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PAWS’ Legacy Society

Making a gift to PAWS through your will is a simple and flexible way to save Philadelphia’s homeless pets for years to come.

Through our Legacy Society, we celebrate and honor visionary donors who want to help PAWS secure a future where every savable pet in Philadelphia is guaranteed a home.

Becoming a member only requires informing us of your intentions. If you have already included PAWS in a bequest or other planned gift, we hope you will let us know. We respect those who wish to remain anonymous, but we urge you to share your plans with us a confidentially, as it enables us to plan for the future.

To welcome you as a member of our Legacy Society, we gratefully offer a variety of benefits:

  • The knowledge that your gift will provide crucial funding where we need it most.
  • Bi-annual insider updates from the executive director, including our annual Impact Report.
  • Invitations to special events and tours, including free or specially priced tickets.
  • Your personal PAWS contact, accessible by phone or email.
  • Invitation to PAWS’ annual Spring Donor Roundtable for an exclusive update and conversation

How to Leave a Gift

To make a bequest to PAWS, you may use the following language:

I give, devise and bequeath to the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, a non-profit corporation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with its principal offices at 100 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, (the sum of $____) (all or ____% of my residual estate) to be used for its general purposes.

PAWS’ Federal Tax ID is: 26-3862631.

There are several ways to make a gift through your will or trust:

  • Specific Bequest: Name PAWS the beneficiary of a 401(k), IRA, marketable securities, or cash.
  • Residuary Bequest: Designate PAWS to receive all or a portion of the remainder of your estate once all specific bequests (to family and friends) have been satisfied.
  • Contingent Bequest: Designate PAWS to receive assets in case your primary beneficiaries (family and friends) predecease you.

Donations to PAWS, a 501(c)3 organization, are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Your estate planner, financial advisor, or accounting professional can advise you on the tax benefits, financial considerations, and savings associated with making a planned gift to PAWS.

Have you already included us in your estate plan?

Please click here to let us know!

If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Hanak, Director of Development, at 267-320-6429 or lauren.hanak@phillypaws.org.

Legacy Society Members Share why they give...

I’ve included PAWS in my will so that my support continues even after I’m no longer physically on this earth.

There are so many unique programs/services that PAWS has implemented or supports, such as the two low-cost clinics, the Safety Net Program, and being an integral supporter of and participant in pet pantries. And these things are in addition to saving so many homeless pets and being ACCT’s largest rescue partner.

I want PAWS to thrive, and continue to be trail blazers, so that they can help pet owners keep their cherished pets, and help adopters find their perfect match.

– Kathy Plover

While I contribute to many charities and animal welfare organizations, I decided that PAWS was the one I most wanted to provide for in my will. It’s important to me to leave some type of local legacy, and I greatly admire what PAWS is doing for animals and their caregivers in Philadelphia. PAWS has made an enormous positive impact on this city and I like knowing that I’ll be helping with that mission for years to come.

– Anonymous

PAWS is one of the most effective animal welfare organizations we have experienced, and we have felt that every dollar we have been able to donate to their work has been used to its fullest potential, especially for the purpose of helping those who face financial challenges to stay with the pets they love. It is very important to us to remember PAWS in our will so that our contribution can continue to make a difference even when we are gone.

– Anonymous

I feel that every person/family should have the opportunity to add the perfect pet to their home and PAWS facilitates that. Through volunteering and donating to PAWS, I’ve had a chance to see the loving care that animals receive at PAWS and also, the on-going support that PAWS provides to pet-parents, enabling families to stay together.

I hope the need for PAWS’ services will diminish over time, but that isn’t likely. Therefore, I want to do what I can to help PAWS achieve its goal of making Philadelphia a no-kill city and to increase adoptions for our animals-in-need. In my case, that means providing funding to PAWS through my estate plan. I hope you will consider doing the same.

– Anonymous

It is an honor to be a member of PAWS Legacy Society, though that was never part of my plan. What I did know was that I wanted to support — in a meaningful way— the work that PAWS does. As a volunteer, I have seen first-hand the dedication, compassion and thoughtfulness exhibited by everyone on staff. Their work makes such a huge difference to the lives of animals and to the humanity of the communities they serve. I can’t imagine Philadelphia without their selfless efforts.

– Anonymous

I have known PAWS since its origin in 2005. Their expansion from the Adoption Center at 2nd and Arch to include the clinics in Grays Ferry and the Northeast was remarkable. The low cost spay/neuter program and needed assistance to pet owners are especially critical in Philadelphia. PAWS rescuing animals from the overburdened and underfunded city shelters has greatly increased their chance of survival and adoption. The devoted PAWS staff together with countless volunteers maximize efforts for pets to find forever homes and keep us supporters informed of the challenges and future goals. Cats have always been my companions. PAWS has been in my legacy plans for a long time.

– Anonymous

Explore More Planned Giving Programs

ALLOCATE YOUR RETIREMENT ASSETS

Designating a gift to PAWS is a tax-wise way to benefit Philadelphia’s pets for years to come, and costs nothing now.

Learn More

GIVE THROUGH YOUR DONOR ADVISED FUND

Make an impact today by recommending a lifesaving grant to PAWS directly from your DAF.

Learn More

DONATE STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES

It is easy to support PAWS through a gift of appreciated securities while also receiving additional tax benefits.

Learn more