Help Make Philadelphia a No-Kill City.

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Meet your new best friend!

Samantha
Foster Care

I'm a snuggly 9 year old lap cat whose favorite place in the world is wherever you happen to be!
Eustace
Foster Care

I'm a mischievous and affectionate 6 year old looking for a forever family to spoil me with lots of attention, love, and playtime!
Denny
Foster Care

I'm a sensitive and affectionate goofball who loves people and can't wait to bond with my future adopter!
Flowerpot
Foster Care

I'm an affectionate lovebug looking for belly rubs!
Tilly
Foster Care

I'm a cuddly senior will follow my favorite person to the ends of the earth!
All Available Dogs
All Available Cats

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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.

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

03.14.23

Myrtle: too special to part with!


Some pets feel like family from day one. When Heather and Brian took Myrtle home as a foster in December, they’d planned to get her healthy, enjoy some canine companionship, and help her find her forever family. But this gentle granny transformed their lives as soon as she arrived, filling their days with a warmth […]
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01.31.23

Willow: once abandoned, now adored


From the moment she arrived, Willow amazed us with her kindness and resilience. This sweet young cat was abandoned at the city shelter with an eye infection that left her completely blind. When PAWS rescued her, she was still recovering from surgery to remove the remaining tissue, and had a long journey ahead of her. […]
Read More
View All

37,015 animals saved to date


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

151,024 volunteer hours served


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

330,430 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.

128,431 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
2022
36682
Pets Served 100 100
More Shelter Statistics

Join us on social media

We’re not fooling when we say Walt Whit is an absolute delight! He’s looking for a foster home where he can recover from his kennel cough, and will reward you with lots of affection and playful grandpa antics. Walt has an irresistible smile and plenty of pep for his 9 years, and is an absolute goof when the toys come out!

Sick animals tend to improve much faster outside of the shelter, but we’ve seen a dip in foster signups lately due to the recent canine respiratory virus going around. We’re urgently seeking dog-free homes for Walt and his sniffly friends, or homes where resident dogs can be kept separate for 2-3 weeks. If you can help, email foster@phillypaws.org!

#dogsofphilly #getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster
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Have you grabbed tickets for Pours for PAWS yet? Early bird pricing ends today!

This night out is hosted by the Young Friends of PAWS and open to animal lovers of all ages who want to support our lifesaving efforts 🐶 🐱

Join us on Thursday, April 27 from 6:30–8:30 PM at @toptomatobar for a 2-hour open bar, appetizers, tasty pizza, great tunes, and a silent auction with local goodies from vendors across the city!

Get your ticket today at phillypaws.org/pours (link in bio)🍻
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Would you like to save a pet from heartache and save an owner from losing their best friend? These cats are looking for Safety Net fosters! Many animals entering shelters have owners who are desperate to keep them, and just need a temporary place for them to stay during a difficult transition. By opening your home to a friendly pet for 1-3 months, you’ll help us open shelter space for pets who truly have nowhere to go, and help a family remain intact.

Sweetie, Larry, and Curly are all very nervous at the shelter and would love to find foster homes as soon as possible. Larry and Curly came from the same household and are hoping to find a home together until their owner can take them back at the end of May. Sweetie would be happiest on her own and just needs a place to stay until April 21. If you’d like to help, please email foster@phillypaws.org!

#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster
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We are heartbroken to share that we had to say goodbye to Groovy today after her condition sharply declined overnight. We were hopeful after she showed some progress yesterday, but her oxygen levels dropped significantly, even though her care team took extra steps to help her breathe more easily.

Despite all of the treatments she`d received, Groovy`s prognosis was poor. She was struggling to breathe, and there wasn`t anything else that could be done for her.

Saying goodbye is always painful, even when it’s the kindest thing we can do. We take comfort in knowing that Groovy was in the very best hands with the veterinary team at @bluepearlphiladelphia, and had so many caring supporters rallying behind her. This sweet girl was surrounded by love until the very end, and can finally rest easy.

Our deepest thanks go out to Groovy’s medical team, and to the many animal lovers who contributed to her care. We are profoundly grateful for your kindness and compassion.

We are currently grappling with some very severe dog upper respiratory infections in our community, at the city shelter, and among PAWS` shelter dog population. Recuperating in a home setting reduces the likelihood that a pet will become dangerously ill, and we are desperately seeking dog-free foster homes for dogs who are sick or at risk of becoming sick. If you’d like to take a hands-on role in a shelter dog’s recovery, please email foster@phillypaws.org for more information.
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Brian is sick and urgently needs a foster home — please help! We are really struggling to place our dogs lately due to the upper respiratory infection going around. Brian in particular has been at the shelter for a few weeks and his cough is getting worse. He would benefit tremendously from going to a foster home to recover, even if it’s just for a couple of weeks!

This lovable doofus is always smiling and so happy to make new friends. He loves to snuggle up next to you and follow you around so he doesn’t miss any fun! Brian has a history of living with cats, and is friendly with other pups but should be kept away from them until he’s recovered from his illness. He adores all humans, but will do best in a home with teens and up since he’s still learning how to take treats like a gentleman.

Brian will be a wonderful foster for almost any experience level, and will be your best friend in no time! Email foster@phillypaws.org for more info about this special boy.
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We have a full house in our feline medical ward and fosters are needed now! Thumbelina, Prospero, Moon Jelly, Patchy, Peyton, and Patty Melt are incredibly sweet and would love to finish healing at your place. They’re all recovering from injuries and don’t need much beyond rest, basic oral meds, and lots of chin scratches ❤️‍🩹

Several cats needing medical care are waiting at @acctphilly with no rescue prospects in sight, but PAWS can save them if we find homes for our current medical cases. PAWS provides all the medication, follow up vet care, and guidance you’ll need, and your feline foster friend will thank you with tons of snuggles and affection!

Email foster@phillypaws.org if you can help, and sign up in the meantime through our #linkinbio!

#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #catsofphilly #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster
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SOS: sweet little Butterbean needs a foster hero asap! This cuddly girl has been incredibly affectionate in foster care and is going to make her future home so happy. She just desperately needs a little help getting to the point!

She was unexpectedly diagnosed with ringworm (not a worm, but a mild fungal infection of the skin), and her current foster parents aren’t set up to continue caring for her. She was very stressed when she was at the shelter, and we don’t want to put any more strain on her health!

Butterbean needs very little space in your home at the moment — she’s been prescribed strict rest due to a severe leg injury she arrived with — so even a large dog crate/pen or small bathroom will work great for this cutie! She`s currently on two medications, an oral med for Ringworm and a pain med that can be sprinkled in her food.

Email foster@phillypaws.org to learn more about Butterbean from our foster team!

#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster
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Piggy munchies with Peanut to kick off your Saturday night (sound on)! If you think guinea pigs sit around all day, think again. When they’re not treating you to crunchy ASMR during mealtime, many piggies enjoy exploring their surroundings and affection with their people.

We’ve got over a dozen guinea pigs available for adoption right now with a whole range of personalities, so whether you’re looking for a bonded pair or a single buddy to join a piggy friend at home (because they’re always best in twos), see who’s waiting to meet you at our #linkinbio!

#guineapigsofinstagram #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster
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Saturday’s free vaccine clinic and pet pantry event is ON, rain or shine! We’re cohosting with Philly Pets Vax Project and @phillynokill, so if you need food or shots for your pets, join us from 10-1 tomorrow, March 25, at 1101 W. Hunting Park Avenue (be sure to prepare for the weather so your and your pet can stay dry)! ...

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If you’ve ever wondered why fosters are so vital to our work, just ask Jasper! He was very scared and nervous after losing his home, and kept getting overlooked at our adoption center because he was so withdrawn. After a few weeks in foster care with @monkeybutterfly (who made this adorable video), he’s embraced his inner lovebug and is ready to start the rest of his life with you!

“He had a tough time adapting to all the
changes at first,” wrote foster mom Rita, “but look how far he’s come!!!! This sweet boy is affectionate, loves to play, but knows the value of alone time. A forever home is the perfect ending to Jaspers journey.”

Visit our #linkinbio to find Jasper at our adoptions page, or to sign up and become a foster yourself!

#fosteringsaveslives #phillypawsfoster #phillypaws
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Creamsicle’s a dreamsicle! This little Luck Dragon is around 13 years old and looking for a foster home ASAP. He’s very kind and his day-to-day care isn’t extensive at all, but the shelter is not the right place for a little old man needing TLC.

Sweet Creamsicle is eating a special diet to help manage his early stage kidney disease, and is likely blind due to hypertension. His legs are also a little wobbly, but with a smaller room to start him off and a consistent furniture layout, he can absolutely navigate around a home just fine once he’s had time to learn the “lay(out) of the land.”

We’re worried about Creamsicle’s quality of life here at the shelter. This friendly grandpa deserves to be out of a cage, free of stress, and soaking up lots of love and sunbeams! If you’d like to change Creamsicle’s life and find out just how soft his ear tufts are in real life, email foster@phillypaws.org!

#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #catsofphilly #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster
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Together, we will make Philadelphia a no-kill city.

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