'Secondhand Hounds' changes name to 'The Bond Between'

INTERVIEWER: One of the biggest animal rescues in Minnesota is starting a new chapter. For 14 years, you've known it as Secondhand Hounds. But now the animal rescue that has helped save more than 26,000 dogs and cats has a new name as it grows as an organization. The announcement came Friday night at their annual fundraising gala, Bone Appetit. I love that.

Joining us right now is the CEO and the founder of what is now known as The Bond Between, Rachel Mairose. Rachel, welcome back.

RACHEL MAIROSE: Thank you so much.

INTERVIEWER: Oh, my gosh. I always thought Secondhand Hounds was just the most clever little name. And of course, now that you've been around for a while, you're kind of synonymous with animal rescue in Minnesota. So gosh, the obvious question is why change the name after 14 years?

RACHEL MAIROSE: Oh, man, it was such a hard decision. And as the person who named it, I think it was even more personal and emotional for me. But as we've evolved and grown, it has been clear that we're no longer just a dog rescue. We obviously have been rescuing cats for a long time, which I feel bad for all the cat people out there under the umbrella of Secondhand Hounds.

But we do so much more. And we think of rescue in a much different way than we did when I founded it in 2009. And we have big dreams, big aspirations. And we no longer could fit it all within the name Secondhand Hounds. So that's the CliffsNotes version.

INTERVIEWER: I like it. And of course, we have bonds with our animals. So I can understand why you went with The Bond Between.

RACHEL MAIROSE: Yeah, it was a hard decision. We worked with Media Bridge Advertising. And I--

INTERVIEWER: Oh, shoot, Rachel! I wonder if we lost you there. Are you are you there with me?

RACHEL MAIROSE: Oh, sorry.

INTERVIEWER: There you are.

RACHEL MAIROSE: I said, we were working with Media Bridge Advertising. And they turned out about 200 names for us. And it was like literally combing through name after name, trying to figure out the best name for the organization. And it all came down to our community and the beautiful bonds that we share with our pets.

And I felt like it was such a different, kind of a cool name because you can insert yourself into the title. It can be The Bond Between you and your pet. It could be The Bond Between your daughter and their pet. It could be-- it's just can kind of see yourself in that name, which is really different.

INTERVIEWER: And it's interesting that you picked that one. I think that that makes some sense, given what you are all about. The last time you and I talked-- gosh, I think that was-- you'd just launched the Pet Food Shelf. I think that's what it was. So when you say you've got big dreams and aspirations, you've got the Pet Food Shelf. But don't you have a bunch of other stuff, like a vet center and dog grooming and a bunch of other stuff?

RACHEL MAIROSE: Yes. And that was kind of the catalyst for the name change was, we keep expanding. We keep doing things for pet owners in our community and hopefully beyond. Right now, we have our vet center, which both takes care of our foster animals. But it also takes care of community clients.

We have the Chuck and Don's Pet Wellness Center, which is what houses the Chuck and Don's and People and Pets Together Food Shelf. We also have just piloted a respite foster care program, which is very necessary in our community. We get calls every week from people who want to keep their pets, but they have to have some solution short-term to keep their pets with them.

And so right now, we're piloting this program with both Women's Advocates, which is a domestic violence shelter, and also MACV for unhoused veterans. So these are just two organizations that are in need of this service. And it's scratching the surface of needs in our community.

I think that it's really important to look at animals as part of the family unit. And when we do that, it really opens up this idea of collaborating with human rights organizations as much as animal rights organizations. And if you put those two together, the sky's kind of the limit for what we can do.

INTERVIEWER: Don't you also have a tribal partnership program?

RACHEL MAIROSE: Absolutely we do. We've been working with Indigenous nations for many, many years. When I started working with tribal communities, I was taught that my purpose was saving animals and bringing them to the Twin Cities. Over time and with the help of some very patient, lovely humans, I realized how damaging the way that we were working with tribal nations can actually be.

And now we work alongside Indigenous communities. We are constantly listening and learning and working together to do what's best for those communities, both the people and the pets. And so that journey has been so beautiful. We're able to work alongside them and provide hundreds and hundreds of spays and neuters every year for those nations and also just wellness checks and conversation, food, anything that they need.

But instead of it being kind of that, riding in on your white horse white savior complex situation, it's not like that at all. We're just partnering with people that love their pets as much as we do and want to keep them healthy and happy.

INTERVIEWER: 14 years you've done this work. Did you ever get-- just because it can be it's very hard work. Let's face it, right, Rachel? It can be heartbreaking but also very nourishing. But how did you keep going after all this time? And starting a nonprofit is not exactly easy either.

RACHEL MAIROSE: It is a great question. I've always been an eternal optimist. But I definitely think starting a nonprofit is very hard. I think one thing is just surrounding yourself with people that believe that you can do it.

And know that the hard times are-- they're going to come. They're going to be there. But we focus on the good that we can do in the community. When I'm having a bad day, other people lift me up. And when they're having a bad day, I make sure that I try and lift them up as well.

And at the end of the day, when you're sitting there petting your animal-- I have four dogs now, which is teetering on hoarder. But I look at these babies, these beautiful babies. And they're looking at me. And they're trusting me. And they have a good life. And I think, until every single animal in shelter is having a good life, snuggling with their human, looking at them, and trusting them, my work isn't done.

And I will commit-- I have committed my life to this. I will continue to do so. And now we're just expanding that vision and saying that it's not only about those animals. It's about the people that love them as well. And if we can help both those animals and the people, the world is going to be a much more beautiful place.

INTERVIEWER: So if I go on secondhandhounds.org, which I'm on right now, when does the new website-- when is that launched?

RACHEL MAIROSE: January 1, everything switches over. And we will-- I just want to make it clear that we're not turning our backs on rescue animals at all. We actually hope to double the amount of lives that we save annually within three years. So right now we rescue about 3,000 animals from shelters and high-kill facilities every year. And we hope to make that 6,000 in 2026.

So we're not saying goodbye to that part of us. We're just expanding the family to do more good.

INTERVIEWER: All right, Rachel, all best. Thank you.

RACHEL MAIROSE: Awesome. Thank you so much, Cathy.

INTERVIEWER: Rachel Mairose is the founder and CEO of The Bond Between, formerly known as Secondhand Hounds. You want more information, of course, you can go to secondhandhounds.org. As I say, there's all kinds of good stuff there.

Thank you so much for listening on this Monday afternoon. A little light rain around Thief River Falls, where it's 55, and some rain around Brainerd, where it's 62. Temperatures will be fairly moderate today. We'll check that forecast for you in just a moment here on MPR News.