News and Events

Home for Life does not have a better friend than photographer Mark Luinenburg, who, since 2000, has donated his time and talent to document our cats and dogs at the sanctuary. He brings our mission to life with his beautiful photos.

The best ambassadors for Home for Life's mission are our animals: we have always believed our at risk animals can help their human counterparts, at risk people of all ages. Instead of creating an isolated sanctuary, cut off from society, we thought the best way to safeguard our special animals was to make them part of the community. Although our animals have not been able to find placement in an adoptive home, they still have much to offer and much to give, a truth best demonstrated by them through our outreach programs which provide solace and joy through healing pet therapy.

The Native American Spiritual Adviser told her that she would know when her husband Jim was close because she would see eagles near. Eagles were Jim's symbol. So we knew it would be a special day when Hannah said the eagles seemed to be accompanying her on her drive to Home for Life, especially as she approached the sanctuary, circling above as she drove up our driveway, as if to herald her arrival. Eagles have special meaning for her, and it almost seemed as if the eagles had led her to Home for Life that chilly but sunny and clear day this mid November.

Did you know that in the U.S., up to 90% of animals will lose their homes during their lifetimes? Most animals surrendered to shelters are just 2 ½ years old. Shelters and rescues work hard to find new homes for these animals, but only 24% of them get adopted each year. The adoption numbers for older dogs are much more grim, let alone for senior pets who are bonded pairs and hope to stay together. Statistics like these make clear how rare it is for a dog or cat to land in a stable, loving, lifelong home.

In this digital age, a website is truly a charity's public face in the world, the best opportunity to create a great first impression. Home for Life's website has served us well since 2004, but had begun to look dated and was in need of a facelift. We wanted to emphasize the great photos of our animals, their stories and allow easier navigation of the site. But with the challenging economy and the many demands on our resources to provide the best care for our animals, a new website always seemed out of reach.

Another year, another winter at Home for Life. As the country braces for another onslaught of cold and snow this week, it's business as usual at Home for Life. Our facility is spread out over several acres so contending with winter weather has always been a fact of life at the sanctuary.  When we designed the sanctuary we wanted to give our animals, particularily our dogs, as much room as possible and the freedom to go in or outside as they pleased.

In mid-October, Home for Life welcomed photographer Eva Noth to the sanctuary for a warm fall afternoon and our latest sponsor  photo session. Eva, who donated her time and talent to support Home for Life's sponsorship program, is a Twin Cities  photographer who focuses on pet portraits. Her unique approach strives to tell the story of each animal whose pictures she captures. So many of our supporters have told us that what they love are the stories of our animals, what they have been through and overcome and how they are now flourishing at Home for Life.

Katie Thering of  Kage Imagery has been a longtime friend to Home for Life and to rescued animals in our community. For many years she photographed the cats and kittens of  Feline Rescue St. Paul, MN  to help promote them for foster and adoption.

Home for Life recently had the pleasure of working with Storytellers for Good, a video production company that focuses on the outstanding stories in the community. 

With the warmer temperatures and spring  here at last, it's time to think about getting out of the house again! As you plan  your social schedule for 2015 don't forget about your four legged friends at Home for LIfe; we have a couple of great events coming up this year that you won't want to miss.

 SATURDAY JULY 18, 2015: GATES OPEN AT NOON: HOME FOR LIFE'S ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE, MEMORIAL GARDEN CEREMONY AND RIDE FOR THEIR LIVES