MASH Unit
MASH Goals
-
Healing neglected & abused animals
100% -
Helping inmates find purpose & compassion
100%
About MASH Unit
MASH stands for the Maricopa County Sheriff Office's Animal Safe Haven. This special unit provides care, feeding and shelter for “evidence” animals that have suffered in abuse and neglect cases.
The MASH unit heals and rehabilitates neglected and abused animals, nurtures them back to health, and adopts them out to loving, forever homes. MASH houses animals seized during MCSO investigations and helps inmates to learn work and life skills, while developing empathy, purpose, and compassion.
As much as the MASH Unit helps animals, the animals in turn positively affect the inmates who care for them. Participating inmates gain life-changing opportunities to promote personal growth and achievement, maintain sobriety, improve cognitive skills, and learn from basic education services. It’s all done with the aim of transitioning inmates back into society as positive, functional members of the community.
Maricopa County Sheriff Office's Animal Safe Haven
Making a Difference
Coming Soon: A New MASH
In 2019, PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, along with the Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Suns, committed to support the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in the design and construction costs for a better facility to house the MASH Unit. Generous donations were also made by private citizens throughout the County. Maricopa County then proposed the use of their current Animal Care and Control Durango (ACC) facility, which is being replaced with a new building on Phoenix’s west side. All funds donated will be used to renovate the ACC facility and add classrooms for inmate training. This facility is located near the southwest corner of 27th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix.