Marshfield Area Pet Shelter Breaks Ground on Permanent Facility

Eight years after its founding, Marshfield Area Pet Shelter officially broke ground on a permanent facility on August 15.

The organization formed in 2011 after a small group of individuals came together with a passion for helping animals and a dream of one day finding a permanent home.

“It is amazing what a small group of individuals can accomplish through a lot of hard work, dedication, and perseverance,” said Karen Rau, MAPS Executive Director.

MAPS operates an Adoption Center inside the Marshfield Mall and a temporary facility at the old airport terminal building on 29th Street. Once the building is completed, the shelter will move from those locations into its new facility at 3500 Downwind Drive.

At its new facility, the shelter plans to expand its programs and most importantly, continue its mission to find animals a permanent home.

The building will feature eight free-roaming cat rooms with an outdoor “catio,” 11 indoor/outdoor dog kennels with heated floors for winter, fenced in areas for socializing, two separate isolation areas for animals needing medical treatment, three multipurpose rooms, a large 1-car garage with a large storage space, a conference room for events and educational opportunities, and a second story with staff break room and additional storage.

“We are very proud of this new facility,” said Rau. “We are very proud of what it means for this community and what we can do for years to come for our animals, and for all the people that adore those animals.”

She thanked the staff and 60 regular volunteers who make the organization thrive and Bill Heiting for his longtime fundraising efforts. The building will be named for the JP Adler family for their generous donation.

The vision for the facility can be credited to the late architect Dan Helwig, who donated his time and talents to design a building for MAPS. As a tribute to his commitment to the organization, one shovel was left unmanned.

“We thank everybody who has donated and supported us the last 8 years,” said Rau. “Without your help, we wouldn’t be here today.”

Marshfield Area Pet Shelter to Break Ground on New Facility

Community Remembers Local Architect Dan Helwig