Q: How long will you keep an animal before it gets put down?

A: RRAR is a no-kill shelter, meaning we will never euthanize animal just because we are running out of space, or if it has been here for a certain amount of time. We will only euthanize an animal if it is aggressive to the point it is deemed a safety risk to any people or other animals in the shelter, or if it is extremely sick to the point it is suffering and dying slowly, and euthanasia is the most humane choice.

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Q: There's a stray animal running around my area! Can you come out and catch it?

A: No. If there is a stray animal, call your local Animal Control Officer (ACO), or if you do not have one in your area you can call your local non-emergency police line and report it. An officer will be sent out to look for the animal. Shelters do not have enough people to send out searching for strays, as we must focus our efforts on the animals we have in our facility.

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Q: What kind of donations do you accept?

A: We will accept just about anything! Blankets, towels, toys, cleaning supplies (such as bleach, dish soap, etc.) cash/gift cards, kennels/crates, aluminum cans, food, and the list goes on and on! Everything helps. We do request that any food you bring is still sealed, so bugs and other critters aren't attracted to it. For other ways to donate, check out our "Donate" page!

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Q: Can you offer any kind of free or discounted Spay/Neutering of my pet?

A: While there are some shelters that have a discount spay/neutering program, RRAR is not one of them. The only animals we will get fixed are ones that are adopted through our shelter.

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Q: I found an injured bird/rabbit or other wild animal and don't know what to do with it. Can you take it?

A: No. While RRAR has taken animals other than dogs and cats in the past, we can only accept domesticated animals. Wild rabbits are different from tamed rabbits, and a robin is different from a parrot or a cockatiel. Even if they don't show symptoms, wild animals can be very dirty and carry an endless amount of diseases that can be passed to the animals in the shelter in a matter of seconds. We don't want to see any animal suffer, but our own animals are our first priority, and the risk to them is too great. Instead, call the nearest wildlife rescue organization to you, and they can assist you.

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Q: Someone I know or live near is abusing their animal. What do I do?

A: If you have reason to believe anyone is abusing an animal, call 911. An officer will be sent to investigate the reported location. Animal abuse is a crime in all 50 states, and anyone caught committing this crime will be charged accordingly.

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Q: I've lost/found a stray animal. What do I do!?

A: This is our most commonly received question. Because of this, this question is answered extensively on the site's "Home" page.

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Q: I've donated, but I want to help out more. How do I do that?

A: There are plenty of ways you can help your local shelter! Just by visiting this website, you already are! Many shelters also have social media like Facebook and Twitter you can use to help spread the word. Of course, you can volunteer as well! Otherwise, you could always try to raise money your own way. Ask for shelter donations instead of birthday gifts, have a garage sale and donate the proceeds to a shelter, the possibilities are endless! It all starts with you!

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Q: What is a microchip, exactly? How do they work?

A: A microchip is a way to identify an animal and register it to an owner. Companies like HomeAgain and 24PetWatch make these chips and keep each registered chip number in a file under the animal it is given to. A microchip is implanted into an animal the same way a doctor would give someone a shot at the hospital. The chip is attached to a needle, and put inside the animal (usually between their shoulders). The chip is about the size of a grain of rice, and will not harm your pet in any way. The only pain they feel is getting poked by a needle. Microchips are not GPS trackers (although there are some that work that way, but are much more expensive), rather they are each given a number or letter combination, depending on the brand of chip used, and can be scanned by vets, shelters, and some police stations. The number is registered to the owner under their name, address, phone number, and driver's license/personal identification number. This number can then be searched in the chip manufacturer's database and traced back to the animal's owner. It's a very simple process.

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Q: Can I foster an animal?

A: Yes! If you are interested in fostering an animal you can call us for further questions. Otherwise, just come in and fill out our fostering application/agreement and we can move forward from there.

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Q: Can I adopt a dog/cat and bring it to my own vet to get fixed?

A: No. Our contract with the city of Hibbing states that, unless they are not yet of age (in which we send a certificate to get them fixed within the coming months), no animal is to be adopted from our facility without first being spayed or neutered, microchipped, and up to date on their rabies vaccination. This is not to say you cannot bring the animal in question to your own vet after it has been adopted, but they must have these requirements done before adoption.

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Q: I'm having trouble getting my dog to listen to me. What can I do?

A: For questions on animal training, we recommend going to a professional trainer. They have much more experience than us, and have their own tips and tricks to their craft. A trainer we recommend is Debby Morris of "Paws Unlimited." 1-218-244-9400