About Us

Our Mission

The Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter, is an independent, non-profit, community-supported, open admission animal welfare organization.  Our mission is to:

1)  Aid in the sheltering & adoption of animals

2)  Promote responsible pet ownership

3)  Actively educate & promote the importance of spaying & neutering to help alleviate pet over population

4)  Assist in strengthening the human-animal relationship

UPAWS is dedicated to educating & working with county-wide agencies concerning the welfare of animals.

Our Location & Hours

UPAWS is located approximately one mile off US-41 at 84 Snowfield Road in Negaunee Township just east of the TV-6 station. (Behind the old Airport.)

Hours: We are open to the public seven days a week- 12:00PM to 4:00PM.  Closed on Major Holidays

Please note: There is NOT a fee to admit a pet that you can not keep or that you find as a stray!

We turn NO animals away. We are an Open Admission shelter.

Our Annual Reports & Audited Financial Statements

Annual Reports:

Download our 2011 Annual Report

Download our 2010 Annual Report

Download our 2009 Annual Report

Download our 2008 Annual Report

Financial Statements:

Download our 2010 Audited Financial Statements                   Download our 2009_2010 Form 990

Download our 2009 Audited Financial Statements

Common  Misconceptions 

There are many misconceptions about the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter (UPAWS)  that the shelter feels need to be addressed.

UPAWS is not controlled by outside sources, nor do they receive funding from outside sources.  Marquette county does not provide financial support to UPAWS.  UPAWS does not hold any political agenda with national organizations such as PETA or the Humane Society of the United States, American SPCA (ASPCA), nor do they receive monetary donations from them. UPAWS maintains a neutral position regarding hunting, which is a way of life in the Upper Peninsula.

We were founded in 1975 as the Marquette County Humane Society and are a local nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to taking care of the homeless, unwanted, abandoned and abused domestic animals here in this community. In 2010 we changed our name to: Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter.  UPAWS works very hard to save homeless domestic animals lives and give them every chance at finding new loving homes. However we can't do it without you! We need your support! Your donation will go right to work making a positive difference in the lives of homeless domestic animals in our care. Call us at 475-6661 for more information or on how you can help! Thank You.