Tuff Start Rescue

Tuff Start Rescue We rescue those facing euthanasia due to health problems, financial constraints or abandonment. Tuff Start Rescue was started in 2011.

We rescue dogs and cats that would otherwise be euthanized due to full pounds, health problems, financial constraints, or just for being a stray or feral (cat). We are a nonprofit organization and rely soley on donations to care for these animals and to give them a second chance at the life they deserve! �

Two of our newest babies are 15 year old housemates, Bones & Charlie. They are wondering if anyone would like to sponsor...
12/22/2025

Two of our newest babies are 15 year old housemates, Bones & Charlie. They are wondering if anyone would like to sponsor their food for a bit? They prefer the Proplan shredded chicken. A 35-pound bag costs approx $75. If you'd like to donate to cover this, please hit the donate button below.

Thank you! ❤️

To every single one of you who has shared, donated, or opened your home to foster — thank you, truly. 💛🐾These past few w...
11/21/2025

To every single one of you who has shared, donated, or opened your home to foster — thank you, truly. 💛🐾
These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of fundraisers, and yet you continue to show up for us and for the animals who need you most. Your compassion, your generosity, your willingness to stand with us again and again… it leaves us honestly in awe.
Because of you, scared animals find safety. Broken ones find healing. Forgotten ones find love.
You make that possible.
From the bottom of our hearts — thank you. 💛🍋

Thanks to your generosity, we’re already halfway to our Give to the Max Day goal!Every share, every donation, every bit ...
11/21/2025

Thanks to your generosity, we’re already halfway to our Give to the Max Day goal!
Every share, every donation, every bit of love helps us keep saying “yes” to the animals who need us most.
There’s still time to push us across the finish line — let’s make it happen together. 💛🍋🐾

In just one week, three critically ill young cats were brought into our care:Peanut (an orange stray kitten), Mittens (a...
11/21/2025

In just one week, three critically ill young cats were brought into our care:
Peanut (an orange stray kitten), Mittens (a 1-year-old indoor/outdoor tabby), and Issadore (a 2-year-old outdoor cat).
None of them had ever received veterinary care, yet each required an enormous amount of time, skill, and love from our entire team. Multiple staff members and volunteers worked diligently—placing IV catheters, giving IV medications and fluids, taking X-rays, providing oxygen, coordinating referrals to neurology and emergency hospitals—all while still caring for other patients.

Despite all efforts, we weren’t able to save these innocent souls. All 3 of them passed during attempts to save their lives: Peanut (during stabilization), Mittens (right before transfer to the Neuro ER) and Issadore (en route to ER). 💔

If only any of them had gotten to us sooner. It was heartbreaking for our team -- lots of tears and exhaustion.

Because they touched our hearts in the short time they were with us, all three have been privately cremated. Some may not understand this use of rescue funds, but to us, they were family—and they will be treated with dignity.

Thank you to those who support our mission and help us show compassion even in the hardest moments.

Peanut, Mittens, and Issadore—you deserved so much better. Rest in peace, sweet souls. 🌈💔

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Tuff-Start-Rescue

This year, we had to say devastated goodbyes to two of our beloved seniors, Hattie and Boy. 💔 These two precious kitties...
11/21/2025

This year, we had to say devastated goodbyes to two of our beloved seniors, Hattie and Boy. 💔 These two precious kitties blessed us with so much love and laughter over the past several years. Both Hattie and Boy were in our 'Forever Fosters' group, due to their list of medical ailments, where their Moms (Nicole for Hattie and Melinda for BoyBoy) gave them the very best years of their lives. We miss you, sweethearts. Thank you for being ours. ❤️

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Tuff-Start-Rescue

Bones & Charlie came to us urgently last week, where they were literally en route for euthanasia, as their owner (who st...
11/20/2025

Bones & Charlie came to us urgently last week, where they were literally en route for euthanasia, as their owner (who struggles with cognitive decline) was moved to a different home. These adorable boys are 15 years young and full of s***k (and medical problems, naturally). Both boys have had senior lab work-ups, diagnosing a variety of ailments such as a UTI, heart murmur, severe dental disease, arthritis, large masses, ear infections, etc. Charlie has a very large mass that is somewhat ulcerative and will have a surgeon check look at him (today actually!) to see if it is even operable, especially at his age. Both dogs are getting lots of TLC by their lovely foster Mom, who literally saved their lives, just in time.

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Tuff-Start-Rescue

We call our rescue animals “lemons” because many of them come to us with medical needs, quirks, or challenges that other...
11/20/2025

We call our rescue animals “lemons” because many of them come to us with medical needs, quirks, or challenges that others might see as flaws. But to us, those little “lemons” are incredibly special—and so easy to love. “Love the lemons” is our reminder that every animal, no matter their condition, deserves compassion, care, and a chance at a beautiful life.

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Tuff-Start-Rescue

Allie is a petite little girl, who definitely knew where to go for an ideal maternity ward! She befriended one of our vo...
11/20/2025

Allie is a petite little girl, who definitely knew where to go for an ideal maternity ward! She befriended one of our volunteers, who took her in to make sure she was healthy and cared for. Allie was a bit skittish and it looked as though she may have worms, but as it turns out, her belly was full of babies! A short time later, Allie had her kittens (Bean, Bobbie Jo, Billie Jean and Bennie). She's been a great Mom to her kiddos, even passing down a little bit of her sass! Allie will be adopted by her foster Mom, but all of her babies are currently available for adoption. ❤️

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Tuff-Start-Rescue

We have raised 26% of our Give to the Max Day fundraising goal so far!!Please keep sharing and encouraging others to sup...
11/20/2025

We have raised 26% of our Give to the Max Day fundraising goal so far!!

Please keep sharing and encouraging others to support our small (but mighty) rescue 💛🍋🐾

Some of our special rescue kiddos reside in our 'Forever Fosters' group. This group is for those who, due mainly to medi...
11/20/2025

Some of our special rescue kiddos reside in our 'Forever Fosters' group. This group is for those who, due mainly to medical and/or behavior issues, will always remain in our Tuff Start Rescue Family. This means they will live the rest of their lives with their loving foster families, while the rescue will always cover their medical care.
🩷

Pictured (not in order):
Bagheera, Berkley, Bootsie, Celine, Cody, Dart, Frisk, Honey, Izzy, Mousey, Phoebe, and Sunshine

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Tuff-Start-Rescue/welcome

This sweet, young girl was found lying in the middle of a very busy highway, late one night. She was scooped up and rush...
11/20/2025

This sweet, young girl was found lying in the middle of a very busy highway, late one night. She was scooped up and rushed her to the clinic, where she was given oxygen, pain meds, and had xrays taken, before being transferred to a local ER for overnight supportive care for head trauma and continuous pain management.

Junie had a broken right ankle, pelvic fractures, head trauma, and damage to her left eye. Once stable, she had orthopedic surgery to repair her ankle and pelvis (critical procedures that will allow her to live a normal, healthy life again -- just safely indoors this time).

She’s now on crate rest with a splint for 1-2 more weeks after her surgery. Her injured eye appears to be improving every day, but we may have it evaluated by an ophthalmologist as some cats can develop tumors in their eyes if the lens was damaged previously, so we want to be sure we are doing everything right for this little champ.

Through everything — pain, fear, hospitalization and surgeries —Princess Junie has continued to chirp, purr, and nuzzle her caregivers. She's our little miracle girl, who thinks catnip bananas are the very best invention ever!

If you’d like to help us continue saving animals like Princess Junie, your donation truly makes a life-changing difference.

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Tuff-Start-Rescue

Poor Fisher found himself in a very scary situation after wandering into someone’s garage and getting tangled in multipl...
11/20/2025

Poor Fisher found himself in a very scary situation after wandering into someone’s garage and getting tangled in multiple large fishing lures. The vision of him suspended by lures in rafters will haunt us forever. No one knows how long he had been there and it breaks our hearts to think of what he endured. 💔

Our veterinary team used ladders to get to him, where he was sedated while suspended by the lures, before we could even begin to free him. Thankfully, he didn't fight us while tangled. Maybe he knew we were there to help. He was rushed to the clinic for a late night emergency surgery to remove three large embedded lures and a large amount of damaged skin from one of his rear legs. After making a full recovery and turning out to be the sweetest boy, Fisher spends his days living THE life with his Mom, who will be adopting him this month!

If you’d like to help us continue rescuing animals like Fisher, your support means the world. Every donation helps us be there when they need us most.

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Tuff-Start-Rescue

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Isanti, MN

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