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!

The Most Important Ways You Can Make An Impact

Adopt

Every adoption from PAWS opens up space for us to save another animal in need.

Adopt Now!

Donate

Your gift of funds or supplies will truly save lives.

Donate Now!

Foster

By opening your home for a few weeks, you’ll change the life of a shelter pet who needs you.

Apply Now!

Volunteer

Volunteers play a central role in every aspect of our work and enable us to save as many lives as we can.

Apply Now!

Join the PAWS Community

Share Your Story

Share your pet’s story and help spread the word about PAWS’ lifesaving efforts. Post your adoption update on social media to inspire others to adopt!

Visit PAWS on Facebook

Attend PAWS Events

From smaller adoption events to our annual Mutt Strut fall festival and Chefs’ Night gala, there’s something for everyone.

See the full calendar

Start a Fundraiser

Create a personalized online fundraising page in minutes to share with friends and raise needed donations for Philadelphia’s animals.

Get Started!

Become A PAWS Partner

Businesses of all kinds play a major role in helping PAWS save lives. Whether you sponsor or host an adoption or fundraising event, donate expertise or supplies, help us reach new audiences to build support, or offer help in another way, you will be serving your community and joining a city-wide effort to make Philadelphia a no-kill city. In return, we can offer branding and promotional opportunities, exposure through our social media channels, and the appreciation of our large and loyal community of supporters.

Become a Partner

Current Partners

Volunteers Welcome!

Share your free time with the animals and help save the lives of pets in need. We’re always looking for volunteers to help in every area of our lifesaving efforts.

Learn More

Become a Foster Parent

Learn More

Make a Gift and Save a Life

Make A One-Time Donation

PAWS is 100% donor-funded. Every animal we save depends on the generosity of our supporters.

Donate

Give Monthly

Make the commitment to be a lifesaver all year long.

Give Monthly

Give Another Way

There are many ways to make a difference for the animals who need you.

Learn More

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.

All Available Dogs

All Available Cats

Join the Conversation

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Jan 28

Open

Try to resist Mr. Chubba Chubba's cheeks, we dare you! 😭

A cuddle bug through and through, Chubba Chubba likes to be with his people.

Chubba Chubba’s human tragically passed away in a fire, leaving him and six other cats behind, so he could potentially live with other social and independent cats.

Mr. Chubba Chubba eats a special diet to manage his kidney disease, but he's as friendly and robust as ever and can't wait to fill your home with love!

Learn more about Mr. Chubba Chubba at the link in our bio!

#phillypaws #phillypawsfoster #fostercats #fosteringsaveslives #phillycats ...

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Jan 28

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Looking for a new brunch date? How about 2? Meet Bryce & Harper! These two adorable piggies will greet you with the cutest sniffs and squeals, especially if you have some lettuce! 🥬

Bryce & Harper were found as strays and are still getting used to being handled, but their foster says in recent weeks they’ve really come out of their shell. Walk up to their cage and they’ll come running over to say hello. Bryce loves to cuddle up while lounging on the couch. Harper is a little more shy, but has been showing more of his personality recently.

You can follow their adventures @philly.paws.foster , or visit our small animal adoptions page to see them and all of our other available piggies! #linkinbio ...

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Jan 28

Open

Dog fosters are urgently needed, and you can help! @acctphilly’s kennels are completely full right now, and our ability to save at-risk dogs from the city shelter is directly tied to the number of fosters who can open their homes. Fostering is an incredibly rewarding experience, and spending even a couple of weeks in a home can have enormous health and behavior benefits for homeless dogs!

PAWS can make a foster match for just about any type of household (although pet-free adult homes are especially needed!) and we’ll provide you with all the support you’ll need for your new friend, including:
🏥 Medical care at our clinics ⁠
🐶 One-on-one behavior and training support⁠
🐾 Supplies like collars, leashes, and crates⁠
📝 Adoption screening ⁠
⁠💻 Advice and support through our foster community page

Whether you’re ready to foster a dog in two days, two weeks, or two months, our foster team would love to get you started! If you’d like to help us save lives and can take in a canine companion in need, visit our #linkinbio to sign up to foster or sign up for our online foster info session!

#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #dogsofphilly #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...

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Jan 27

Open

Milly wants you to know today is the last day of PAWS’ Constant Companion Challenge!

With your help, we have a chance to unlock $30,000 for pet who need us now. A generous supporter is pledging $300 for every new monthly donor who commits to a gift, and to receive the full $30,000 match, we need 100 animal lovers like you to join us before the challenge ends tonight!

We can't help pets like Milly without support from compassionate people like you. Here are just some of the ways your gift will make a difference this year:

🔹 $29/month enables us to rescue and find a home for one animal.
🔹 $50/month provides medicine to nurse 14 ailing dogs back to health.
🔹 $84/month provides vaccinations for 100 rescued pets.
🔹 $100/month provides care for 39 litters in our kitten nursery.

Please join us today at phillypaws.org/monthly (link in bio)! ...

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Jan 26

Open

Aslan needs a foster home…like, yesterday. This sweet senior arrived at the shelter with a host of conditions including dental disease, an upper respiratory infection, a heart murmur, and FIV & feline leukemia. He’ll benefit tremendously from some rest and TLC outside of the shelter, and is seeking a foster home to recover in as soon as possible.

If you’d like to help this gentle guy feel better and have a pet-free space where he can recover for a few weeks, please email foster@phillypaws.org!

#getyourrescueon #hotmessexpress #fosteringsaveslives #catsofphilly #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...

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Jan 26

Open

This spunky little chi is looking for a foster! Jett loves people and is a tiny bundle of fun, but he recently lost his home and is having a hard time showing off his regular personality at the shelter.

His family was devastated to give him up due to an unavoidable change in their living situation, and said he’s a wonderful companion who loves to cuddle and was great with the four kiddos in his home.

Jett can be a barky boy when he sees other dogs or hears a racket outside, so he’ll be a better fit if you have a home without finicky neighbors or any other pets. Email foster@phillypaws.org if you’d like to take this little man home until his finds his forever family!

#chihuahuasofinstagram #getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #phillypaws ...

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Jan 26

Open

Do you have a vacancy on your lap? Tilly would love to fill it! This cuddly senior will follow her favorite person to the ends of the earth. Have to go to the bathroom? Tilly's there. Need to sit down to tie your shoes or plug into a charger? Can't move anymore, she's on your lap.

Tilly will even snuggle up under the covers with you, although her signature move is to settle on top of you regardless of your sleeping position – she's a pro at balancing on side sleepers!

Even though she adores attention, Tilly is very polite about asking for it, and will tap you with a dainty paw when she wants extra pets or a lap to sit on. A purring machine who will always show you love, Tilly is especially partial to cheek and ear rubs!

Tilly is on a special diet for kidney disease, and shows no signs of slowing down. If you're looking for a gentle, kind-hearted senior who will always be ready to curl up with you after a hard day, Tilly is waiting to meet you! Find this sweet 11 year old at our adoptions page (link in bio)!

#lapcat #seniorcatlove #adoptaseniorcat #oldbutgold #catsofphilly #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...

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Jan 25

Open

WOWZA — 178 pets found their forever homes at PAWS’ Broad & Washington PetSmart location in 2022! 🙀 🎉 That’s 178 smiles, new beginnings, and families made complete thanks to @petsmartcharities and our amazing volunteer team. Our helpers give their time every day to care for our kitties and match them with loving families, and this milestone is only possible because of them!

These are just a few of the pets who’ve found love at this location, including 9 adoptions so far to kick off 2023! New cats are already on the way, so if you’re looking for a feline companion, follow @pawsbroadwashington to see who’s waiting to meet you! Adoptions are by appointment, so be sure to apply ahead of time through our #linkinbio.

#adoptlocalphl #getyourrescueon #petsmartcharities #phillypaws ...

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Jan 25

Open

There’s no other way to put it: we are really worried about Denny. He’s spent 163 days at the shelter, and it’s taking a very real toll. That’s 163 days of stress, uncertainty, and watching his friends leave while he stays behind.

It’s always been hard for him here, but in the last few weeks, his goofy, lovable spark has clearly diminished. Denny urgently needs a break, and we urgently need your help.

We’re not asking for a long term foster commitment (although Denny would be thrilled if you’re able to give one). We’re just asking for two weeks. Two weeks in a home will give this sensitive young dog a chance to decompress, open up, and give us valuable information to help him find his forever family.

You might be a perfect fit for Denny if you:
✅ Have a quiet, pet-free household
✅ Can open your home to Denny for two weeks
✅ Have some past dog experience
✅ Can follow a few daily routine recommendations to help Denny settle in.

Our dog team will be with you for every step of Denny’s journey and can provide any supplies you might need. If you’d like to help this very special boy, we’d love to tell you all about him!

Email foster@phillypaws.org to speak with our team about Denny ❤️

#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...

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Jan 24

Open

Yes, it’s true: Amazon is phasing out AmazonSmile. This program provided an important and consistent revenue stream to sustain PAWS' work month after month, so we can understand how this kitten is feeling. Luckily, there’s an easy way to help whether you participated in AmazonSmile or not!

By making a monthly donation to PAWS, you can help us fill this funding gap and ensure we can be there all year for the pets who need us — and there’s never been a better time to start!

When you sign up for a monthly gift of $10 or more before January 27, you’ll unlock an additional donation of $300 from a generous supporter!

We have the chance to receive $30,000 if 100 new members join our Constant Companion monthly giving program, and we’re almost halfway to our goal. Please join us! Start your gift and save lives now at our #linkinbio.

#grumpykitten #amazonsmile #phillypaws ...

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Jan 23

Open

Do you love animals? Do you want to save lives? Learn about fostering a pet with PAWS!

PAWS’ ability to save and care for homeless pets — many of whom need time in a home to heal, grow, decompress, or learn a routine — depends on the number of foster parents we have standing by, ready to help. When you foster a pet, you welcome a cat, dog, or small pet into your home until they find their permanent family. We cannot do this work without YOU!

Join us for our online foster info session hosted by PAWS’ foster manager! This half hour Zoom will cover a range of topics, including:
• What fostering is and why it's important
• More about PAWS' foster program and what we offer
• Frequently asked questions
• How to get started
• ...And more!
Plus, a Q&A session at the end to answer any other questions you might have!
Register for our info session on Wednesday, February 8 at 6pm through our #linkinbio.

#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #phillypawsfoster #phillypaws ...

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Jan 23

Open

Sugar wants to know when you’re coming to see her at our Old City location! A chatty sweetheart with legendary biscuit-making skills, Sugar really lives up to her name. At 8 years old, this affectionate girl is all about sleeping at your feet, lounging in the sun, and enjoying all the chin massages you have to offer (that’s when the biscuits really kick into high gear)!

Sugar does have some spice when it comes to other pets, so she’d love to be your one and only. She’s just one of the feline friends waiting to meet you at PAWS’ Old City Adoption Center, so drop by soon to find your next family member!

#catsofphilly #makingbiscuits #phillypaws ...

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Jan 22

Open

Samantha’s ideal evening?
— Cuddle w/ her people
— Short break for playtime
— Return to cuddle o’clock

This sweetheart wound up at PAWS after her human lost their housing 💔

An affectionate girl who’s sensitive to stressful situations, Samantha seeks a quiet and predictable home. She’ll thrive with an adopter who will give her time to decompress and adapt. We promise her friendship is worth the wait!

Samantha would prefer to be your only pet, but may be OK with calm pets if she has her own safe space.

Learn more about this sweet lady at the link in our bio!

#phillypaws #phillypawsfoster #catsofphilly #catsofig #fosteringsaveslives ...

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Jan 22

Open

Sip your Sunday coffee and start your day on bright note with Pickles' happy tail!

This friendly former stray charmed everyone he met with his kind and goofy personality when he arrived at PAWS in October, but he spent weeks searching for an adopter without any luck.

Many miles away in Canada, Colinne and Peter were ready to open their hearts to a new dog after saying goodbye to their PAWS pup of over a decade, but their search was proving more difficult than expected. “We’d been trying to adopt locally for a year with zero feedback or success,” shared Colinne, “It was so disappointing to apply all over the place and not ever hear back.”

With a holiday trip back to Philly approaching, they took a chance and applied to adopt with PAWS again — and Pickles sounded like the perfect match. When they finally met, they knew he was the one they’d been waiting for! “Clearly Pickles is the right one for us and it was meant to be. He was worth the wait.” Pickles drove back with the whole family that same day, and has been a cherished member of the family ever since!

“We are so thrilled with Pickles – he’s been so good. It’s like he’s been here all along. We are all having so much fun with him. He’s been great with the kids too. Always happy to receive any kind of attention and listens to them as well. He is patient with them and lets them pet him whenever, and he even chooses to sleep with them on their beds over his dog bed."

“One thing that’s particularly sweet is the way he greets us after one of us has been away for a few hours. Like he’s been our dog forever. It’s wonderful. We’re so glad that we were able to adopt him – he really brings that extra presence to the house that we so enjoy.”

“I also wanted to add that PAWS’ team has been amazing and has really made this a wonderful experience. They really wanted to match us with a dog and were so determined to make it happen. Even with our limited schedule to be down there. I still have to pinch myself that we actually got our dog!”

If you adopted your pet from PAWS, we'd love hear their happy tale: send yours to success@phillypaws.org!

#phillypawssuccessstory #phillypawsalum #phillypaws ...

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Jan 21

Open

Edie is ready for a @philadelphiaeagles win tonight and says GO BIRDS! If you’re looking for an adorable wiggly friend to keep you company on game days, this affectionate senior is looking for a foster home and would love to fill that empty spot on your couch 💚🦅

#eaglesnation #flyeaglesfly #itsaphillything #dogsofphilly #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...

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Jan 21

Open

Does your cat need to be spayed or neutered? PAWS offers online self-scheduling for affordable feline spay/neuter surgeries at our Northeast and Grays Ferry clinics, and we’ve just opened a ton of appointment slots for our Northeast location!

Surgery for cats is $70, which includes rabies and distemper vaccinations if needed, plus complimentary nail trim. Schedule yourself for our Northeast clinic today and learn more about our services at our #linkinbio!

#spayneutersaveslives #phillypaws ...

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Jan 20

Open

Say hello to our newest rescue, Science! She was a very good girl for her welcome exam and would love for her next stop to be a foster home. We’re still getting to know all the wonderful ins and outs of her personality, but we do know she loves human companionship, enjoys chin massages, and has a soft spot for squeaky toys. She may be able to join a home with another gentle pup who will respect her space, but cats are still an unknown.

If you’d like to open your home to this very sweet former stray and spoil her while she looks for her forever family, email foster@phillypaws.org!

#getyourrescueon #dogsofphilly #formerstray #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...

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Jan 20

Open

Here is an exciting opportunity to help sustain PAWS' lifesaving efforts all year long, and kick it off in a big way! For every new monthly donor who joins us by January 27, a generous supporter will donate an additional $300, up to $30,000! In order to unlock the full amount, we need 100 supporters to commit to a monthly gift before the challenge ends. Please join us!

When we save an animal, we commit to their care no matter how long their journey or what surprises we encounter along the way. Your monthly gift to PAWS provides stable, crucial funding for our essential rescue and prevention programs, and ensures we can continue being there for pets who need us most — like Aloe, who once faced an uncertain future but is now safe and loved in a PAWS foster home!

Visit our #linkinbio to join the challenge today and start saving lives!

#getyourrescueon #phillypaws ...

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Jan 19

Open

Can you tell that Berry and Honeydew are ready to leave the shelter? These very shy grannies are incredibly stressed out and urgently need a foster home. They’re from the same household as our beloved Apple and Banana, whose reunion video stole a lot of hearts last week, and they’re understandably very scared after losing their home.

We can tell that Berry and Honey are sweet ladies who want affection — they warm right up to a gentle touch if you sit with them quietly and pet them, but the shelter is so loud and overwhelming that it’s hard for them to drop their guards with every new face they meet daily. They’ve really been through a lot and are desperate to get back in a home!

If you have a quiet space in your home where these ladies can open up, de-stress, and show more of their wonderful personalities, please email foster@phillypaws.org.

#getyourrescueon #fosteringsaveslives #seniorcatlove #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster ...

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Jan 19

Open

WOW 🙀 Our staff, fosters, and volunteers sure have been busy! We just crunched some more of our year-end numbers, and would like to give a huge round of applause to the amazing animal lovers who enabled us to change so many lives last year — and that includes supporters like YOU! Thanks to your help in 2022, PAWS:

🐾 Rescued 2,334 pets: 2,091 cats, 218 dogs, and 25 small animals.
*More than 1,100 of them came from ACCT Philly, representing our role as the city's largest rescue partner!

🩺 Provided 26,348 affordable veterinary care appointments, including 7,699 wellness visits, 6,251 vaccine appointments, and 12,398 spay/neuter surgeries to prevent unwanted litters.
*Over 2,000 of our spay/neuter surgeries were provided through PAWS’ TNR program, a 38% increase from 2021!

🤝 Supported approximately 8,000 pets through our pet pantry programming and partnerships.

🦷 Provided 115 shelter pets with dental surgery through PAWS’ Tooth Fairy Fund.

🏡 Placed 1,680 pets into temporary homes with 873 amazing, caring foster parents.

👏 And let’s also give a huge round of applause to the 800 volunteers who gave thousands of hours of their time to PAWS!

These are so much more than numbers: they’re new beginnings, second chances, and happy endings that wouldn't have been possible without you — our incredible supporters, staff, volunteers, fosters, and adopters. Now and always, thank you for saving — and changing — lives with us!

#getyourrescueon #thankfulthursday #phillypaws #phillypawsfoster #phillypawsvolunteer ...

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Get Involved

There are many ways to save a life!

The Most Important Ways You Can Make An Impact

Adopt

Donate

Foster

Volunteer

Join the PAWS Community

Share Your Story

Attend PAWS Events

Start a Fundraiser

Become A PAWS Partner

Current Partners

Volunteers Welcome!

Become a Foster Parent

Make a Gift and Save a Life

Make A One-Time Donation

Give Monthly

Give Another Way

Find Your Newest Family Member

Join the Conversation

Follow PAWS on Social Media

#phillypaws