Animal Humane Society broke ground Wednesday on a new two-story, 13,000-square-foot veterinary clinic at its Golden Valley campus, a project organizers say will double the capacity of the current clinic and allow it to care for 10,000 additional pets annually once it opens. The new building, located at 845 Meadow Lane North, will house clinical suites on the ground floor and administrative offices upstairs, with a targeted opening in fall 2027.
The groundbreaking, held Wednesday according to KARE 11, marks the start of construction that will require demolishing an existing 5,600-square-foot storage building on the northern part of the property and reconfiguring campus parking, according to MinneapoliMedia News. The Golden Valley City Council cleared the way for the project when it approved a planned-unit-development amendment on July 7, per the same outlet. The current clinic and adoption services will remain active throughout construction, KARE 11 reports.
New Services Aim to Ease a Growing Financial Squeeze
Once complete, the expanded clinic will offer spay/neuter surgeries, preventive services and exams, and dental and specialty surgery services — an expanded slate compared to what the current facility can provide, per the station's report. Animal Humane Society CEO Joy King said expanding access to affordable veterinary care matters as demand grows and costs climb, according to KARE 11.
That pressure is not anecdotal. Nationwide veterinary care costs rose 42% between June 2020 and June 2025, far outpacing overall consumer price inflation, according to MPR News. Minnesota rescue organizations reported a marked increase in owners surrendering pets due to financial hardship and rising medical expenses in 2025, the same report found. Public veterinary services at Animal Humane Society clinics use a two-tier sliding scale based on household income, a structure meant to keep costs manageable for lower-income pet owners, according to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
A Century-Old Organization Expanding Its Footprint
Animal Humane Society traces its roots to 1891, when it was incorporated as the Minneapolis Humane Society before growing into the regional nonprofit it is today, according to HandsOn Twin Cities. The organization now runs three full-service adoption centers in Golden Valley, Coon Rapids, and Woodbury, along with two public low-cost veterinary centers in Golden Valley and St. Paul, according to Charity Navigator. Across its shelter and outreach programs, the organization provides care and assistance to more than 22,000 animals annually across Minnesota, per Petfinder.
Animal Humane Society also employs the only full-time humane agents in Minnesota authorized to investigate animal cruelty and neglect cases statewide, Petfinder notes. That statewide reach was on display last month, when 71 cats were pulled from a Sibley County home and transported to the Golden Valley campus for emergency care. The expanded clinic is expected to add significant medical capacity for cases like that one, alongside the organization's routine adoption and low-cost care services.
