Grand Furry Forks: How to Get Involved with Our “Paw”esome Rescues in Grand Forks

Early June 2020, my wife and our kids wanted a cat. I did NOT want a cat. So, we compromised and got a cat. More specifically, we adopted a kitten through Journey Home Animal Rescue. This particular kitten was a part of a litter that a friend of ours was fostering, a way for animal lovers to house, rehabilitate, and socialize dogs and cats in order to get them ready for their furr-ever home.

Our friend had named the kittens in this litter after characters from the musical “Into The Woods”, a local theatre production which was canceled due to COVID-19. The show is a sort-of fractured fairy tale featuring characters like Jack (of beanstalk fame), Wolf (Little Red Riding Hood’s antagonist), Rapunzel, and others.

We adopted Cinderella, so named because she has some grey markings as if she had rolled around in the cinders of the fireplace. While we had nothing against the name Cinderella, there was (and is) one princess above all others in our house: Princess Leia. Over the past nearly five years, Leia has been the absolute best pet for us, and we have Journey Home Animal Rescue (JHAR) to thank for that experience. Since that time, we have also fostered cats and kittens, transported animals, and participated in meet-and-greet events.

I spoke with Megan Preble, a JHAR volunteer, and she shared a similar story. She and her family adopted a pet in July 2020, and a few months later, Journey Home sent out an urgent plea for more foster families. Preble saw photos of the puppies on social media, and, in her words, “their eyes just spoke to [her].” She and her family answered the call. Preble is also in charge of special events, like the Meet & Greets held regularly at stores throughout Grand Forks. These events give potential adopters a chance to socialize with animals in a safe setting while determining the best fit for their living situation.

In 2024, Journey Home Animal Rescue encountered over 1,100 animals, including over 400 cats and kittens, more than 600 dogs and puppies, a handful of rabbits, a rat, a sassy turtle, and a guinea pig. Most of these are rural rescues from surrounding towns that don’t have local pounds or animal shelters.

Throughout my interactions with Journey Home Animal Rescue, everyone involved demonstrated a passion and joy for making sure animals are safe and well-loved. Even though every volunteer can share sad stories, Preble said that what makes the work worth it is seeing healthy animals with their eyes lit up.

I also spoke with Rachael Murphy, Director of Operations for the Circle of Friends Animal Shelter, which has been around since 1975. The mission of Circle of Friends (CoF) is to enrich the lives of pets through healing, education, and connecting companions.

If Journey Home exists primarily to shelter, foster, and re-home dogs and cats from the surrounding area, Circle of Friends sees most of its stray animals come in through the Grand Forks Police Department and through Grand Forks County.

Much like JHAR, Circle of Friends came in contact with over 1,000 animals last year, and for each stray that comes in, the first step is to scan for a microchip to get the animal back to its owner. Over 60% of all dogs and 20% of all cats are claimed by their owners, a rate which was recognized by the ASPCA two years ago.

CoF doesn’t just see dogs and cats. In fact, in 2024, they worked with more than thirty small animals, like hamsters and mice, plus chickens, turtles, tortoises, birds, and bunnies. Just recently, they took in sixteen guinea pigs.

Circle Of Friends also does an intake exam and provides vaccinations so that animals – and those around them – are protected. Once an unclaimed animal is ready for adoption, photos are shared on Facebook, the CoF website, Petfinder, and Adopt-A-Pet. In rare cases involving illness or extreme aggression, an animal must be euthanized, but overall, Circle of Friends has a life-saving rate of over 98%.

Rachael Murphy also shared with me that it is so important to have pets spayed and neutered. By providing this service on-site (and with agreements in place to pay for them elsewhere if necessary) Murphy made the point that Circle of Friends is one business trying to put itself out of business!

On the adoption side, JHAR works very hard to find the right placement for each animal, remembering that the ideal placement is not just finding the right photo but finding the right personality and temperament that will fit the owner’s lifestyle and last for a lifetime.

Murphy also advised that before fostering or adopting a dog, a person should ask themselves if they have enough time to spend with that animal and do research on that particular breed so that they are not surprised later. Also, potential adopters should keep in mind that there are adoption fees involved; those fees cover some of the costs associated with that pet and serve to determine if a family can afford to care for the animal.

The shelter hosts meet-and-greets on site, with same-day adoptions available. Circle of Friends provides conversational adoption counseling to help clients find the right fit for their home.

For those who are not ready to make a lifelong commitment, there are lots of other opportunities to help at JHAR, including dog walking, cat care, feeding, cleaning, and socializing. There are also administrative needs, methods to advocate for this important work, and ways to donate.

Much like Journey Home Animal Rescue, there are many ways to help Circle of Friends beyond adopting. CoF will always accept monetary donations through the website or in-kind donations, even as simple as a leftover bag of food. Other needs include blankets, towels, gloves, toilet paper, and paper towels. Donations can be dropped off at any Hugo’s location. Something as simple as sharing a social media post can help an animal get adopted!

Circle of Friends is able to carry out their important work with six full-time staff members and one part-time financial assistant plus ALL of their volunteers. There are shifts from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with help needed to socialize the animals, sort through donations, and clean up. Four or five dog walkers come every day or every other day.

Journey Home’s website is always up to date, featuring biographies of the animals written by their foster families! If a person is hesitant to adopt because of their busy lifestyle, Preble would note that eight hours in a kennel in a loving home is way less stressful for an animal than eight hours in a pound. She adds that 90% of foster families have a 9-to-5, working adult lifestyle.

Amazingly, JHAR is run entirely by volunteers and is able to meet the needs of all these animals with the help of more than one hundred people. They would like to count on you, too. No matter what your talent, there is a spot for you in rescue!

Swipe through to see more furry friends because they deserve the attention!