INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Dog News: Two Women Start Lost Dog Detective Agency; Rescue Shelter Expands Thanks To Caring Community, Partners

By Bradley Ryder
Published on: 15:03 PST, Sep 18, 2016

This week’s news involves two diva private detectives who love animals so much that they created a charitable organization to help owners find their lost dogs. Another story is about a Minnesota animal rescue operation that moved into a newer and bigger home to continue spreading its love for animals and good work in rescuing them from high kill shelters, according to Life with Dogs.

Recently, the Executive Director of Secondhand Hounds, Rachel Mairose, was overjoyed after the announcement of a new facility. With the organization’s new facility comes the ability to help more animals.

The 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue organization, based in Eden Prairie, MN, started in July 2009 and had helped rescue and place over 9,300 abandoned or stray animals. In fact, Secondhand Hounds has put nearly 2,500 animals in forever homes every year since its inception.

By working with a network of foster coordinators, the organization has established a strong relationship with shelters in the area, notifies the nonprofit if any animals are in need of a temporary home pending proper placement or adoption.

The organization has also gained a following on social media. Staff members keep readers and followers abreast of information and updates about their four-legged residents.

The group’s physical facility provides animal intake, orders house supplies and serves as the center of all their administrative duties. Secondhand Hounds keeps all of their animals in individual homes until they can find their forever homes; the families taking care of the animals are provided with, as Rachel puts it, “anything they might need” (e.g. food, crates, bowls, toys).

The group does not just pick these foster parents at random, though. Families have to endure home visits, reference checks, and online training before they are provided custodial care of an animal in need.

Adoptive owners, however, have fewer requirements. Forever families simply have to provide a loving and safe environment and must have any resident pets fixed. Furthermore, any other pets the family has must be up-to-date on vaccinations. Further, they must be friendly, and must be healthy.

With its new facility, the organization will be able to expand its reach and help more animals find the loving homes they deserve. Adoption is the goal, but please remember to support local rescue organizations like Secondhand Hounds with your time and donations.

Two women living in Aurora, Colorado decided to open a detective agency that specializes in locating lost dogs. The two friends hate to see families face the misery that comes with losing a beloved pet, and feel that they are doing the right thing by starting this business, wrote Life with Dogs.

“Somebody’s animal goes lost or is missing, or a stray is running the streets. It just tugs at our heart strings,” said Whitney Olson.

“We’re the people who stop [to help],” said Olson’s partner, Kristen Rollin.

The two women had received their first case before the business was even a reality. A dog named Murphy had been missing for well over a month, and the family decided to enlist the help of Olson and Rollin.

The two women stated that they had frequently heard about sightings of a dog fitting Murphy’s description, and they were able to return the lost animal to his home.

“We kept hearing about this dog and we finally spotted him, and we were able to come back through Colorado Lost and Found Pets and figured out who he belonged to,” said Rollin.

The two women were so happy with their results that they decided to become partners. With their combined efforts, the Missing Mutt Detectives were born.

“It became clear to us there was a need for something like this in our community,” said Olson.

The Missing Mutt Detectives are funded purely through donations. Olson and Rollin claim that they seek no profit by opening their business, and any service they provide will be free of charge. All donations go toward keeping the business operational.

You can donate to the two women by visiting their GoFundMe.com.

[Feature image by Shutterstock/everst]

Share this article: Dog News: Two Women Start Lost Dog Detective Agency; Rescue Shelter Expands Thanks To Caring Community, Partners
adoption Minnesota animals
More from Inquisitr