The Bond Between (formerly Secondhand Hounds)

The Bond Between: Where Compassion Becomes Action

The Bond Between (formerly Secondhand Hounds) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that focuses on building the bond animals and people share. Since our founding in 2009, we've rescued over 30,00 dogs cats and impacted the lives of countless humans.

At The Bond Between, we believe that when people and animals thrive together, whole communities heal. Since our founding in 2009, we’ve rescued more than 34,000 dogs and cats and touched the lives of countless people. But what we do has never just been about saving animals- it’s about saving families, nurturing hope, and strengthening the bond that connects us all.

This year, our community needed us more than ever. 2025 has tested all of us. Families all around us are working though financial hardship, housing insecurity, food insecurity, medical emergencies, grief, and more. But through it all, you’ve helped us to keep saying yes.

Because of your support, since the last Give to the Max Day:

• We’ve rescued hundreds of dogs and cats from crisis situations across Minnesota and beyond, giving them the safety and care they deserve.

• We’ve provided food for more than 3,000 pets every month through our Pet Food Shelf, ensuring no animal goes hungry and no guardian has to choose between feeding their family or their pet.

• We’ve expanded our Respite Foster Program, partnering with domestic violence shelters, veterans’ organizations, and housing advocates to give people in crisis the gift of time — and the promise of reunion.

• We have increased our community veterinary services, ensuring that animals throughout Minnesota have access to care.

• And we’ve continued to say yes to every animal who needs medical care, rehabilitation, or simply a chance to be loved.

“Yes” is still our favorite word. We live for the moments when we can say yes.

Yes to the broken dog left behind. Yes to the family desperate to keep their beloved cat during a crisis. Yes to the animal who needs a miracle- and the person who needs them just as much.

But saying yes isn’t easy. It takes resources, staff, supplies, veterinary care, and an unshakable belief that love is worth the work. And that’s where you come in.

Because of you, “Yes” happens every day.

Over the years, you’ve helped us rescue over 34,000 animals. You’ve supported hundreds of hospice pets, neonatal kittens, and animals needing life-saving surgeries. You’ve made it possible for us to expand into social services and wellness programs that are redefining what rescue can be. Together, we are shaping the future of animal welfare- one where prevention, care, and compassion walk hand in hand. 

This is more than rescue. It’s a movement built on empathy, sustainability, and the belief that every life has value- both human and animal.

You are The Bond Between. Nothing at The Bond Between happens without you. Your donations don’t just keep the lights on - they keep hope alive.

To our donors: you make the impossible possible.

To our community champions: thank you for sharing our story, our mission, and our heart.

To our matching donors: your belief in us amplifies every gift, every rescue, every life changed.

Whether you give $5 or $500, you are part of every wagging tail, every tearful reunion, every story of hope. Together, we’ll keep saying yes- to compassion, to connection, and to a better world for people and pets alike.

Thank you for believing in this work. Thank you for being The Bond Between.