Get Involved
There are many ways to save a life!
PAWS was founded in 2005 as a small volunteer group with a dream to make Philadelphia a no-kill city where every healthy and treatable pet is guaranteed a home. We have made incredible strides thanks to caring supporters who get involved however they can, whether adopting, fostering, making contributions of time or funds, and so much more. Join our mission and start saving lives!
Join the PAWS Community
Become A PAWS Partner
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Make a Gift and Save a Life
Find Your Newest Family Member
When you adopt a new best friend from PAWS, you are saving a life that might not have had a chance without your kindness.
Join the Conversation
Follow PAWS on Social Media
Our online community helps save lives and celebrate successes. Keep up to date on ways to help the animals and tag us in your happy adoption updates: you may see your story here!
#phillypaws
We’re low on paper towels, but Toffee wants you to know he had nothing to do with that...
We’ve rescued so many pets that we’re going through supplies more quickly than usual, and could use your help! If you can drop paper towels at any PAWS location during regular hours (phillypaws.org/locations), or send through our wishlist at phillypaws.org/amazon (link in bio), the animals would be grateful!
You can also ship through the online retailer of your choice to:
PAWS
2900 Grays Ferry Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19146
#kittenseason #kittensofinstagram #phillypaws ...
Did you catch our live video? Meet some of the pets who are looking for foster homes right now! We're working to #ClearTheSheters all month long and are looking for fosters and adopters to take home shelter pets so we can rescue more who need us.
Want to learn more about fostering? Visit our link in bio to register for our online foster info session tomorrow, August 16 at 6pm!
Ready to get started now? Sign up to foster at phillylaws.org/foster (link in bio)! ...
Help us #ClearTheShelters this week and all month long! If you're interested in fostering a shelter pet or learning more about PAWS' foster program, we've got you covered:
🐾 TODAY at 4:45: Facebook & Instagram live shelter tour
Tune in on Facebook or Instagram to meet some of the pets at PAWS' Grays Ferry location who are looking for foster homes right now!
🐾 TOMORROW, August 16 at 6pm: Online foster info session
Join us for a 30 minute online info session and Q&A with PAWS' foster manager to learn more about what fostering is, how it works, and how to get started. Register today through our link in bio!
🐾 THIS WEEKEND, August 19-21: Foster weekend at PAWS’ Grays Ferry location
Sign up in advance, then come get matched with a foster pet! Our goal is to empty our entire Grays Ferry shelter this weekend. With all that open space, we will head right to the city shelter on a mission to save as many more lives as we can!
🐾 ADOPTION & FOSTER APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE ALL MONTH! Visit our link in bio to sign up to foster or check out our adoptable pets page.
@ClearTheShelters is a month-long, nationwide lifesaving event taking place every August, with a goal of finding foster or adoptive homes for as many shelter pets as possible so we can open desperately needed space to save more who are counting on us. Please join us however you can (sharing this post counts too)!
#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #adoptashelterpet #adoptlocalphl #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...
Meet Bun Bunz! He’s a sweet and spicy prankster with a tiny meow and a big personality. According to his fosters, Bunz has charisma for days and enjoys a little mischief to spice up his life, including slipper attacks and surprise “gumming” with his toothless mouth. When he’s not being a goof, this 8 year old cutie has also been known to stretch out on your tummy for a nice post-dinner nap.
If you’re looking for a weird, sweet, and mischievous little buddy, Bunz is your guy! Learn more about Bun Bunz at his foster account @the_foster_nerds, or visit our adoptions page through our link in bio!
#noteeth #naughtycats #catsofphilly #catsofinstagram #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...
Meet our @CioccaSubaruofPhiladelphia adoptable pet spotlight, Angie! This friendly young pup was found tied up under a bridge in a local park, but now she's being spoiled in a PAWS foster home and is ready to start her new life with you. Angie's foster mom describes her as a low maintenance sweetheart who just wants love. She has a passion for snacks and chew toys, but her favorite thing in the world is snuggling up with her humans!
If you're looking for a kind-hearted cuddle bug, learn more about Angie at our adoptions page (link in bio)!
Our friends at Ciocca Philadelphia been vital partners to PAWS, contributing thousands of lifesaving funds though their #SubaruShareTheLove event and special sponsorships. We are profoundly grateful for their support and look forward to saving more lives together!
#phillypaws #cioccadealerships #dogsofphilly #rescuedog #adoptlocalphl #phillypawsfoster ...
Bo’s happy tale reminds us that there’s truly a match out there for everyone!
This adorable senior never had a problem attracting adopters, but keeping them was a different matter. His fear of strangers and new situations led him to strike-out in three different adoptive homes, and he had spent more than a year in foster care searching for his perfect match. Thanks to the stability provided by his foster mom, we knew Bo would be a wonderful companion once he finally found the right person.
As it turned out, that person was MaryLou. An experienced senior dog owner who rarely had visitors in her quiet suburban apartment, MaryLou had been searching for a companion for as long as Bo had been searching for a home. When they finally met, it was clear the right match was worth the wait!
"Bo and I are getting along great,” she shared in a recent update. “He has really made himself at home! I’m so glad that he was available to be adopted." While Bo and MaryLou's journey to find love was longer than usual, yours doesn't have to be. Visit our #linkinbio to find your match today, and remember that all dog adoption fees are waived in August for #ClearTheShelters!
#happytale #phillypawssuccessstory #seniordoglove #meanttobe #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...
ATTN: All dog adoption fees are waived through August! 🐶🚨
Thanks to a grant from @petfinderfoundation, dog adoption fees are waived for the rest of the month. Philadelphia shelters are full of 💫angelic💫 dogs like Ace who desperately need a home, so we're grateful to Petfinder Foundation for helping us eliminate barriers to adoption!
Ace is a gentle giant who adores people and gets along great with his foster sister @oonatheyorkie - read more about him through our link in bio, or check out his sisters insta account to see more of his adventures!
#phillypaws ...
Looking for a kitten? PAWS' ringworm ward is full of them! Space Jam, Fireball, Emily, Maru, and Shane (in order of appearance) are incredibly sweet and affectionate, but they've been getting overlooked due to their ringworm-positive status. They're desperate to leave the shelter, and would love to finish their treatment with you! In exchange for a few weeks of extra TLC, you’ll be getting a lifetime of love ❤
To foster or adopt one of our adorable fungal felines, email foster@phillypaws.org with the subject “ringworm kittens"!
Some ringworm fast facts:
🔹 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 is the best way to prevent it from spreading during 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!
🔹 Since stress can be a trigger that prolongs infections, getting ringworm kittens into a home environment is paramount to their speedy recovery!
#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #ringwormkittens #kittenseason #catsofphilly #phillypaws
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Alaska is going to be stunning one day, but right now, this sweet girl just needs our help.
She arrived with matted fur, advanced dental disease, and a severe ear infection that was so painful, she had to be sedated before we could clean them. When we did, we discovered lesions from several untreated cysts blocking her ear canal that may require special surgery to correct.
We’ve shaved down Alaska’s coat and started her on medication to get her more comfortable, but she has a long road ahead of her, and could use your help. Alaska needs extensive dental work, and may also require special surgery to address the cysts in her ears.
Your #FiveDollarFriday gift of any amount will help us provide Alaska with the care and treatment she needs to get well and start the rest of her life with a family who loves her. You can give via Instagram, Venmo (username @phillypaws), or at phillypaws.org/Friday (link in bio)!
#getyourrescueon #fridayfeels #rescuecat #catsofphilly #phillypaws ...
If you’re looking for a dog who loves the outdoors as much as you do, adventure awaits with Peggy! Social, good-natured, and a little mischievous, this cutie has a classic beagle personality and a zest for life. She’s joined her foster mom on several camping trips now, and has been an absolute hit with every camper she’s met (both human and canine alike)!
When Peggy is back home, her foster says she enjoys to carrying around stuffy toys, snuggling, chasing squirrels in the yard, and sniffing for clues around the house with her busy beagle nose. Peggy gets along with cats (even though she’s a little scared of them), and would love to have a canine companion to nap and goof off with.
Learn more about 7 year old Peggy at our adoptions page (link in bio)!
#beaglesofinstagram #rescuedog #beaglelife #camplife #adventuredog #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...
Chewbie is popping his head out to say THANK YOU for making our Paw It Forward campaign a huge success! Because of your compassion, 337 rescued cats and dogs will enjoy safety and comfort at PAWS until they find loving homes of their own, and 1,689 community pets will continue to be cherished by their families, at home where they belong. On behalf of them all, we thank you for reflecting on the preciousness of love and companionship, and paying it forward!
We're also especially grateful to our incredible sponsors, who made this campaign a reality: @teknion_philadelphia, @stammdevelopmentgroup, @psp_fishtown, @dibrunobros, @bean2beancoffeeco, @DockstreetSouth, @lisafaybakes, @metrocafewphl, and @watchtowerpropertyco.
For pets like Chewbi, we continue to expand our safety net efforts to ensure families can remain whole. His heartbroken owner contacted us about surrendering him when she learned her upcoming cancer treatment would leave her unable to care for him for several weeks. She had no one to lean on during that time, and she was in tears when she arrived to drop him off. Thanks to protectors like you, we could offer Chewbi a safe place to stay through PAWS' Safety Net Foster Program instead. Now happily settled in a caring temporary foster home, Chewbi and his mom can look forward to reuniting as soon as she completes her treatment. ...
Friends, we are putting out a Hail Mary plea for Minnie Moo. This affectionate 16 year old has had ongoing medical issues, and we genuinely don’t know if there’s an adopter who’s up to taking her home — but we’re hoping with all our hearts that they’re out there!
There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Minnie Moo has chronic diarrhea, and doesn’t always use the litter box. She doesn’t need an adopter with special skills — just a lot of love and patience. It’s a tall order, we know. But we also know she’s worth it. Minnie is one of the most kind, gentle souls we’ve met. She enjoys being held like a baby, and will nap in your lap for hours if you let her.
As you can see from this video, Minnie is not happy at the shelter, and we’re concerned her health could decline if she stays much longer. Our adoption team would love to tell you all about Minnie, so please email adoptions@phillypaws.org to learn more, or find her profile at our adoptions page (link in bio).
Minnie is looking for an adult home where she’ll be the only pet or have a space to herself.
Ps. Can’t adopt? Please share this post! ...
Our August volunteer spotlight is Melissa Amoroso! Melissa began as a volunteer for PAWS in 2017. She started by helping out with events, but gradually transitioned to one of our cat care volunteers at Petsmart. "My favorite moment was definitely the day I adopted Peachy! I volunteered for puppy yoga in 2017 and she was one of the adoptable pups there. It was truly love at first sight! I filled out an app right away and knew she'd be the perfect sidekick. A few days later I took her home and we’ve been inseparable ever since. She’s even a therapy dog and helps people smile and relax!"
Melissa still volunteers at our Petsmart location on Washington Ave. She helps care for the animals while they wait for their forever homes, as well as, chats with potential adopters, posts the cats to our Petsmart Instagram and facilitates adoptions when someone finds their perfect match. "I love snapping pics of Petsmart cats to get them more exposure. We get a lot of adopters coming in because they saw a cat on Instagram, so it’s great to have that as an option. I love getting to facilitate adoptions. Seeing a pet going to their forever home is so heartwarming!"
We are so grateful for all that Melissa does for PAWS and hopes she stays with us for many more years to come!
#phillypaws #phillypawsvolunteer #volunteersrock ...
Miss Cleo wants to know your weekend plans! She already has the perfect itinerary: start with a pre-breakfast snuggle sesh, enjoy an afternoon run or hiking adventure, goof off with a tug toy, then round it out with couch cuddles and a movie 🍿
If you’re looking for an enthusiastic gal pal whose affection is matched only by her zoomies, this wigglebutt is on the market! According to her fosters, she’d would be a perfect fit for anyone seeking an extroverted goofball who will flop on the couch with you at the end of the day (seriously, this girl is convinced she’s a lap dog).
Learn more about this friendly, housebroken 1-2 year old at our adoptions page (link in bio)!
#galpal #runningbuddy #lapdogwannabe #dogsofphilly #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...
Lola is waiting to wow you! This affectionate girl was a whole new pup during her temporary foster break, but she's more stressed than ever now that she's back at the shelter, and looking for a long term foster or forever home ASAP. According to her temporary foster, Lola was a delightful companion at home and just needed some extra guidance during her walks outside. She's looking for a home with a fenced backyard where she can exercise and play, or a home in a quieter neighborhood where her walks will be uneventful. Visit our link in bio to foster or adopt Lola!
#phillypaws #phillypawsfoster #phillypawsadoptable #rescuedog ...
Storm wants to know if you’ve signed up to foster for #ClearTheShelters!
Our cat (and dog!) housing space remains full, and every pet we send home opens a space for us to rescue a new one with nowhere else to go. If you’re not able to make a lifelong commitment by adopting right now, you can make a HUGE difference by becoming a foster and providing a temporary home to a pet who needs you!
Visit our #linkinbio to sign up to foster, or register for our Online Foster Info Session next Tuesday, August 16th at 6pm!
#fosteringsaveslives #getyourrescueon #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...
Senior dog lovers, meet Gizmo and Jojo! They’re proof that it’s not the age of your heart that matters, it’s how much love you hold inside it.
These adoptable grandpas have both been diagnosed with senior heart conditions, but that won’t stop either one of them from sweeping you off your feet.
Gizmo (first pic) might have a heart murmur, but you know what else he has?
❤️ Ears for days
❤️ A kind and deeply loyal soul
❤️ Wholehearted devotion to the people in his life
Yes, Jojo takes daily medication for heart disease, but his days are also filled with:
❤️ Belly rubs and naps at your feet
❤️ Snuggles and affection for everyone he meets
❤️ Quiet friendship with the other dog and cat in his foster home
So don’t be shy: learn more about adopting one of these special gents today at our link in bio (these guys aren’t a pair, we’re just featuring them together since they have so much in common)! ...
Did you know that PAWS accepts gifts of stock and other securities? Not only will your gift help us care for pets like Dee Dee, but it will allow you to avoid capital gains taxes, so you can claim the full, fair-market value on the date of the gift as a charitable donation. To learn more and explore other ways to give, visit us online here: phillypaws.org/planned-giving/donate-stock-and-securities.
If you're currently interested in making a gift of stock, we're ready to help! Contact Lauren Hanak at 267-320-6429, or at lauren.hanak@phillypaws.org. ...
Meet Marnie, the world’s perfect lap cat! ✨
A Siamese dream come true, Marnie is a loyal and loving chatterbox. Need a heating pad for your legs while you WFH? A judgmental stare about your knife skills in the kitchen? Marnie’s your girl!
Marnie is happy to snuggle the day away by your side or on the nearest sunny windowsill. Affectionate & low-maintenance, Marnie could even potentially live with other social and independent cats!
Are you the right match? Learn more about adopting Marnie by visiting the link in our bio!
#phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...
We’re seeking a foster for our very special friend, Bob The Biscuit Builder! As you can see, Bob is a little different from other cats. He went through a rough patch during his previous life as a stray, and now has a permanent head tilt along with a severe limp in his back leg.
The result is a distinctive, lopsided walk that might look a bit unusual, but doesn’t keep him from tottering up to every person he sees to ask for snuggles!
While Bob’s limp is likely due to a previous injury that didn’t heal correctly, his head tilt is a bit of a mystery, so he’s looking for a foster home to help monitor him while we learn more about his condition.
This sweet boy is one of the most affectionate, loving cats we’ve met, and he will absolutely melt your heart! If you’d like to give Bob a temporary home and lots of head scratches, email foster@phillypaws.org and sign up through our link in bio!
#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #biscuitking #catsofphilly #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...