Mission & History

Mission

The Heart of Minnesota Animal Shelter is passionately devoted to the care of animals in need, by providing rescue, shelter, adoption, and veterinary services in central Minnesota.


Cher, Shelter Animal #0001, was the first animal adopted from our shelter when we were foster home based in the summer of 1999.

Looking Back on the Past but Working Towards the Future

Where We've Been

1999

The Very Beginning

Our first organizational meeting occurs in January and first adoptions occur in June.

2000

First Pet Walk

The first pet walk was held in the summer. This event will remain one of our largest fundraisers for years to come.

2001

Home at the Fairgrounds
McLeod County donated the use of their former hazardous waste facility just outside of the fairgrounds entrance. We housed dogs and cats at this location originally.

2005

Kitty Castle
McLeod County was generous enough to let us use the old farmhouse on the fairgrounds to house our cat population. 

2013

An Important Milestone


5000th Animal Intake: A dog named Grant after former McLeod County Commissioner Grant Knutson.

2020

A New Begining


HMAS Purchases property west of Hutchinson in the spring and remodels the property's house for shelter's cats who move in the fall.

2022

Property Progress


After several years of remodeling the new property's dairy barn became the home for our new monthly rummage sales.

2025

Major Efforts Bear Fruit



In the spring we took in our 10,000th animal, a kitten named Beetle.  In the summer we began In-House surgeries, and in the fall we finished the property's new dog building.