Underdog Rescue


St Louis Park, Minnesota

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About Underdog Rescue

Underdog Rescue in St. Louis Park, Minnesota was founded in 2000. To date, they’ve placed more than 2,100 dogs and cats into loving homes.

They're a non-profit, foster-based rescue group dedicated to the rehabilitation and permanent placement of homeless dogs and cats of all ages and all breeds.

The organization doesn’t have a facility to hold animals while they wait for forever homes. Instead, they save lives with the help of fosters, veterinary care partners, and community partnerships.

Considering adoption from Underdog Rescue? Keep reading below for more information on their adoption process and fees.

Contact Info

Address:
3345 Dakota Ave S
,
St Louis Park
,
MN
55416
Phone:
(952) 929-0777
Email:
inquiries@underdogrescuemn.com
Website: underdogrescuemn.com

Hours of Operation

By appointment

Adoption Process

Underdog Rescue’s adoption process is just a few simple steps:

  1. View the available pets on their website or at an adoption event.
  2. Complete an adoption application. The application requires a non-refundable $25 fee. Application forms can be found below.
  3. A coordinator will review your application to ensure both you and the pet you're applying for are a good match. Allow 1-3 business days for this step.
  4. Application approved? Schedule a meet-and-greet. All family members must be present for the get-together. If you have other dogs in your home, they must also be present to ensure everyone gets along. After meeting your pet, you’ll have 24 hours to decide if you’d like to continue with the process.
  5. If you're still interested, a volunteer will schedule a home visit. Again, all family members must be home and present for this visit.
  6. Meet with a volunteer to complete the adoption contract and pay the adoption fee.
  7. Bring your new family member home! Come prepared with a leash, collar, and harness for your new pet.

You can find Underdog Rescue’s adoption applications below:

  • Adoption Application - Adult Dogs‍
  • Adoption Application - Puppies‍
  • Adoption Application - Bulldogs‍
  • Adoption Application - Cats

Adoption Fees

Adoption fees vary from pet to pet, and many factors go into determining the fees, one of which is the level of care they've received.

Whatever your fee is, it covers spay/neuter surgery, dental work (if needed), age-appropriate vaccinations, heartworm testing, parasite testing, deworming, and microchipping.

Your fee also help to support the organization’s overall expenses, such as the costs associated with food, medical care, transportation, insurance, and supplies for the animals. In short, the fees help Underdog Rescue to continue saving lives!

Adoption Process & Fees

Our writing team is hard at work researching this shelter's adoption process and fees, so this page will be updated soon!

In the meantime, below you'll find some nice-to-know info that applies to nearly every animal shelter, humane society, and rescue.

But first...

Do You Have Everything Your New Shelter Pet Needs?

Check out the Checklist, now →

Give your new best friend the life and love they deserve.

Why Rescue A Shelter Dog?

Because shelter dogs are full of love!

Is it because they know you saved them and love you harder for it?

I can't say for certain, but yes.

Jokes aside, there are three things all shelter dogs need to thrive in their new home:

  1. Love
  2. Patient
  3. Training

Older shelter dogs, generally 1+ years old, may have experienced a lot of trauma, which often results in one of 8 common behavioral issues:

  1. Anxiety
  2. Aggression toward people & pets
  3. Resource guarding
  4. Destructive behavior
  5. Housetraining regression
  6. Poor social skills
  7. Leash reactivity & barrier-related aggression
  8. Constant whining

These issues are correctable! Your dog isn't broken, they're just damaged. You can fix them with enough love, patience, and a good training plan.

Animal Shelter vs Humane Society vs Rescue: What's the Difference?

You can learn a lot about an animal welfare organization just by looking at their name.

Animal Shelters

  • Most Animal Shelters are city or county-run organizations, often operated by the local Animal Control department, that manage strays and handle owner surrenders.
  • They usually have kennel facilities you can visit to adopt animals, and they usually have less stringent adoption requirements, lower adoption fees, and same-day adoptions (because their goal is to get animals out of the shelter).
  • Unfortunately, they usually know very little about each animal, including their true personalities and any behavioral problems.

Humane Societies

  • Most Humane Societies are non-profit organizations, many of which are no-kill shelters.
  • Some (but not all) are affiliated with The Humane Society of the United States.
  • They exist to improve animal welfare in the local community and often partner with city or county-run Animal Shelters that often euthanize animals due to capacity restraints.
  • They usually have kennel facilities, sometimes at multiple locations, and usually offer other services to the community such as low-cost spay/neuter clinics, community education programs, and more.
  • They may also have some animals in foster care.
  • There's a lot of variation in process and fees among Humane Societies, but they usually have really good websites that detail everything for you.

Rescues

  • Most Rescues are foster-based organizations that don't have physical facilities.
  • They usually have websites and contact emails, but not all of them have phone numbers.
  • Because they don't have a physical facility, you need to view animals in their foster network online, usually on their website but sometimes on their member pages on either PetFinder or Adopt-a-Pet.
  • If you see an animal you'd like to meet, contact the rescue using the process listed on their website or via email. They'll help you through the application process and set up a time for you to meet the animal at the foster's home.
  • Adopting from a rescue generally is the most expensive option here and takes the longest, but you get an animal that's been cared for in a loving home environment and their foster can tell you a lot about their personality.

6 Tips to Improve Your Adoption Experience

Adoption processes vary drastically from organization to organization, but here are some general tips that apply in most instances. Note that we'll use the term "shelters" here for simplicity but it includes all types of rescue organizations.

  1. See an animal online that you'd like to meet? Call the shelter before your visit to make sure the animal is still available. This especially applies for puppies, which are adopted out quickly.
  2. Usually, you'll need to get some paperwork in order: a photo ID, vaccination/medical records for any pets you currently have, possibly your vet's contact info and a couple of personal references, and (for renters) proof you're allowed to have a pet (copy of your lease or your landlord's contact info).
  3. If you need to provide contact info for your vet, let your vet know ahead of time. Otherwise, they may not release your information.
  4. Many shelters require your current dogs to meet adoptive dogs. Your current dogs need to be up-to-date on vaccinations.
  5. Some shelters require you to schedule a home visit to ensure a suitable living environment for the new animal.
  6. Adoption fees may seem excessive, but they're actually amazing values. Truthfully, caring for a pet is expensive. Most adoption fees include required medical care to get the animal ready for their new home including (but not limited to) spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, general vet exams, flea/tick treatment, deworming, heartworm testing/treatment for dogs, and feline leukemia and feline AIDS testing/treatment for cats. In general, your adoption fee is less than the cost of this care, so you're saving money in addition to your new animal's life!

If you have any questions about adopting an animal (what you'll need, what to expect, etc.) feel free to contact the PetLists team!

For more information about what's included in your adoption fee, or any other questions about the adoption process, reach out to
Underdog Rescue
in
St Louis Park
,
Minnesota
directly using the contact info above.

Check Out The PetLists Dog Adoption Guide!

Other Shelters in

Minnesota

Curious about other shelters? Here's 6 more. You can also browse all
animal shelters in
Minnesota
.


You can also go back to our listing of all 50 states to find shelters elsewhere in the US.
All information on this page is accurate and up-to-date to the best of our knowledge. If you spot an error, please contact us using our contact form.
Note: Hours of operation and other information on this page are subject to change during the COVID-19 pandemic.