Better Together: Animal Nonprofits Merge with Different Approaches, Common Goals
Two Twin Cities nonprofits merged this month that extend their services to the northwest suburbs. Minnetonka-based Secondhand Hounds and Minneapolis-based People & Pets Together merged to carry out their mission together. Secondhand Hounds focuses on adopting animals through a foster model, while People & Pets Together operates a pet food shelf.
Secondhand Hounds will be the parent organization carrying through the mission of each organization.
“In rescue we’re always trying to save animals and bail out a quickly sinking ship,” explained Rachel Mairose, founder of Secondhand Hounds. “We really never think about the root issues. What can we do to solve those issues, so there are less animals entering. Like not having homes entering the shelter situation coming into rescues.”
Different approaches. Common goals.
People & Pets Together was started over 10 years ago to help people keep their pets through a pet food shelf model.
“Animal welfare particularly for domesticated animals has been about rescue, intake. We’ll take your pet if you can’t afford to keep it. Really the best and cheapest solution is to keep the pet in a home where somebody loves it,” said Kim Carrier, founder of People & Pets Together.
Secondhand Hounds now provides pet food and supplies through People & Pets Together to pet owners on hard times. They have also introduced veterinary services to their foster care and adoption programs.
