Animals can be your best friends and bring joy and comfort to your life. Our pets help keep us stay active and healthy by going for walks and having a companion to engage with, but they’re also a big responsibility, so be sure you know what you’re getting into before you commit to taking in a furry friend. If you’re in the Grand Forks area and you’re looking for a pet, check out these shelters to find your next best pal and help rescue an animal that might need you even more than you need them.
Circle of Friends Animal Shelter
The Circle of Friends Animal Shelter is located in the Grand Cities Mall in Grand Forks. They have several programs, including a partnership with the Grand Forks Police Department that helps to reunite lost animals with their owners. If you’ve lost a pet in the Grand Forks area, you should notify both the shelter and the police for the best chance of getting your furry friend back. This shelter also runs a foster program, an education program for kids, and a volunteer program if you want to help out, or you can donate to their Pet Food Program to help pet owners in need.
At Circle of Friends, you can adopt cats, dogs, and small animals if available. Prices range from $50 for a cat over seven months old to $350 for a puppy aged 2–6 months. They have an on-site team that takes considerations like the temperament of different breeds, activity levels, age and health requirements, and more into account to help you find the perfect pet for your family. Whether you’re looking for a snuggly cat, an active dog to go on adventures, or anything in between, check out their adoptable critters!
Journey Home Animal Rescue
Journey Home Animal Rescue is a foster-based rescue that places animals in need into foster homes until their forever owner comes along to adopt. Their volunteer-run team spends hours each year transporting animals to safe foster homes and partnering with rescue shelters. They follow a six-step adoption process to ensure that all pets go to safe, loving homes, where they can receive the right care for their needs. These steps include an adoption application, several reference checks, an informal in-home visit, and finally, the official adoption of your new furry family member and bringing them home.
At Journey Home Animal Rescue, you could end up adopting an animal that has been abused or neglected, but the Journey Home team will provide support and recommendations for trainers and other professionals, even after the adoption process is completed. You can apply to foster and provide a safe and happy place for pets to live while they await adoption. You can also choose to sponsor an animal rescue with a donation to help this volunteer group cover costs including medical care, spaying or neutering, and microchipping. So many ways to help — make your journey to Journey Home today!
Homeward Animal Shelter in Fargo
If you’ve failed to find the pet of your dreams at either of the two places above, you might be ready to head down to Fargo, just over an hour’s drive south of Grand Forks. Homeward Animal Shelter is a community-funded non-profit animal shelter that was founded in 1966 and is located in the Yunker Farm Park in North Fargo. They help a variety of rescued, abandoned, and owner-surrendered animals find forever homes. To prevent unwanted litters, they ensure that all animals over 6 months old are spayed or neutered.
Cat adoption starts at $120 plus tax, while the ever-popular puppy starts at $300 plus tax. These prices help cover the costs of feeding and providing medical care, such as microchipping and vaccinations, for the animals in their care. Schedule an appointment to meet with your potential pet, and after if you find your future furry family member and decide to move forward, you can begin working on the application. There’s a 24-hour waiting period so you can be sure you’re ready for the commitment. They’ll call you once you’re approved, and then it’s off to complete the paperwork and bring your new fur baby home.
Center for Avian Adoption, Rescue, and Education
In addition to four-legged friends, there are other types of pets that need your love and care. Located 80 miles south of Grand Forks at 2202 Second Avenue East in West Fargo, the Center for Avian Adoption, Rescue, and Education, or CAARE, specializes in rescuing, re-homing, and educating people about companion parrots. If you’re an avian aficionado and want to adopt, or if you just want to learn more about these colorful and personable birds, it’s worth the drive from Grand Forks. Once you’re there, you can visit the parrots that are available for adoption and apply for the one that captures your heart.
Everyone at this volunteer-run center is happy to help you learn what it takes to properly care for a parrot, so you know what to expect if you’re new to bird adoption. They also have the Avian Warehouse, a store where you can find anything and everything you will need to care for your birds, including cages, feed, bedding, and parrot toys; proceeds help to fund the care of their rescued birds. CAARE also offers parrot manicure and spa services, as well as long- and short-term boarding.
Whether you’re looking for the purr-fectly fluffy cat, a barking best friend, or you just want to see who needs to find a loving home, you can become the proud owner of a special pet with a little luck and patience. If you live in the Grand Forks area and are looking for a pet, this list is a good place to start. Have you adopted an animal from any of the shelters on this list? If you have, all of us at Rydell Honda of Grand Forks would love to hear about it. Contact us today and tell us your adoption story!
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