Ruff Start Rescue brings hundreds of dogs, cats from Texas

(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)

Hundreds of furry friends moved to Minnesota last year through Ruff Start Rescue's Lone Star to North Star Rescue Relief Program.

Roughly 600 dogs and 110 cats were transported from shelters in Houston to homes in Minnesota, according to Meaghan Dubbs, who helps run the program. This is up from 663 animals in 2024. Dubbs told the St. Cloud Times the drive takes roughly 22 1/2 hours, including stops, with about two trips per month. The pets travel by van.

Ruff Start Rescue, based in Princeton, started its Texas relief program in 2010 and has brought more than 4,350 animals to Minnesota since. The Lone Star to North Star Rescue Relief Program started as a way to address the high animal population in Houston-area shelters. Dubbs said shelters in the region have high populations because of its warmer temperatures, making it easier for stray animals to reproduce. She also said some people in Houston are opposed to getting animals spayed or neutered.

Volunteers unload dogs transported from Texas to central Minnesota through Rough Start Rescue's Lone Star to North Star Rescue Relief Program.

This is combined with the number of outdoor pets people have in Texas, according to Dubbs.

"In Texas, they consider them (animals) property, so people can basically do whatever they want as long as it's not deemed cruelty," Dubbs said. "There are a lot of outdoor pets and really the city, county and (other government entities) can't do anything about it."

Houston's animal control department took in more than 22,400 animals in 2025, according to its yearly report.

The Lone Star to North Star Rescue Relief Program occasionally includes cats to fill adoption spaces at PetSmart stores, where only select cats are placed. Most Ruff Start Rescue animals are placed in foster homes in central Minnesota. Dubbs said if these cat kennels aren't filled, Ruff Start Rescue could lose the spots, so cats from Texas help maintain Ruff Start Rescue's cat supply in winter, when cat availability is typically low.

Because Minnesota has a fairly large cat population the Lone Star to North Star Rescue Relief Program primarily focuses on dogs.

"There are so many stray cats in Minnesota that for the most part, we don't need to do that (transport cats from Texas)," Dubbs said. "We only do it when we have really low populations.

Ruff Star Rescue picks the dogs, and when applicable cats, out itself. The shelter historically chooses animals that are not typically seen in central Minnesota shelters. Dubbs said Minnesota often sees larger dogs, such as pit bulls and rottweilers, because they can survive the colder temperatures. As a result, Ruff Start Rescue typically chooses smaller dogs to diversify Minnesota's shelter offerings.

"We try to pull things that we don't see here as much," Dubbs said. "We'll get some of the more rare breeds, like we've had a number of Frenchies (French bulldogs) and pugs."

Ruff Start Rescue also tries to make sure each van transporting pets has a wide variety of animals, including senior dogs, various sizes and personality types.

The shelter organization lists dogs coming to Minnesota on its website ahead of each trip, according to Dubbs. She said these animals are then placed into a foster-to-adopt program that gives families 10 days to decide if the animal is a good fit. Ruff Start Rescue also helps get the animals all their shots and necessary medical care. Online profiles for incoming dogs often include their personalities and a photograph.

"We wanted to find a way to (create) a system where people could trial adoptions and figure out if it was the right dog for them, but also we would be taking up less foster homes of our own," Dubbs said.

Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at [email protected].