"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. " --Bern Williams
Each year approximately 8-12 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide and 5-9 million are euthanized. That's 575 every hour. If you are thinking of adding a pet to your family, please consider adopting an animal from a shelter. Almost Home is a no-kill shelter, but because of that we can run out of space for new dogs and cats. Help us to find homes for these deserving animals by spreading the word that shelter animals make great family pets. Click on Our Adoptable Pet List to see our current list of available animals.
- New or gently used cat and small dog carriers
- Tarps
- Rubber garden hoses
- Postage stamps (forever stamps)
- Plastic kiddie swimming pools
- Towels
- Small size open litter boxes
- Instant hand sanitizer
- Furminator hair brushes
Sleeping cats were resting comfortably in cages, dreaming of the day they would no longer have to struggle to care for hungry, unwanted kittens. For 20 cats and dogs in the Mora area, May 12, 2008 was that happy day. When the 33 foot long vehicle and 9 member crew rolled in, Almost Home was converted for the day into a mobile animal surgical hospital. With help from our friends at Animal Ark of Hastings and their “Neuter Commuter”, area animal rescuers were given a helping hand by bringing spay and neutering to their little charges.
After set-up, the assembly line style altering marathon got rolling about 10:00 am. Crew members began registering animals, administering shots and tests, prepping the animals, administering anesthesia, performing the surgeries, and monitoring the pets until they woke up and started recovering. Dr. Charlie, Mary S. and the rest of the team were amazingly organized with everything running smoothly all day. After discharge instructions, the crew packed and headed back to Hastings about 7:30 pm!
The Neuter Commuter is outfitted specifically for the purpose of being a pet surgical suite. Cages for housing recovering pets cover one wall with the surgical area at the rear of the vehicle. Dr. Charlie tells us that once his team does all the prep, he can spay a female cat in 6 – 10 minutes and neuter a male cat in less than 1 minute!
Animal Ark is the largest no-kill animal welfare organization in the state of Minnesota. As leading proponents of the no-kill movement in Minnesota, Animal Ark is using the Neuter Commuter for outreach around the state, partnering with communities and other no-kill organizations to help “snip” the problem of pet-overpopulation where it begins. Particularly focused on feral cat communities, Animal Ark recently completed a successful weekend trip to the Red Lake Community in northern Minnesota.
Shelly Sampson, Director of Almost Home, would like to thank Animal Ark for the opportunity to work with these dedicated folks and hopes to have a strong ongoing relationship with Animal Ark and more visits from the Neuter Commuter. By the way, all the patients are doing great!
To reach more potential adopters, Almost Home is holding Pet Adoption Days at Coon Rapids Petco. Watch the marquee at the top of our home page to see when our Adoption Days are being held. If you are interested in seeing a particular dog or cat at an adoption day, email us before the event and we will do our best to bring that one along. The shelter in Mora will be closed to the public on Adoption Days so please plan accordingly.
Want to surprise your loved one with the gift of a new pet but don't want them to miss out on the fun of picking their new family member? Why not give a gift certificate to Almost Home instead? Then your loved one can come and pick the right pet at the right time for them. We can provide a gift certificate in any denomination. Call the shelter to find out more.
As the weather is changing, things are also changing at Almost Home, and unfortunately not all for the better. We have been informed by our state inspector that we must choose whether we are a pound (handling ONLY stray animals) or a shelter (handling ONLY owner surrendered pets). We will not be allowed to do both. Our shelter is NOT being singled out, as apparently this is a long standing distinction that is now being enforced. It was a difficult choice but we feel that our mission is best served by remaining a shelter. Since there is no other place in our county currently serving as a pound, the potential effects on the abandoned and lost animals in our community is frightening. But effective immediately, Almost Home can no longer take in lost or abandoned dogs and cats. We DO remain open and ARE continuing to shelter and adopt out owner surrendered pets.
Because of this change it is vital that everyone get out the word. If you can no longer care for your pet it is critical that you personally surrender your animal at Almost Home shelter. We know that some people just drop off their pets or let them run loose assuming they will be captured and brought to the shelter. Under those circumstances we will legally not be able to help them. We can only take animals directly from their owners. We do not charge you to surrender an animal (but if you are able, a donation is always much appreciated). So there is no reason not to bring them to the shelter. We will not judge you - we only want to make sure your pet finds a new, safe home.
However, if you have made the difficult decision to surrender your pet, you MUST call in advance to ensure that we have room to accept them. We are also under strict regulations regarding the number of animals we can house at any one time. If we are full at the time, we will place your animal on our first come/first served wait list and contact you when a space at the shelter is available. This is usually no more than a couple of weeks. In the case of litters of puppies or kittens, we may only be able to accept a few of them and not the whole litter as each puppy counts towards our animal limit. So please continue to try to find them good homes and better yet, have your pets spayed and neutered so that unwanted litters are not further burdening our community. Contact us for suggestions about low cost spay/neuter options.
If you find a lost or stray cat or dog, please do not bring the animal to the shelter as we legally cannot take it in. However, call and give us a description of the animal and where you found it. If we receive a call from the owner, we can put you in touch with them. Otherwise, call the radio station, put up posters, or put an ad in the paper to try to find the owner.
If you lose your cat or dog, call and give us a description and if we receive a call about the animal we will relay that information to you. Put up posters, put an ad in the paper, call the sheriff, and get out the word that your animal is missing.
Here are ways that you can help:
1. Call and write to your local officials and demand that they address the issue of lost and abandoned animals. Owners that do not provide responsible care for their animals should be held accountable. Someone needs to address the lack of a safe haven for abandoned animals in our community that Almost Home can no longer provide.
2. Please continue to support our shelter. There are so many ways you can help. Adopt an animal. Volunteer to help clean, groom, or walk the animals. Make a tax deductible donation.
3. Please spay and neuter your own pets. Don’t risk adding to the problem of pet overpopulation.
This will be a difficult transition for us all as we learn how to continue to operate and serve our homeless pets given this new restriction. In the meantime, we still have a shelter to run and wonderful pets to find new homes. Please be assured that we will continue our mission throughout this transition and beyond. We stand ready to work with the community to find a way to help protect all homeless animals.
Shelly Sampson, Director, Almost Home Animal Shelter
Hi! Shelly! How are you? Shanti said to write you and let you know how well he's doing here. He and Satya play for hours at a time... it makes my heart smile to see them!
They go on a walk almost every day... and when we get to the school's land, Shanti gets to get off the leash. You know how most huskies love to run? Well, he does, but he watches where I am, and he comes when he's called... he's even starting to teach Satya to come when called, which I didn't think was possible!
It turns out he's a food thief! but only when I'm at work or asleep.... so far, he seems to like fruit juice and brownies! I must say, I approve of his selection! Isn't it great that he feels enough like he belongs that he feels free to misbehave? I think it's a great sign that he's accepted this is his new permanent home. I am so grateful that you "kept" him for me! He has his own spot on the bed at night, and he has claimed his own chair in the living room when we watch tv... It is amazing to me that anyone adopted him and returned him. I can't imagine not having him as part of my family.
Have a great day! Take care of yourself! Namaste! Cathy
Just a note to let you know how Ronda is doing. We LOVE LOVE LOVE her. She has been a great addition to our family. Our son is obsessed w/ her and she lets him do almost anything to her and just ignores him. We have her involved with the Duluth Retreiver Club and she is doing VERY well. I'm sure that she must have had at least some basic training prior to her getting found and taken to shelter. She is a great dog and we can't thank you enough. Here are some pictures of her. PS She LOVES the water!
Just got in with the boys and Missy from their early evening romp in the tall, green grass. She is just so full of herself. Not at all timid and shy, anymore. She is in charge. She gets all of the boys playing and they are thriving with her here! She has assumed the early morning wake up and takes my place nudging each of them awake in the mornings. She is no longer my little girl. She is so pack infiltrated and so loving her pack that she just sees me as the butler! She loves life so much. I adore watching her chase birds (thinks she is a cat!) and when they take off and fly she jumps in the air as though she thinks she can fly, too!
Missy has been very healthy, alert and happy. She has gained weight and her coat is growing in beautifully. She eats like a rottweiller! I've never seen a little dog with such a furious appetite. Her heart is filled with kindness and love and she remembers her other life...I can tell. When I see her recalling things I will pick her up and whisper that they, too, remember her and still love her and miss her, too. She always gives me a kiss on the face when I say that to her.
All I can say to you once again is thank you for allowing me to come get her. For months, I searched for the 'right' addition to this pack. As soon as I saw her on Petfinder.com, my heart just jumped and I knew without question she was our little girl. I tell her all the time that God made her for us and that he had her waiting in the other homes until it was just the right time for her to come live with us but this would be her forever place (she always gives me a little kiss after that, too).
I hope you and all the pups at the shelter are doing well. You are in my thoughts and prayers, Joyce
The mission of Almost Home Animal Shelter is to provide basic needs, shelter, and medical care to homeless pets until each is matched with a new, loving, adoptive home. Founded in 2000, Almost Home is an all-volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)(3) no-kill rescue. We receive no government funding and achieve our mission through adoption fees and through the generous donations of our supporters.
Most pets end up in shelters through no fault of their own, and for the constant devotion and companionship pets give us we believe they deserve a chance to live and grow old in safe and happy homes. Almost Home Animal Shelter is dedicated to providing the care and support needed to help homeless pets with this transition. In addition, we recognize that the long-term solution to the problem of abandoned companion animals is to reduce pet overpopulation. Therefore, we ensure that pets passing through Almost Home are spayed or neutered.
Listen for news on Almost Home during the Pet Report which airs Monday through Friday at 3:30 pm on KBEK radio. Sponsored by KBEK and East Central Veterinarians.
Almost Home is located 2 miles east of the intersection of Hwy. 65 and Hwy. 23 in Mora, MN. Hours, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, are between 10 - 5 on Monday - Saturday and between 12 - 5 on Sunday. We are a small shelter with limited staff, so you MUST call or email for an appointment to be sure that someone is here and available to work with you when you arrive.
We do NOT ship pets out of state. All adopters must come to the shelter to meet the animal and be interviewed prior to finalizing an adoption. A downpayment may be made by mail to hold the animal for a reasonable time until you can get here. This is for your benefit as well as for the welfare of the pet because it is important that there is a good match between you and the pet and that they begin to form an attachment to make the transition easier. Remote adoption does not provide this.
Minnesota kennel license number: MN37402
"The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them. That is the essence of inhumanity. " --George Bernard Shaw
