Whole Foods Market—and You—to the Rescue

 

What weighs 700 pounds and will help PAWS save the lives of thousands of homeless animals this year? The incredible supply of pet food donated by YOU during the Whole Foods Market "Feed Fido" pet food drive!

Last month, Whole Foods Market hosted a pet food drive for PAWS, with all six Seattle-area stores providing donation bins and encouraging shoppers to donate pet food items from the PAWS Wish List.

With more than 700 pounds of dog and cat food and treats contributed by caring members of our community, our pantry is full and will help fill the hungry tummies of the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens who arrive at PAWS, in need of warmth, love and a second chance.

A huge thanks to Seattle-area Whole Foods Markets, and to everyone who participated in the Feed Fido pet food drive—your donations make a difference in the lives of injured, orphaned and sick animals in need.

Here are some other ways to help PAWS this year!

 

PAWS Cat City: Second Successful Year in a New Home

 

The numbers don't lie. A quick scan of PAWS Cat City's 2012 adoption figures, proudly displayed by Cat City Supervisor Steph Renaud in the form of squiggly-lined graphs, shows just how successful the cat adoption facility has been during its second year of operation in its new, state-of-the-art facility in Seattle's University District.

"In 2012, adult cat adoptions were up 35 percent and kitten adoptions up 76 percent" says Renaud. "That's a total of 1,391 animals adopted into loving homes!"

Two years ago—on January 11, 2011—PAWS Cat City moved from a small, cramped office space in Greenwood to the current spacious facility on Roosevelt Way. The new-and-improved location features three cat colonies, a separate visiting room and a bright and inviting common area for staff and volunteers to greet and counsel prospective adopters.

PAWS Cat City's new, updated facility has played an integral role in the placement of hundreds more cats and kittens into loving, forever homes.

The open-colony setting, with cats and kittens staying in rooms rather than in cages, provides an opportunity for visitors to interact with the cats, see how they interact with each other, and get a better sense of each cat’s unique personality.

The open floor plan also allows the cats and kittens to freely move around and explore, alleviating boredom and allowing them to socialize both with others cats and prospective adopters in a relaxed environment.

"It has been a great two years," says Renaud, "and we look forward to finding loving homes for even more deserving cats and kittens in 2013."

Come visit the friendly felines at PAWS Cat City!

 

 

It's Not Too Late to Help Animals in 2012

 

As 2012 draws to a close, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you for your support.

Over the past year—with your help—we have transformed the lives of more than 6,000 injured, orphaned and abandoned animals. Together, we provided much-needed shelter, care and love for the cats, dogs and wildlife who arrived at our door, in need of a second chance.

Your year-end gift to PAWS will help animals like Clementine the kitten, who was rescued along with her brothers and sisters from an overcrowded shelter in Eastern Washington. At PAWS, Clementine and her siblings received the attention they needed to grow healthy and strong.

In 2012, PAWS rescued a record-breaking number of cats, dogs, kittens and puppies from overburdened shelters around the state, providing each of these animals warmth, love and a second chance at life. Your gift today will help us care for many more animals like these throughout the coming year.

Please, take a moment right now and make an end-of-the-year tax-deductible donation for the animals.

From all of us at PAWS, we wish you and yours a very happy, healthy and humane New Year!

Thank you for supporting PAWS!

 

A Successful Year of Saving Animals in 2012

 

Riveting rescue stories, a plethora of interesting patients, and hundreds of happy endings—2012 was a busy year here at PAWS. As we prepare to usher in 2013, we'd like to share with you a few memorable moments and milestones from the past year:

• In 2012, PAWS celebrated its 45th year as an organization. We even recorded the 45th adoption of our 45th year, as Ozzie the Daschund finds his forever home — take a look!

• This year, the PAWS Foster Care program grew by leaps and bounds. Through this life-saving program, we cared for more than 1,600 animals, including an astounding 1,080 kittens—double the number of kittens we cared for in 2011.

• In July 2012, PAWS Wildlife Center veterinarians saved the life of an American Black Bear cub (pictured right) after one of its lungs was collapsed by a tranquilizer dart. Watch the video of her diagnosis and recovery here.

• When the Iranian government threatened a ban on companion animals, PAWS teamed up with Humane Society International and shelters in Tehran to rescue these endangered dogs and bring them to Western Washington for a chance at new lives with loving families.

• This year marked the second anniversary of PAWS Cat City's new home on Roosevelt Way, in Seattle's University District. The new-and-improved facility features three separate cat colony rooms, and has allowed us to expand our services and increase the number of cats and kittens we can take in to our care.

• In 2012, our Companion Animal Shelter set many adoption records, including finding homes for 69 "hard to place" animals during our three-day Black Friday adoption special.

Whether we are celebrating a loving reunion between a lost pet and their guardian, the adoption of a long-time PAWS resident, or the animals who have yet to arrive at our doors, we are deeply grateful for your support. If you would like to help us continue our life-saving work, you can make a year-end tax-deductible donation for the animals at PAWS.

Thank you for your support in 2012 and beyond!

 

 

Keep Your Pets Healthy this Holiday

 

'Tis the season for celebrating—with friends, family, and a glass of eggnog or hot cocoa. But before you get into the full swing of the Christmas celebrations, please take a moment to make sure that your furry family members stay safe, healthy and happy this holiday season with the following safety tips:

Christmas tree caution. Christmas trees are beautiful, but your pet might think it's just an extra-large toy to climb or play with. Make sure your tree is securely anchored so that it doesn't fall, causing possible injury to your pet. Also, try to keep the tree water as fresh as possible and pesticide-free, in case your pet sneaks a drink.

Retire the tinsel. Sparkly, light-catching tinsel looks good on the tree, but it can wreak havoc on your pet's intestinal system if they ingest it. Brighten your tree boughs with ornaments and other pet-friendly decorations instead.

Watch out for wires. Twinkly Christmas lights make your season (and home) bright, but exposed wires can be tempting for your pets to chew on. Try to keep wires covered or out of your pet's reach.

Hide the holly. Did you know holly, mistletoe, and poinsettia plants are poisonous to dogs and cats? If you normally use these plants to decorate your home, they should be kept in an area your pet cannot reach.

Forego the food scraps. Dinner may be delicious, but fatty, spicy human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Keep unattended plates of food out of reach, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.

Happy Holidays from PAWS!

 

Help Feed Homeless Animals This Winter

 

For many of us, the cold, wintery weather of the holiday season signals a time for sipping hot cocoa and curling up under a warm blanket next to a cozy fire. But, for thousands of homeless cats and dogs in our community, living on the streets without a warm bed to sleep in or food in their bellies is a daily reality.

With your help, we can change that.

Through December 31, Whole Foods Market is hosting a pet food drive for PAWS! All six Seattle-area stores will have donation bins, as well as a holiday Wish List with the items that we are in need of most.

You can help feed the cats and dogs at PAWS by visiting your local Whole Foods Market for the Feed Fido Pet Food Drive through December!

Help stock PAWS' shelves for the winter—your donations will make a difference in the lives of injured, orphaned and sick animals in need.

Help Feed Homeless Animals This Winter!

 

Giving Tuesday

 

We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting great shopping deals. Wouldn’t it be great to have a day for giving back?

#GivingTuesday is a nation-wide day of charitable giving and volunteerism, and a chance for you to make a gift that will save lives.

Join us today, Giving Tuesday, and help find homes for abandoned cats and dogs, save the lives of injured and orphaned wildlife, and give all animals a fighting chance. With your kindness, we’ll continue to make a positive impact on the homeless animals in our community.

To share your compassion, simply make a #GivingTuesday gift to PAWS.

Here are a few other great ways to help animals this Giving Tuesday:

1. Make wishes come true. PAWS has a Wish List of items we need for the animals, such as chew toys, jars of peanut butter, and other supplies. Donate an item from our list!

2. Donate your time. If you can't adopt a pet right now, become a volunteer! Whether it's walking dogs, playing with kitties, or caring for wildlife, an extra pair of hands is always needed.

3. Donate linens. Towels, sheets and blankets can be used as comfy bedding for cats and dogs.

4. Foster an animal. Through foster care, you can provide young, injured or sick animals a chance to grow and heal before we find them a forever home. Open your heart and home to an animal in need!

Give the Gift of Life this Giving Tuesday!

 

 

Waived Adoption Fees for Black Friday!

 

Traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday can mean overwhelming crowds, long lines, and less-than-spectacular savings on stuff you don't really need.

But not at PAWS!

This Black Friday, we're waiving adoption fees for all black and mostly black adult cats and dogs! And in case your Friday is so full of shopping you just can't make it in, we're extending the special all weekend long: November 23 - 25.

Did you know that black dogs and cats are often the last to get adopted from shelters? These dark beauties make wonderful companions, but they are often overlooked because of the color of their furry coats.

If welcoming a new furry family member into your home is part of your holiday plans, be sure to stop by PAWS this Black Friday weekend to take advantage of waived adoption fees! You'll be giving a deserving animal a loving home, and giving your overstretched wallet a break.

Celebrate Black Friday with waived adoption fees!

 

Bring Home the Gift of Love

 

We all know that the holidays are a time for giving. But in addition to the brightly-wrapped gifts, figgy puddings and fruit cakes you'll be handing out, why not give the ultimate gift this holiday season? The gift of a loving home to an animal in need.

This winter, PAWS is spreading the holiday cheer to you and sheltered dogs and cats with our Home for the Holidays Adoption Special with discounted adoption fees!

November 17 – December 30, adoption fees for adult dogs and cats one year and older will be reduced to $75, and a fee of only $50 for senior animals who are seven years and older.

There's nothing like this cold, drizzly winter weather to make you want to curl up under a warm blanket next to the fireplace. Why not share that feeling with a new four-legged friend?

Give yourself and a lucky animal (or two) the gift of a forever home and spend the holidays with a new family member that you actually get to pick!

Bring home the gift of love from PAWS!

 

 

PAWS Overflowing with Puppies and Kittens

 

There's a traffic jam at PAWS this month, but it's not in the parking lot. Our shelter is filled bumper-to-bumper (and top to bottom) with kittens and puppies! Kitten and puppy season is generally understood to take place in the spring and summer months, when the weather is warmer and the days are longer.

But not this year.

"The amount of kittens, and puppies too, continues to be extraordinary for this time of year" says Kay Joubert, Director of Companion Animal Services at PAWS.

“We routinely have 8-10 kittens on the surgery schedule every day, and sometimes up to 15. We’re responding as best we can to make sure these vulnerable animals are taken care of.”

If you've been considering adding a puppy or kitten to your family, now would be a great time to do it!  Please visit our Adoptions page for more information, or to fill out an adoption form online.

We have kittens available for adoption at our Cat City location, and puppies available at our Lynnwood shelter—stop by either of these locations for a visit! 

Adopt a kitten or puppy from PAWS!