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Cold outside? Stay in and save a life by fostering!

When you open your home to a PAWS foster, you’re giving a pet a safe place to land when they need it most. With more animals arriving every day, even a short foster stay can be truly life-changing — offering comfort, healing, and hope while making space for another pet in need. We’ll provide everything you need…all you have to bring is the love!

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Shop our wishlist to help pets today

With our kennels at capacity, our most-needed items run out quickly. From nutritious wet food to keep pets of all ages nourished, to paper towels and cleaning supplies that help us maintain safe, comfortable spaces, every item makes a direct difference. Shop our most-needed items and make sure pets have the essentials they rely on every day.

SEND SHELTER SUPPLIES

PAWS is Hiring: Join our team!

Join PAWS for a meaningful career in animal welfare! Work alongside passionate animal lovers and help us fulfill our mission of saving lives and building a better future for Philadelphia’s pets and people.

VIEW JOBS

Meet your new best friend!

Johnny Cash
Foster Care
"Hey there, I'm Johnny Cash" — a sweet, squishy homebody. If you need a relaxation coach for naps, toy time, and guilt-free TV binges, I’m your guy!
Meet Me >
Bingo
Foster Care
I'm a social, affectionate, hilarious charmer who loves other cats and is looking for a special home!
Meet Me >
Netta
Foster Care
I'm a low-riding, high-speed sweetheart with unlimited love, zero buffering, and a serious passion for booty scratches.
Meet Me >
Zoe
Foster Care
I’m a loving, talkative companion who wants to be your only pet, your biggest fan, and the narrator of your daily routine.
Meet Me >
Barbie Dreamhouse
Foster Care
Barbie’s my name, and being your future dreamboat is my game! I’m a gentle house hippo who loves nothing more than playing with toys, soaking up attention, and even hanging with other pups.
Meet Me >
Andre
Foster Care
I'm a gentle and mellow senior who loves to rock a bow tie and gets along with dogs and cats!
Meet Me >
All Available Dogs
All Available Cats

PAWS is the city's largest rescue partner.

We are working to make Philadelphia a place where every healthy and treatable pet is guaranteed a home. We do so through rescue, foster care, adoption, and preventing pet homelessness in the first place by offering low-cost spay/neuter and basic vet care.

Support Our Lifesaving Efforts

Donate Today

Make a one-time gift or commit to monthly support. Give in honor or memory of someone special.

Donate

Create a Fundraiser

Raise support from family and friends for your birthday, in honor of your pet, or for any occasion.

Get Started

More ways to give

Donate needed supplies, provide for the animals in your planned giving, plan an event, and more.

Learn More

Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinics

Keeping pets and families together through low-cost basic veterinary services. Our clinics in Grays Ferry and the Northeast serve tens of thousands of pets every year whose caretakers may not afford care elsewhere.

Get Care

Recent News

01.25.26

PAWS Closed on Sunday, January 25 & Monday, January 26

All PAWS locations are closed to the public on Sunday, January 25 and Monday, January 26. (don’t worry, some amazing staff and volunteers will be braving the weather to care for the four legged friends on-site)! At this time, we plan to reopen for regular hours on Tuesday, January 27.
Read More
12.29.25

PAWS New Years Hours

As we celebrate the New Year, please note adjusted hours at all PAWS locations: Wednesday, December 31 Closing early at 3:00 PM Thursday, January 1: Closed Friday, January 2: Regular hours resume We encourage community members to plan visits and appointments accordingly. Our team is grateful for the chance to recharge so we can continue […]
Read More
View All

43,452 animals saved

We rescue animals, primarily from the city shelter, almost daily with a focus on the most vulnerable: adult dogs, kittens, cats recovering from illnesses, and small animals. Once safe at PAWS, they receive everything they need to become ready for adoption, then are matched with loving homes.

178,607 volunteer hours served

PAWS’ dedicated and caring volunteers are essential in every aspect of our lifesaving efforts.

406,999 clinic patients served

Our low-cost Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinics prevent pet homelessness and provide a needed resource in our community, enabling loving pet owners to care for and keep their dogs and cats as family.

165,085 spay/neuters performed

PAWS provides low-cost spay/neuter surgery for owned pets, rescues and community cats to prevent the birth of unwanted litters. Our efforts are working: since our clinics opened their doors, the number of homeless animals entering Philadelphia’s city shelter has declined year over year.

PAWS Partners

Our lifesaving work is possible with the meaningful support of business and community partners.

See our Partners

Current Partners

PAWS' impact grows as our services expand & progress continues

By rescuing, rehabilitating, and finding loving adopters for homeless animals with nowhere else to go, and providing affordable vet care and other services so pets can stay in their homes where they are loved, PAWS provides a vital and growing safety net for Philadelphia's most vulnerable cats and dogs. The pandemic has prompted a shift toward more intensive, individualized care for more complex needs.
2010
7154
2012
16160
2014
26188
2016
36510
2018
40455
2020
33840
2021
34528
2023
34801
Pets Served 100 100
More Shelter Statistics

Join us on social media

View Instagram post by phillypaws

Feb 1

Open post by phillypaws with ID 17996423063879356
Sometimes you get sick and can’t hang with your bestie for a little 🤧 Blueberry and Raspberry had to be treated separately for kitty colds, but luckily they’re now reunited and living large in foster care! Kittens always thrive best when they have a sibling or friend who they can goof off and socialize with, which is why we recommend adopting them in pairs whenever possible to prevent “single kitten syndrome” (aka being a butthead). We’re hoping to adopt these cuties together once they’re ready, so keep an eye out on our adoptions page if you’re looking for a pair!

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View Instagram post by phillypaws

Jan 31

Open post by phillypaws with ID 17902385892360421
WE DID IT! We are so moved by the incredible support that helped us reach our goal for PAWS’ Constant Companion Monthly Donor Challenge. During our three-day unlimited match, a generous supporter donated $300 for every person who joined. Thanks to your compassion for pets like Arnold, we didn’t just reach our goal of 100 monthly donors — we soared past it! In total, 115 compassionate supporters started or increased their monthly gifts, securing $34,500 in lifesaving funds, plus thousands more in ongoing monthly support. That sustained generosity ensures we can be there for pets like Arnold all year long. After losing his owner, Arnold’s world was turned upside down — but because of you, PAWS was ready to welcome him with open arms and help him look toward brighter days ahead. On behalf of Arnold and the hundreds of pets we’ll rescue this year, thank you. By opening your heart, you’ve made it possible for us to be there when animals need us most. You can still be part of this lifesaving work — join our community of monthly donors today at our #linkinbio!

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View Instagram post by phillypaws

Jan 31

Open post by phillypaws with ID 17884257462440480
Big spirit, tiny package: meet Richter! He might be *slightly* less graceful than other cats, but what he lacks in balance he makes up for with tons of love and personality. He’ll be waiting to meet you at PAWS’ Old City Adoption Center starting this Sunday! This spunky kitten has a condition affecting his balance called cerebellar hypoplasia (CH), which means he falls down a lot and is very wobbly when he walks. But if you think that slows him down, think again! Richter is a playful and confident purring machine who loves being held, laying in laps, and playing with any toy that crosses his path. According to his foster, he alternates between long naps in his favorite chair and long periods of goofing around the house throughout the day. He’s 4 months old and loves to play with other cats, but his current feline roomies haven’t been huge fans of his wild antics, so he’d love to join a home with a tolerant buddy who loves to play as much as he does. Richter’s CH is on the more complex side, but his mobility has improved in foster care. While he doesn’t require special medical treatment, Ricky does need a few accomodations in his home, including lots of carpeted surfaces to get around on, preventing access to stairs, and some patience and troubleshooting with his litterbox setup (he’s trained, but often needs a post-potty bath due to his poor balance)! While Richter is different from other cats his age, he’s just as deserving of love and has a lot to give in return. Learn more about taking home this one-of-a-kind cutie at our adoptions page!

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Together, we will make Philadelphia a no-kill city.

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