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PAWS is the city's largest rescue partner.
Recent News
Cat Adopters and Fosters Needed: Name-Your-Own-Fee Cat Adoptions Through May 31
Esmerelda: from abandoned and alone to safe in a home!

37,607 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.

154,135 volunteer hours served
PAWS’ dedicated and caring volunteers are essential in every aspect of our lifesaving efforts.

337,971 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.

134,324 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' impact grows as our services expand & progress continues
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Stay up-to-date on lives saved and happy beginnings or maybe even find your new best friend!
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Want to foster a pet, but short on space? Miley is looking for a home and might be the perfect fit! This sweet and chatty house panther is healing from a pelvic fracture and shouldn’t be moving around a lot. She’s needs to be on “crate rest” in a restricted space for the next couple of weeks, so a pop up dog crate or small spare bathroom is all she needs!
Recovery takes much longer for pets when they’re dealing with the stress of living at the shelter, and Miley urgently needs to leave so she can heal. If you’d like to help, email foster@phillypaws.org for more info! ...
33 animals have left the shelter for the #PAWSFosterChallenge! It’s been just over a week since the challenge began, and we’re already off to an amazing start thanks to the foster heroes who’ve opened their homes.
We’re 117 away from our goal of sending 150 animals into foster care by the end of June, and we need your help to get there!
By opening your home temporarily, you can give a homeless pet (or pets!) love and safety, and open critical shelter space to help us save more lives. Please join us!
Sign up to foster at our bio link and our team will be in touch to match you with a cat, dog, guinea pig, or litter of kittens who needs you right now.
When you sign up before June 13, you’ll receive an invite to next week’s live online foster orientations so you can get started right away. Join us for our cat & kitten orientation on June 14, our dog orientation on June 15, or both! ...
Would you like to save lives by fostering a dog, cat, or kittens? Join us us for our live online foster orientations next week! Sign up to foster by Tuesday, June 13, and you’ll be invited to attend our hour-long, live foster orientations on Zoom with PAWS’ Foster Manager, Tammy. We’ll hold two sessions, one for cats and kittens and one for dogs. You’re welcome to join one or both!
Cats and Kittens: Wednesday, June 14, 6-7pm
🐱 Live foster orientation on Zoom for folks interested in temporarily hosting an adult cat or kittens in your home.
Dogs: Thursday, June 15, 6-7pm
🐶 Live foster orientation on Zoom for folks interested in temporarily hosting an adult dog of any size in your home.
Our recorded orientations are always available online, but in a live Zoom session, you can ask questions and meet animals looking for foster homes. Once you’ve completed the live session, you’ll be ready to take home your new foster pet. Sign up now at phillypaws.org/foster (link in bio)! ...
Our jaws are on the floor! Thanks to your generosity, we blew past our Medical Relief Fund goal and raised over $127,000 for critically sick and injured pets that will find hope, healing, and safety at PAWS this year. On behalf of all them, we thank you for opening your heart, being generous, and standing with us. Your compassion is already saving the lives of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable cats, dogs, and small animals!
Your kindness will enable us to be ready and able to say YES to at-risk pets like Bambi, who are desperately seeking their second chance. A sweet and social senior, Bambi arrived at the city shelter as a stray needing more medical care than the shelter could provide. PAWS was able to step forward and give her the care she needed: surgical removal of multiple masses in her mouth and ongoing treatment for painful arthritis. Now Bambi is in a caring foster home and ready to find her new family!
Once with nowhere to turn, sick and injured pets like Bambi will now find a way out of the shelter and into the safe and loving homes they deserve — all thanks to your support! ...
Urgent: Pluto needs a foster ASAP! Our buddy is so relaxed in a home but he is stressed to the max in our kennels. He’s been an absolute delight during his shelter breaks, and is desperate to find a foster home where he can decompress and show off what a fantastic pup he is!
Pluto is a fun loving guy who has charmed us with his goofy and outgoing personality. His holiday foster boasted of how well mannered he was at home, and said he mostly just wanted to play with his toys, then crash for a nap.
Being only 1 year old, Pluto`s main priorities are playtime, and being where the action is. His previous owner shared that Pluto is a highly dog social, and can live with dog friends both big and small. Pluto is both crate trained and housebroken as well! He’s also spent time around kids, and while he was a bit of a bulldozer, he was very sweet with them. Pluto will definitely brighten up your day once you bring him home!
Email foster@phillypaws.org to learn more about fostering sweet and silly Pluto! He’s also available for adoption, so find him on our adoptions page at our bio link! ...
We’re thrilled to be a @petsmartcharities accelerator grantee so we make an even bigger difference for pets like Tina and their owners!
Overwhelmingly, people consider their pets important members of the family. PetSmart Charities has committed $100 million over the next five years toward improving access to veterinary care to ensure more pets thrive at home and stay out of shelters. The “Accelerator” low-cost veterinary care grant program is a key part of this effort, and PAWS is honored to be awarded $200,000 to support the expansion of our Grays Ferry clinic. Grant funds will go directly toward expanding the scope and volume of services at our clinic so that we can be there for more of the pets and people who need us most!
“By providing affordable, accessible veterinary care, PAWS’ clinics play a vital role in keeping Philadelphia pets out of shelters and in their homes where they are loved,” said PAWS executive director Melissa Levy. “Our goal is to help families stay whole and make it possible for all pets to receive the quality veterinary care they deserve.
“The last few years have made it even harder for many Philadelphians to make ends meet, so this grant is coming at an especially critical time. It is a tremendous opportunity to strengthen the safety net that we have been building for years – we are honored to continue our longtime partnership with PetSmart Charities in such an impactful way.”
Our deepest thanks go out to PetSmart Charities for this incredible opportunity!
For more information about veterinary care offered at PAWS, please visit phillypaws.org/clinic. To inquire or schedule an appointment, pet owners can call 215-298-9680 or email gfclinic@phillypaws.org. ...
Just a few hours left to double your gift for fragile pets like Iris! This little one was just 3 weeks old when a Good Samaritan brought her to our Grays Ferry clinic. She’d been found orphaned outside at just 3 weeks old, and it was clear her short life had already been a difficult one.
She was hungry, underweight, and completely blind from a severe infection that had permanently damaged her eyes. We don’t know how long she’d been fending for herself, but we do know she wouldn’t have survived on her own much longer.
Our medical team immediately got to work feeding and bathing Iris, gently cleaning her eyes, and assessing her condition. While the infection had unfortunately damaged her eye tissue beyond repair, it was clear her loving personality had made it through intact. She leaned into every back scratch and chin rub, and snuggled into anyone who held her.
Now, Iris is protected, nourished, and growing stronger in a loving foster home with two PAWS staff members. They share that Iris is feisty, adventurous, and incredibly affectionate. When she’s ready, she’ll receive surgery to remove her damaged eye tissue so she can fully heal. In the meantime, we’ll be with her every step of the way so she has all the care and love she deserves.
Sick and injured pets like Iris arrive at PAWS and every day. Your kindness prepares us for the unexpected, so we only have to worry about giving them all they need – not how we’ll afford their treatment.
Until the clock runs out at midnight, your gift will be doubled by a generous donor family. They are matching up to $30,000 in donations to the Medical Relief Fund. Your compassion will ensure we can be there for cats, dogs, and kittens whose lives are on the line. On behalf of them, thank you in advance for giving what you can!
You can give via Instagram, Venmo (username @phillypaws), or through our bio link! ...
One day left to save twice as many lives! Blippi was at risk of losing his life at the city shelter due to a severe leg injury. Funding for care was all that stood in the way of a pain-free and happy future for him. PAWS’ Medical Relief Fund enabled us to rescue this affectionate and chatty two-year-old, giving him the second chance he deserves. Blippi courageously underwent surgery and is now showing his loving foster family how playful three-legged cats can be!
As costs — from medications and supplies to utilities and transportation — continue to rise, your gift is critical to our ability to continue saving and serving Philadelphia’s most vulnerable pets. Your support today will enable us to say yes to twice as many sick and injured pets like Blippi who are depending on us, thanks to a generous donor family who will match all donations, up to $30,000.
Please give before midnight to double your impact for pets who still need us!
Give via Instagram, Venmo (username @phillypaws), or through our #linkinbio! ...
These little ones need your help: please foster or donate! All of them recently found safe haven at PAWS after testing positive for ringworm at the city shelter, but they still have weeks of care and treatment ahead of them before they’re fully recovered.
You can change their lives by opening your home as a foster parent, or donating to PAWS’ Medical Relief Fund while gifts are being doubled!
While ringworm is a simple fungal infection of the skin, animals who’ve tested positive are at high risk of euthanasia when the city shelter becomes full due to the time-intensive nature of their treatment.
Foster parents give ringworm kittens loving homes to grow strong in while they finish their treatment, while PAWS’ Medical Relief Fund supporters make it possible for us to say yes to ringworm kittens and other at-risk pets, even when their needs are more costly or complex.
Email foster@phillypaws.org more about fostering or adopting these cuties, or make a gift to PAWS’ Medical Relief Fund before midnight tomorrow to have your generosity doubled!
Give via Instagram, Venmo (username @phillypaws), or through our #linkinbio! ...
Not long ago, Flex faced possible euthanasia after arriving at the city shelter with a host of serious medical needs. Now, he is loved and being spoiled as he heals in a PAWS foster home. Through midnight tomorrow, your gift will ensure safety for twice as many vulnerable pets like Flex!
At 15, this gentle grandpa needed a lot of love. He had large masses on his side and elsewhere, dental disease including broken teeth, painful ear and skin infections, and hind leg weakness. He’d require extensive diagnostics, multiple surgeries, and long-term treatment to become well enough for adoption.
Flex’s survival hinged on a rescue organization having the resources to commit to his care. Supporters of PAWS’ Medical Relief Fund ensured we were ready to welcome this kind soul as soon as we learned he needed us.
PAWS’ Medical Relief Fund enables us to rescue and provide lifesaving veterinary care for pets at immediate risk of euthanasia. Already this year, it has meant the difference between life and death for hundreds of animals who were sick, injured, or facing chronic conditions. However, many more are waiting and will depend on us in the months to come.
For the next 48 hours, your gift will provide safety for twice as many vulnerable pets like Flex, thanks to an anonymous donor family that has generously pledged to double donations to the Medical Relief Fund. Because the need is so great, they will match up to $30,000 in gifts made through midnight tomorrow night. Please give now and deliver twice the hope, healing, and love!
Today, Flex is healing comfortably in foster care. His masses were successfully removed last week, and he will receive much-needed dental surgery soon. His fosters call him “the sweetest old man,” and have expressed how beautiful it is to see him relaxed and content after all he’s been through (see his journey at @phillyfurfoster)!
Many more pets are waiting at the city shelter for their chance to get well and find love. With your support, will we be able to offer them what they so desperately need.
Have your gift doubled through Instagram, Venmo (username @phillypaws), or through our direct giving page (link in bio)! ...
Nobody’s perfect, but Walt Whit comes pretty close! This gentle senior is social, easygoing, and friendly with kids, cats, and dogs. He’s a sweet and silly older gentleman who will be a top-notch companion for anyone looking for a low-key couch buddy.
Though he loves his walks, Walt prefers just a few laps around the block before he`s ready to go inside and take it easy. His favorite thing is to be by his people and bask in the sun, but he’ll also chase a tennis ball for a few reps when he`s feeling it. He really just enjoys the simple things in life!
Walt Whit is housebroken, great with all kinds of people, and listens very well. When he’s really happy to see someone he shows his goofy, toothy smile. He has all the charm and good-boy habits that would make such a sweet addition to your family! Learn more about Walt at our adoptions page (link in bio)! ...
Have you grabbed your new PAWS merch yet?
The talented students at @tylergaid have designed limited edition t-shirts, sweatshirts, and tank tops to promote adoption, fostering, and the love that pets bring into our lives, all while raising lifesaving funds for our work!
These designs will only be available until June 30, so order yours today while you still can (link in bio to purchase)! ...
If you’re looking for a sweet, polite little gentleman, Skittles is your man! His foster says they’ve never had an easier cat. Scratch your furniture? Skittles would never! Bite or scratch? Mr. Skittles is the soul of gentleness. Late breakfast? A few concerned meows will do. All in all, this is one well-mannered cat!
Skittles is an affectionate boy who’s quick to make himself at home. He likes being with his people, but is also happy doing his own thing. Generally, he`s a low-key kitty who likes napping and saying hello to his humans!
At ten years old, Skittles has a couple common senior conditions he`s receiving (easy!) care for. He takes a tiny daily pill crushed into his food to control his hyperthyroidism, and is on a kidney support diet, which he happily chows down on. Otherwise, he’s a healthy and happy boy!
Skittles charms everyone he meets, and could likely live with kids and cats who are as gentle as he is. Learn more about this easygoing sweetheart at our adoptions page (link in bio)! ...
If you’ve been looking for a piggy pal, we’ve got some great news! Guinea pig adoption fees are waived for the month of June thanks to a grant from @petfinderfoundation. We’ve got lots of piggies looking for homes at the moment, with many more waiting for rescue, so we`re grateful to Petfinder Foundation for helping us eliminate barriers to adoption and save more lives!
Meet our adoptable guinea pigs at our small animal adoption page (link in bio)!
#petfinderfoundation ...
Rootbeer is waiting for you to come take him home! This little man is an absolute charmer who loves attention. He started out shy when he first arrived, but now he’ll launch himself into your lap and lean all the way into your legs for pets!
The shelter is definitely a stressful place for Rootbeer, and he’s eager to find a foster parent or forever family to cuddle and ham it up with. He has lapdog potential written all over him, and we think he’d love to be someone’s work from home buddy!
Rootbeer hasn’t lived with other animals before, but he could potentially befriend an easygoing and sociable dog who can take things slow with him. Because he can be just a little shy with new faces, we think Rootbeer would do best with adults or dog-experienced kids.
Come meet this pocket-sized cutie and we promise you won’t be able to leave without him! Email foster@phillypaws.org to foster Rootbeer, or adoptions@phillypaws.org to learn more about adopting him (his adoption bio will be posted soon)! ...
Nike was reunited with her owner yesterday thanks to her PAWS microchip! A Good Samaritan had found her outside, and brought her to our Grays Ferry location to be scanned. Her chip was detected instantly, and we were able to contact her dad in a matter of minutes since his contact info had been kept up to date. Nike was back home within just a few hours of being lost!
It’s estimated that 1 in 3 pets will go missing at some point in their lifetime, and an up-to-date ID tag and microchip are the best ways to ensure a lost pet is returned safely. If your pet needs a microchip or ID tag, PAWS can help!
Make a microchipping appointment at PAWS’ Grays Ferry Clinic by emailing gfclinic@phillypaws.org, or at PAWS’ Northeast Clinic by emailing neclinic@phillypaws.org. Microchips are $20 and we will provide all the information needed to register it with your contact information!
And, if you stop by our Grays Ferry location, you can create a custom ID tag for your pet by using our engraving machine! Choose the color and size of the tag, as well as the font, starting at $10 🐾 ...
It took a lot of catnip for Jake to poke out of his hidey hut today! He’s so scared he’s not eating, and needs a cat-savvy foster home ASAP so he can leave the shelter.
This sensitive boy has struggled a lot in his short life. He’s not even 2 yet, but after being adopted out as a kitten he became more and more fearful in his previous home. His owner tried so many things including taking him to the vet to rule out medical issues as well as starting him on behavior medications to try to help him feel better.
Jake lived with 2 other cats who may have caused him stress, as well as with younger children who the owner noted did seem to be a source of fear. Jake isn’t eating at the shelter and desperately needs a quiet, kid-free foster home with a room to himself where he can decompress and we can get to know him in a space where he can learn to feel safe. If you can help poor Jake, please reach out at foster@phillypaws.org! ...
The #PAWSFosterChallenge starts TODAY! We talk a lot about PAWS` Foster Program, but you might be wondering what foster care actually is.
What is foster care?
Fostering means temporarily carving out a little space in your home to care for a dog, cat, puppy, kitten(s) or small animal who was previously living at the shelter. You care for them temporarily, with plenty of support from PAWS. When you welcome home a foster pet, you`re actually saving two lives – the animal you take home, and the animal who takes their place at the shelter!
How long does fostering last?
Fostering can be open-ended, meaning you commit to caring for your furry friend until they find their forever home, or it can have an end date that you decide on ahead of time with PAWS` foster team. Depending on the animal`s needs and your own schedule, fostering can last for a couple days, a couple weeks, or a couple months – there`s a foster match for just about everyone!
Why is fostering important?
Philly is overwhelmed with animals in need and limited shelter/rescue capacity – in the summer, our building is ALWAYS full! These problems can`t be solved with more kennel space or funding (though both are still critical), and our ability to save at-risk animals is directly tied to the number of foster homes available. While a shelter provides a temporary safe place for animals in need, it`s not a long term solution or ideal for a pet`s mental and physical health. Foster care allows us to get to know them, make better adoption matches, and give more one-on-one attention and care.
Fostering takes time, energy, and hard work, but it`s also a rewarding and fun experience full of cuddles & kisses! If you`d like to learn about PAWS` foster program, read more or sign up to join our lifesaving foster community today at phillypaws.org/foster (link in bio)! ...
Crabella needs a foster home — and she’s anything but crabby! This cutie pie will literally climb into your arms to cuddle, and her squeaky little meows are completely irresistible.
Crabella came to our clinic with some painful rashes on her skin, and we’re still in the trial and error stage of figuring out how to best help her! She’s on a hypoallergenic diet in case the rashes are in response to a food allergy, and is also on a couple of medications to see if they’ll improve her condition. She may need to wear a “suitical” for a little while to prevent over-grooming, which is basically a tiny set of pajamas — what’s not to love!
This friendly girl would love a dedicated foster parent to help her work through the skin issues. Despite her condition she’s a total dreamboat who will melt your heart the instant you meet her! If you’d like to learn more about Crabella, email our foster team at foster@phillypaws.org. ...
The PAWS Foster Challenge starts tomorrow - Let`s send 150 pets into foster homes in June and save 150 more 🐱🐶
With cats entering shelters at alarming rates and large dogs continuing to be overlooked, now is the time to step up and save lives. Every time we place an animal into a foster home, we rescue another one. So many are waiting to take their place and find safety and love in our care. All they need is you!
Sign up by Tuesday, June 13, and you’ll be invited to attend our hour-long, live foster orientations on Zoom with PAWS’ Foster Manager! We’ll hold two sessions, one for cats and kittens and one for dogs. You’re welcome to join one or both:
🐾 Wednesday, June 14, 6-7pm: Cats and Kittens
🐾 Thursday, June 15, 6-7pm: Dogs
Our recorded orientations are always available online, but in a live Zoom session, you can ask questions and meet animals looking for foster homes. Once you’ve completed the live session, you’ll be ready to take home your new foster pet.
Sign-up to foster today through our link in bio!
#phillypaws #pawsfosterchallenge ...