A new business will have Prior Lake going to the dogs.

Spot’s Last Stop, a canine rescue center, will open in Prior Lake later this fall, fulfilling a longtime dream of Casey and Grant Adams.

The couple submitted an application for funding more than a year ago to the Prior Lake Rotary Club which had launched a large grant opportunity for local organizations. Rotary’s “Signature Project” was open to any nonprofit organization that wanted to undertake a major project within the city that would be sustainable and offer great benefit to the community. Five projects were identified as finalists competing for up to $1 million raised through the club’s annual hosting of Lakefront Music Fest. Club members voted on which applicant was to receive funding and Spot’s Last Stop was chosen.

The couple recently purchased a commercial building and property that is located at 6025 170th Street, a few blocks east of Fish Point Road on Eagle Creek Avenue. The structure is large, and renovation plans include not only a large dog care area, but also dedicated public meeting space that could be used for family gatherings and organization meetings.

“This invaluable resource center will allow our community to access services like microchip scanning for lost or found pets, live traps and assisting families in contacting animal control,” Casey Adams said. “We’re excited to offer resources like low-cost spay and neuter programs, along with vaccine clinics for those in need.”

The Adams have lived in the Prior Lake area for 12 years, and with the help of many volunteers, have coordinated more than 9,000 pet adoptions and rescue services since starting in 2015. That service will continue when the new facility opens in the fall, with additional services to include: canine training, microchipping and low-cost vaccinations. Because Prior Lake does not have its own animal control shelter, Spot’s Last Stop will be a local resource in connecting with other nearby shelters and assisting those who have lost their pet.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Prior Lake Rotary for supporting our dream of providing a home for Spot’s Last Stop Canine Rescue,” Casey Adams said. “The support from the local community has also been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re thrilled to make these services available to pet owners in Prior Lake and surrounding communities.”

(Editor’s note: Laurie Hartmann, author of this story, serves as chair of Rotary’s Signature Project and is one of the founding board members of Prior Lake News Compass.)