To help keep beloved pets healthy and in their homes, PAWS provides affordable, accessible veterinary care through its two low-cost spay/neuter and wellness clinics.
Large swaths of Philadelphia are veterinary deserts, and even for many people living near veterinary hospitals, care can be unaffordable. Recognizing that shelter intake is closely tied to lack of access to affordable veterinary care, PAWS aimed to fill this enormous gap and help keep families together by opening its first low-cost clinic – in the Grays Ferry section – in 2010. In 2014, PAWS’ second clinic opened in the Northeast, enabling us to reach as many pet owners as possible, especially those residing in neighborhoods which are the greatest sources of stray and surrendered pets.
Our caring team of veterinarians and technicians provide spay/neuter surgery, annual wellness care (including vaccines, flea/tick prevention, etc.), as well as exams and treatments for a wide variety of common illnesses, ailments, and injuries. Our clinics welcome community members and provide high-quality, affordable care. It can often mean the difference between life and death by preventing shelter surrender, or it can prevent an easily treatable medical issue from getting worse and becoming harder and more expensive to treat over time.
Each year, more than 25,000 pets receive care at PAWS’ clinics. Most of our clients have received limited, if any, previous veterinary care, typically due to financial constraints. We have become a trusted resource that owners know they can return to, both annually for preventive care, and in the event of illness or injury. Thanks to generous supporters, assistance is available for pet owners who cannot afford the cost of care. We aim to never turn a pet owner away due to inability to pay.
PAWS’ clinics also proudly serve community cat caregivers and fellow rescue organizations, enabling them to stretch their limited resources and maximize their lifesaving work.
As the city’s largest provider of affordable veterinary care, the impact of our work is clear: since we began, the number of pets entering the city’s animal control shelter has been cut nearly in half, and the survival rate has skyrocketed. However, we have much more work to do, especially as Philadelphians continue to face extreme economic hardship. Maximizing our clinic services and making them as accessible as possible is vital to our larger mission of making Philadelphia a no-kill city.
To schedule an appointment or get more details about our services, click here.
