumstances and is a happy and gleefully naughty dog now. I have really liked working with Katie and wholeheartedly recommend this organization. read more

Heading Home K9 Rescue - Frank the Tank - Pet Adoption Near Me

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**Not to be confused with Homeward Bound Dog Rescue of Minnesota** For the past while, I have been passively looking for a small dog to adopt on PetFinder. I have friends who work for a local rescue group and know the importance of adopting from rescues instead of buying a dog from a petshop and such. Since I was looking for a specific type of dog, I figured any rescue would work. Boy was I wrong. I take partial blame for my experience because I didn't thoroughly do research on the particular rescue before choosing one that I wanted to work with. I didn't do complete due diligence,. I found a dog on PetFinder from this rescue that I was really interested in. I reached out to them and asked for information about how to adopt. They told me I need to fill out an application and wait to be approved. Seemed normal enough. That's pretty much where it all started going wrong. The application required you to list references and they said they would contact references before they would approve any application. I got an email back within a day saying I was approved. I checked with the references and saw that they didn't contact either one of them. Should have been red flag #1. They told me I could pick up the dog right away. This didn't work out for me because I expected them to take at least a few days to review my application so I hadn't prepared my home for a dog. I asked them if I could pick her up at the end of the week and was put into contact with the foster. I then made arrangements with the foster mom to pick her up at her house and somehow it ended up to being a puppy drop-off conducted on a Friday night at a Downtown Gas Station. Red flag #2. Prior to meeting her, I asked her to bring me the dog's vet papers, historical information about the dog's story and a list of current foods the dog was eating. When I met up with the foster mom, all she bought was a dog and a crumpled/folded piece of paper that was given to her regarding care after being spayed by the vet. The dog was extremely dirty --- hair was matted, nails super long, she smelled terrible -- so even though I didn't have everything I needed, I couldn't bear watching the dog go back to the foster mom in that condition. The original ad for the dog on PetFinder indicated that she was house trained on schedule, crate trained for the work day, and described her as being pretty good. When I met the foster mom, she told me the dog needed to go out after 3 hours and wasn't potty trained. She also told me that the dog was originally thought to be 3 years old but "because of dental records, she's probably closer to 5". The dog was terrified! We took her directly to a groomers because she was in such bad shape. The foster mom also told me since she didn't bring the paperwork, I needed to go to their adoption event the next day to pick it all up! All the foster mom cared about was where my check was so she could hand over the dog to me. The next day, I went to the adoption event and talked to the representatives there and told them I had adopted this specific dog and I needed her paperwork. The paperwork was very limited. The original ad said that the dog was microchipped. When I asked the lady about it, she turned around to ask others if they knew the dog was microchipped from memory and then gave me the paperwork to register her. I then asked her for the dog's history and she gave me a blank stare, said she wasn't sure. She turned around to some teenage girl that was working for her and said...she knows better. The teenage girl told me "oh she's a puppy mill dog" (which I knew)..."she came from a puppy mill seizure in Missouri or Kansas or something...that's all we know". Really? That's all you KNOW!? Not legitimate. Red flag #3, 4, and 5. The biggest problem came when I asked if I need to sign a contract (which I knew is standard procedure for all rescues) and they told me "oh you already signed it through email, we have it". I had to remind them all I submitted in terms of paperwork was my application. She seemed confused and then was like...oh you didn't? She took out a generic contract and gave it to me. There was 1 line in the contract that stated they did NOT guarantee the health or temperament of the dog. Not good. They should be able to guarantee she is healthy as of the date of the contract. I refused to sign it and told them I needed to get the dog checked before I signed. Red flag #6. I emailed on Monday to tell them not to cash the check since I hadn't gotten her checked out yet. They ignored my requests. Pretty sure at this point if I don't return the contract, they won't even notice. DO NOT WORK WITH THIS RESCUE! There are many other outs there that are much better organized, take better care of their animals and truly care about the well-being of their animals. If this was my first and only experience with a rescue, I don't think I would ever want to work with one again! read more

We had a great adoption process with HHK9. Our beautiful puppy came from Alabama. Pickup from the foster was very easy and all fees were paid through paypal. HHK9 had good records of her shots and deworming and also had her spay appt scheduled and paid for at their vet in Eagan. Laura was wonderful to work with and we are so happy with our gorgeous, happy, healthy puppy!! Thank you, HHK9! read more

I'm not sure why all the bad reviews for this rescue? Dealing with them has been nothing but ease for me since I began fostering for them. My questions have been answered within a couple hours of emailing (I don't expect immediate responses, not everyone has a smart phone and is glued to their email account), my foster dogs have gotten vet appointments approved almost instantly when needed, and the people who run the rescue are very knowledgeable. They've answered every question and concern I have had at least! I like this rescue because they take in a lot of dogs that other rescues won't, and don't bat an eye when 10 heartworm positive dogs land at their door. I've fostered for a couple rescues before this one, and one thing I've come to realize is that none of them are perfect, but HHK9 does right by their dogs. My next dog is definitely going to come from them. read more

We've worked several time with Heading Home K9 to both foster and adopt dogs. Yes, many of the dogs do come from down south, here and with other rescue organizations. I can't imagine anyone expecting a rescue dog to be without flaws (although some are). Many of these dogs are just amazing - it takes a dedicated and patient OWNER to take the time to work with a rescue, and give them time to adjust to their new home. We've adopted two dogs in the last couple of years, one of whom no one else would take. After a year of hard work, he's become an amazing part of our pack. This organization is thoughtful and does a good job communicating with their rescue families. They did check my references. Our pickup was at a central location, as the dogs were coming up from down south, with other dogs on "transport" for other rescues. There are many good rescues out there, this is one of them. read more

This is the worst worst worst rescue! I adopted a pup on 1-25-21. We noticed immediately he was infested with fleas. We messaged them so they could let the other adoptees know and they responded that they didn't see fleas so are we sure? We must be mistaken. Then he got diarrhea 2 days in. 3 weeks and six vet visits later he needed emergency surgery to remove part of his small intestine and colon. Now a month in and 5000$ later. Their response is to return him. Like has a shirt going back to Walmart! 3 of vets I saw said it seemed like this could be a rescue driving down south to get pups that don't really need rescuing and adopting them out for profit... steer clear of this rescue!! read more

This rescue has changed its name to HEADING HOME K9 RESCUE at http://www.headinghomek9rescue.com. Just the name has changed to "reflect " their new rescue. Please do your research before adopting from this rescue. read more

Katie Adams-Rausch sells sick dogs and lies about it over and over along with her shady foster homes.Katie adopts out sick dogs that get your current pets sick.Also they self diagnose and self medicate without a vets real script. The dogs are just a money making commodity to her as they ship them up here from down south every two weeks.Its really sad people are like this and don't really care about the animals.Her and her mom need to be shut down as I see her mom's reviews are just as bad at homeward bound rescue. read more

I am so thrilled with this rescue! We adopted our dog about 4 months ago and could not be happier with both the adoption process and the helpful hints we got after adoption when we ran into questions. We're first time dog owners and their help thoughout the entire process from start to finish was top notch. They even helped with a question on my parent's dog as well! The dog we got was in foster care and the foster mom knew her very well. She was exactly as described and because of that exactly what we were looking for. Heading Home K9 Rescue knows their stuff and works very hard for the animals. I highly recommend and would adopt from them again should we ever be in a position to get a furry buddy for Lily read more

We currently have three rescue dogs, all from different organizations. While the work that all of them do is wonderful and I truly appreciate how each is saving animals in need, I would rank Heading Home K9 Rescue as my top choice to work with. HHK9 truly cares about the animals as well as the adopters and volunteers working with them. We started out fostering with them and with each dog, they worked closely with us during the process. They were quick to answer any questions/concerns, checked in to be sure everything was going well, and helped assure that the adopters were a good fit for the dog. Fostering for HHK9 helped me develop a trust and appreciation for the work that they are doing. I have a much greater understanding of why rescues in MN work with rescues in other states to help save lives. When we decided that we wanted to add another dog to our family, I knew that Heading Home was who I wanted to work with. They asked the right questions to be sure that a third dog would be the right fit with our current two and helped us get the perfect fit. Heading Home K9 Rescue is a top notch organization which cares deeply for the animals that they rescue. I highly recommend them and will definitely be going back to them as soon as I can convince my husband that a forth doggie is needed in our family! ;o) read more

I feel like I'm in a nightmare because of this rescue organization. It's a very lengthy story and very involved so I will just say that I adopted a dog from them only to find out after the fact that she had laryngeal paralysis which is a death sentence for dogs if they don't get the proper surgery. What really angers me is the fact that they knew about this before I adopted her and chose not to disclose this to me. I have proof of this. There is so much more wrong with this organization...they promise and don't follow through, they don't seem to communicate with each other which makes it impossible to get a correct answer. They are very unorganized too. Now, they are telling me that they will help do the surgery my dog needs only if I surrender her back to them and they want to aqdopt to someone else because, you see, I've angered them by confronting them with the truth. Now, they are using my dog as a pawn because they know Molly and I have bonded and I would do anything to help her breathe a normal life. I will be reporting them to Consumer Affairs and the Better Business Bureau Cheryl Gustafson If I could, I would give them a zero too read more

I had contacted them to adopt a dog. Being a veterinarian with 10 acres fenced in and another pyrenees in the house I felt I was the perfect home. The dog I was interested in had aggression problems and I was given a behavioral report that a previous adopter had done when she returned the dog. I was not detered because I work with the great pyrenees rescue in Iowa and was comfortable with the breed. They seemed unable to answer questions about the dog. After a month of e-mails and paying the adoption fee I sent someone to get the dog due to the fact that I had no one to fill in at the time at my clinic. They knew this all along. The day the dogwas to be picked up the left me a e-mail saying the foster mom did not like me since I did volunteer work for a rescue and the decided not to adopt to me. They refused to take my calls and only e-mailed me that the foster mom had too many dogs but wanted to keep this one also. I was crushed. It took forever to get my money back. I turned them in to the dept. of Agriculture in Minnesota and found they were not licensed at that time. Dr. Shelly Reid read more

We recently adopted a special needs dog through Heading Home K9 Rescue. The entire process went very smoothly, all our questions were answered quickly, the dogs condition and history were described accurately, our references were checked, and the foster was very helpful. Based on our experience, I would definitely adopt through this organization again. read more

Homeward Bound K9 (now known as Heading Home K9) is a wonderful organization! I have been a foster parent here for a while now and had only positive experiences. The dogs get very good care and the volunteers all have tons of experience. If you look at the dogs available for adoption, it is clear that HHK9 takes in the dogs that everyone else, even other rescues, have already picked over. There are so many seniors, Bully breeds, and dogs with behavior or medical issues. The experienced foster homes take these sad cases in and turn them into some of the best dogs out there. If anyone has any doubt about HHK9, just stop out to a pet adoption event some time and see things for yourself. read more

Wow - I was just reading thru all the bad experiences with this rescue and I am really sorry to hear this. I adopted my dog, Jadi, from them in October. So far, all has gone well and she is a terrific dog. I am wondering if I just got lucky, due to all the others' bad experiences. I had been working with a few other rescue groups simultaneously as I worked with this one and I did notice some differences as far as process and organization (or lack, thereof). All the other groups I worked with did a home study and didn't allow you to take the dog right after meeting it, UNLESS, all the references cleared and home study was done and ok. I have to say that this group did not do a home study nor call my references, which was irresponsible on their part. I don't want to bash them here, because my experience was fine, except for the above (they should have called references and done a home study on me). She also wasn't microchipped as promised, but when I brought this up they offered to pay for it if I wanted it done. I think maybe they are not intentionally doing things to cause problems for people, but perhaps they are struggling with being organized about the adoption process. I'd hate to think their intentions are to just get a dog adopted and then say "too bad" when there are problems/issues. I just wanted to add my two cents and I am truly sorry for those of you that had a bad experience. I hope Heading Home K9 Rescue turns things around for the better to undo this bad reputation. I feel we need to support them and help where we can if it's an organization problem, rather than accuse them of intentionally trying to screw people. I mean, why would they be running a rescue just for that? There is no money in it, so what would motivate them to be that way? I think they just need help in organizing their group and getting more educated as to the importance of requiring home visits, and checking references, etc. Liz B. Burnsville, MN read more

We had a fantastic experience with this rescue. The dog we adopted was in foster care for about a month. The foster family was very knowledgable and clearly loved our dog while she was in their care. We went through the application process, they checked our references and everything else. I definitely recommend this rescue to anyone looking to add a new furry friend. read more

I have volunteered with this rescue group in the past and in my humble opinion I believe that Homeward bound k9 rescue is one of the best. I read the two previous reviews and since I have a little knowledge in this regards to how things work I would like to shed some light on a few things. People who become foster parents although volunteers ,have an expectation to bring dogs to adoption events in the hope that they will be adopted. That is where they pick up food, supplies, get vaccinations etc. and allow the dogs to be viewed. In the summer time, if needed they gets baths right on site. Many times dogs come from transports from the South,(Missouri and Kentucky) where the need is greater than here.,and the information provided to the rescue comes directly from them. Keep in mind these dogs are in a shelter and not in a home setting and may be completely tramatized from a long trip and not understanding what is happening to them. Their behavior may be very different than when in the shelters. Homeward bound k9 does not have its own shelter and dogs go directly to fosters upon arrival in the Twin Cities. Paperwork can be sketchy, these dogs are strays to begin with for the most past your not going to get a long history for the dogs life unless they were a surrender. Homeward bound k9 has a fabulous group of caring canine people who go out of their way to help. They sometimes take dogs to vet appt or to spay or neuter. Some of them allow potential adopters to meet wtih them in their home to see the dog rather than going to adoption events. Then there are the never ending array of e mails back and forth answering questions for people interesting in adopting. This organizations goes out of its way to take in dogs that others might not-seniors, medical conditions, deaf, etc. that would otherwise be euthanized. They always seem to find some kind soul out there willing to adopt a dog that no one else wanted. Medical Care? You bet! Dogs are taken care of with this organization. I have never heard of them not taking care of a valid medical concern. I can no longer foster because I now have three of my own dogs and I truly miss this organization. I would very highly recommend them. read more

I had a very positive experience in adopting my dog from this organization. I had Numerous email exchanges with the head of the organization. I told her the type of dog i was looking for and she suggested Sonata. I realize she didn't check my references but i felt that was due to our extensive emailing and my history as a rescue pet owner.Honey ( i changed her name) is a great addition to my family. When I get my next dog i will see who they have to offer. read more

Ditto what Jennie L. said - DO YOUR HOMEWORK before you adopt through this rescue. We adopted and while we love our dog, she should have been classified as "special needs" and not friendly to other dogs. She has numerous health and behavior issues. Fortunately she is very sweet with people and loves children. She was not adequately evaluated before being put up for adoption. And lots of these rescue dogs are brought up north from southern states - ours came from Indiana. I am sure there are many wonderful positive stories and many dogs now have wonderful homes. But "caveat emptor" - let the buyer beware. I'm sure the people associated with this rescue have their hearts in the right place. But they did no investigation about us and provided very little information about the adopted dog. So they have no idea what type of home she went to or how she is being treated (like a princess). I would not recommend or use them again. read more