Help Make Philadelphia a No-Kill City.

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Meet your new best friend!

Flowerpot
Foster Care

I'm an bubbly lovebug looking for belly rubs!
Samantha
Foster Care

I'm a snuggly 9-year-old lap cat whose favorite place in the world is wherever you happen to be!
Coffee Cake
Grays Ferry Clinic

I'm a goofy gal full of zoomies and kisses!
Greta
Foster Care

I'm a chatty senior known for being a perfect blend of quirky, sassy, and sweet!
Flex
Foster Care

I'm a gentle grandpa with a go-with-the flow temperament and endless love to give!
Donatella
Foster Care

I'm a delightful feline who will steal your heart with my sweet nature and playful spirit!
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.

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Recent News

07.21.23

Paw It Forward with The Landenberger Family Foundation


Celebrate the love you share with your pets by paying it forward so others can find — or preserve — that same joy. Our pets mean the world to us. They are part of our families and play a profound role in our lives. Now, imagine making all that love possible for another pet and […]
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06.26.23

Community Cat Caretakers on the Importance of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release)


We asked Community Cat Caretakers about the importance of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), and they had so much to say! Christine Rock is just one of the dozens of Community Caretakers who shared in their own words why support for PAWS’ TNR voucher program is so important: “TNR is vital in a city like Philadelphia where there […]
Read More
View All

38,023 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.

156,752 volunteer hours served


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

342,748 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.

136,610 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

VSK (Very Special Kitty) alert 🚨 Sassy is 18 pounds of pure perfection, and she’s looking for a foster home to help her slim down, stat!

This sweet girl arrived at ACCT Philly suffering from severe obesity and matted hair, to the point that she was in pain and had urine and more stuck in her mats 🥺 We rescued her and shaved her down and wow, what a reveal! This poor girl’s joints are suffering from all the extra weight but she’s sooooo happy to be “nakey”after her shave, and loves being pet and rubbed 🥰

With all the extra weight on her joints, 7 year old Sassy’s mobility is understandably poor. She’d love to find a foster home that can keep her on a diet to shed some pounds, help her recover from a recent dental surgery, and help her on her way to adoption! If you can help, please email foster@phillypaws.org.
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Banana Split wants a home so badly, she’s started waiting at people’s front doors during walks 🥺

Our favorite goofball has been trying to stay positive here at the shelter, and has been keeping busy by working on some fun tricks like “paw”, “touch”, and “roll over”. But kennel life is really hard for a pup who loves people and play time as much as this girl does, and she’s desperate to get back into a home where she belongs!

Banana’s shelter stress has made it hard for her to show her best self to adopters and fosters, which is a real shame because this girl is a total gas. As a true goober who thinks dignity is overrated, Banana will gallop after toys, flop over for belly rubs, and sploot on any surface with reckless abandon. She’s also a total cuddle bug once she’s gotten her zoomies out!

Banana Split would be overjoyed to find a foster or adoptive home where she can decompress and get back to her goofy and carefree self. She could also love with a dog friend whose energy matches hers!

Our team would love to tell you all about Banana Split, so please email foster@phillypaws.org or adoptions@phillypaws.org to learn more about this silly goose!
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Karlie and her babies are here to confirm that kitten season is still going strong! Dozens of orphaned kittens moms with nursing litters are arriving at shelters across the city every day, and PAWS has rescued over 75 in the last two weeks alone. Some are healing from injuries, while many others are too young for adoption and very vulnerable at the shelter.

If you’d like to welcome some adorable tiny houseguests, sign up to foster today at our #linkinbio, or email foster@phillypaws.org!
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Dashing Dasher is a nervous boy at the shelter, but it’s clear he’s an undercover lovebug just waiting to shine! This poor guy was clipped by a car during his time as a stray, and is recovering from a fractured pelvis. Dasher would be so grateful to find a quiet foster home where he can heal, come out of his shell, and enjoy lots of chin scratches and head nuzzles.

If you’d like to help this friendly 1-2 year old, email foster@phillypaws.org!
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PAWS’ September volunteer spotlight is Dale Sturgess!

Dale began as a volunteer in 2021 and it’s hard to remember PAWS without her. She is currently a staple in our cat room at Grays Ferry every week, but she has also helped with surgery recovery and administrative tasks.

"I retired in April 2021 and couldn`t wait for PAWS to allow in-person volunteering,” shared Dale, “PAWS has my support in Philly because they are the most efficient and broad reaching independent rescue and community partner in this city. They keep expanding their services of which my favorites are: spay/neuter for community cats, low-cost vet and surgery for owned pets, and the new safety net program." She even took advantage of our TNR clinic for her outdoor cat, Cassie, who is now a part of her family!

Dale also helps to train new volunteers during their very first shift at PAWS and mentioned this being one of her favorite parts of volunteering. This role is so crucial because it can be intimidating to start something new and she makes sure that new volunteers feel welcomed, answers questions and shows the nuances that can go along with volunteering.

"The reason I keep coming back is because I feel appreciated when I volunteer. PAWS staff is friendly, helpful and always grateful for the work that volunteers do. I look forward to coming in every Friday for my regular shift."

We are so grateful to Dale for spending part of her week with us every week. We hope that she stays with us for many more years to come!
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**Time sensitive** We need food transport help! Amazon is donating desperately needed pet food for the pantry we’re cohosting this weekend with @phillynokill, but we need to pick it up in Swedesboro, NJ on Friday. Drop off can be directly to our pantry location at Petco Unleashed in Northern Liberties on Saturday, or to our Northeast PAWS location on Friday.

Folks with a pick-up truck/SUV are most needed, but really, any help will be HUGE! If you can help, or have questions, please email allison@phillypaws.org
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SOS: we’re urgently seeking a foster to take home this very sweet cat so we can save three more whose lives are at risk!

Pilar is healing from an eye removal in one of our special mini-housing rooms, which she can’t share with any other cats at the moment. Meanwhile, there are three cats at ACCT Philly who are currently at risk for euthanasia due to their medical issues. If we can free up Pilar’s room, we can rescue all three of them — which is where you come in!

Pilar is looking for a foster home where she can finish recovering from her surgery and enjoy lots of love and affection! She was indirectly exposed to a feline virus called panleukopenia, so she should be the only cat in the home for now just to be safe. If you’d like to change Pilar’s life and save three more while you’re at it, please email foster@phillypaws.org!
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Merlin’s tiny meows are magical! ✨ This sweet former stray is under the weather and looking for a foster home — but you don’t need special powers to help him feel well again. He’s just looking for a quiet space where he can rest, regain his strength, and enjoy lots of TLC and chin scratchies with someone who makes him feel safe. Could that be you? Email foster@phillypaws.org to learn more about Merlin today! ...

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Make lifesaving a part of your legacy! By planning a future gift to PAWS through your will, trust or other financial plan, your kindness will have a lasting impact on the city`s most vulnerable pets. Estate planning is an important step you can take at any age to ensure the people, animals, and organizations you love are protected. We encourage you to explore your options with your attorney, estate planner, or tax professional, and to learn more about planned giving with PAWS at phillypaws.org/planned-giving! ...

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These very sweet kitties are still desperate to leave the shelter! O’Malley, Arden, Roger & Riley, and Pajamas have spent weeks in our ringworm ward watching their friends go home, and they’re hoping their turn will be next. They only have a few more weeks of treatment left, and would be overjoyed to spend them with a foster or adopter like you!

O’Malley and Arden are especially eager to find homes — they’ve been all alone without siblings to snuggle or play with since July, and all they want is love and affection. If you’d like to take one of these cuties home for a few weeks — or for life — email foster@phillypaws.org for more info!

Some ringworm fast facts:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠
🔹 It’s not a worm — it’s a fungal infection of the skin that usually shows up as small patches of hair loss in pets⁠⁠. ⁠⁠
🔹 It’s a mild infection, but contagious to people and pets, so a separate room for fosters is the best way to prevent it from spreading during treatment.
🔹 It usually takes 4-8 weeks to clear up (and many of these babies are already a few weeks into their treatment)!
⁠ 🔹 We have twice weekly “dip days” at our Grays Ferry clinics for ringworm fosters/adopters to drop their kitties off for medicated baths — no need to do it at home!
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Thank you @petcolove for supporting our lifesaving work! With cat intake rising across the city, their $25,000 investment in PAWS’ lifesaving work will enable us to continue rescuing the most at-risk pets, like Mop and her three kittens. We are so grateful for Petco Love`s continued support and long-time partnership!

#PetcoLovePartner
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We’ve taken in 35 kittens this week, and every ones of these cuties is looking for a foster home! From newborns with moms, to orphaned siblings, to single babies fighting illnesses or injuries, there’s tiny friend for almost every household and experience level.

Our kennels are now 100% full, and there are still dozens of babies at the city shelter who we didn’t have room to take with us. By opening your home to a litter of kittens or a singleton needing some TLC, you’ll open up lifesaving shelter space so we save more feline friends who are counting on us!

Email foster@phillypaws.org to learn more, or sign up now at phillypaws.org/foster!
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Together, we will make Philadelphia a no-kill city.

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