Peyton Olsen, founder and CEO of Eau Claire’s Finding Eden Rescue, drove into the lot at Speedy Gas Station ready to welcome the two dogs she had pulled off a euthanasia list from a shelter in Houston, Texas.

Finding Eden Rescue meets transports at Speedy Gas (3314 E. Hamilton Ave., Eau Claire) because the nonprofit is the current recipient of the gas station's “Community Pump.” For the next five months, Finding Eden will earn a portion of sales from every single gallon sold at pump No. 8 – serving as one way locals can support the org. (Submitted photo)

From the transport volunteer’s vehicle, Mabel — approximately three years old — emerged first, shy and a little disoriented, but happy to stretch her legs and sniff around. Then Tiny Tim — somewhere between six months to one year old — jumped from the vehicle with typical puppy energy, tail wagging wildly. It was about 5:30pm on a Saturday night in October and the Texas dogs felt the chill in the air, shivering a bit. 

These two dogs, thought to be mother and pup, had been abandoned in an apartment, taken to the overburdened BARC Animal Shelter in Houston and sent to the top of the euthanasia list after being deemed “unlikely to be adopted.”

Thankfully, the wheels of Finding Eden were turning to put that potential outcome to a stop. Olsen has pet rescue connections in Texas; a friend contacted her about Mabel and Tiny Tim and they were tagged by Olsen for transport to Wisconsin.

Tagging animals in a kill shelter means they are taken off the euthanasia list, but there is also a stressful time element at play. The dogs need to be picked up from their current shelter and a foster home must be secured – within hours – where they stay for about 10 days before being transported elsewhere.

“This ensures that we can get them seen by a vet in Texas, get them up to date on all appropriate vaccines and communicable diseases,” Olsen explained, “(And) get them a CVI, which is essentially a travel certificate to legally get them across state lines.”

Once all the boxes are checked, the dogs are en route to their next destination.

That these dogs went from a kill list in Houston to arriving in Eau Claire less than two weeks later is a testament to the mission statement of Finding Eden. The nonprofit hopes for “a world where every animal experiences their own Eden — a life free from fear, hunger, abuse, and neglect, where they are safe, healed, cherished, and treated with dignity.”

Finding Eden Rescue focuses its efforts on helping at-risk animals – including those on euthanasia lists, like Mabel (pictured) was. (Submitted photo)

Mabel, pictured, on her first night in rescue. (Submitted photo)

Tiny Tim, pictured, was rescued by Finding Eden from an overwhelmed shelter in Texas. The bow-legged pup was on the shelter's euthanasia list. (Submitted photo)

Tiny Tim, pictured, on his first night in rescue. (Submitted photo)

Finding Eden Rescue's Beginnings

Trained as an oncology nurse, Olsen lived in Pittsburg, Pa., during the early years of COVID-19. She ended up needing a pause from the nursing field and in turn, decided to pursue her longtime interest in animal rescue.

Peyton Olsen, founder of Finding Eden Rescue, pictured with a kitten at PetSmart. (Submitted photo)

During that time, she took a job at a private rescue shelter there called Animal Friends. It was “both the lowest paying and also the best job” she's ever had, Olsen shared.

She learned there what animal rescue shelters could be: a place that provided “more than just a few walks a day, and instead had a schedule of enrichment,” so animals could benefit from the kinds of experiences they would get in a home – sniff walks and digging, licking and chewing activities.

When Olsen and her husband moved to the Chippewa Valley, she decided in addition to part-time work at Mayo Clinic Health System, she would open her own rescue shelter.

Finding Eden was officially born in October 2025 but wouldn't take in its first animal until April 2026, when it officially secured its status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) license.

Now, seven months later, Finding Eden works with 41 fosters — some as far away as South Dakota — who take in animal rescues. Those foster homes “are truly the lifeblood of the organization,” Olsen said.

'It Takes A Village'

Another important aspect of the organization is its network of volunteers, including Courtnie Stoddard, the volunteer driver who picked up Mabel and Tiny Tim on the last leg of their journey from Iowa to Wisconsin.

Stoddard, who has also fostered animals herself, said she does this work “because it takes a village.” She came across the organization via a Google search and began volunteering with Finding Eden soon after.

The “village” that it takes to run an animal rescue is not complete without the support of local veterinarians. Olsen shared that Dr. Amber Gooden, an emergency veterinarian at Allied Veterinarian Emergency & Referral and vice president of Finding Eden's board, is integral to the daily workings of Finding Eden.

A Finding Eden Rescue board meeting. (Submitted photo)

Finding Eden Rescue's logo and branding was created by Nicole Weber Design. Founder Peyton Olsen has been a fan of the business's creative work for years and reached out when she decided to launch the rescue organization.

“She is on call for me 24/7, does all of our intake exams for free … and performs all of our non-emergent surgeries for free,” Olsen said, noting the animal rescue does pay for anesthesia, space rentals and supplies. 

Dr. Sarah Watson, a veterinarian at Oakwood Hills Animal Hospital and president of Finding Eden's board, also puts her professional expertise to work when the organization is in a pinch. 

Without these two local veterinarians and board members, Olsen stressed, Finding Eden's mission could not be fulfilled.

Because of this vibrant system of support, Finding Eden has adopted out 71 animals as of mid-October — primarily dogs and cats (plus one gecko!).

Among those were 16 beagles, rescued from Ridglan Farm, the recently shut down dog breeding and research facility roughly 30 miles outside Madison. They have all been adopted.

Dr. Amber Gooden, a local emergency veterinarian and board vice president of Finding Eden Rescue, pictured at left with one of the 16 beagles the local organization rescued from Ridglan Farm. Two of those beagles, after rescue, pictured at right.  (Submitted photos)

And For What's Next?

Olsen recently acquired 40 acres of land on the south side of Eau Claire, where the future brick-and-mortar home of Finding Eden will be. Those plans are already drawn up.

“We are ready to hit the ground running as soon as we meet our fundraising goals,” Olsen said.

Founder Peyton Olsen pictured at the future home of Finding Eden Rescue. The 40-acre lot is the location of the rescue's future building.  (Submitted photo)

When asked how animal lovers of Chippewa Valley could support Finding Eden's mission, Olsen first pointed to donations. 

“We rely on physical, in-kind and monetary donations to care for our animals,” she said, noting the nonprofit's website has links to its PayPal and Venmo accounts, Amazon and Chewy wishlists.

As a new org, Finding Eden continues to search for potential community partners and major donors who want to be part of their mission. Anyone who's curious how to get involved – as fosters, volunteers, donors, potential adopters, etc. – can learn more online at FindingEdenRescue.org.

It speaks to Finding Eden's mission that the recently saved pup, Tiny Tim – with his bowed back legs that may require surgery – has already been placed in his foster home and, just like in A Christmas Carol, is alive only because someone chose to care.

“Together, we can create a place where animals get the second chance they deserve,” Olsen shared.

View the current 20-plus adoptable animals with Finding Eden Rescue online • Keep up with the local rescue and learn more about the org on its website and social medias