October is Adopt-A-Senior-Dog Month

 

With their wiggly tails and tiny paws, puppies may seem irresistibly adorable. But they're also a lot of work. They require training, socialization, lots of exercise and almost constant activity. If you are looking to adopt but don't have the time to devote to 3am potty breaks and hours of obedience training, a senior dog might be the perfect pet for you!

Senior dogs make wonderful companions. They are often much more laid-back than their younger canine counterparts, but are just as cute and affectionate. Plus, dogs live well into their teenage years and have plenty of love left to give.

Here are some great reasons to adopt a senior dog:

• They are most often housetrained and obedience trained—no need to teach an old dog new tricks!
• Senior dogs have lower energy levels and demand less exercise and activity.
• Their personalities are already established—what you see is what you get.
• They know the difference between their toys and your expensive shoes or furniture.
• They are less energetic than puppies, and are content to join you for a nap on the couch.
• They settle into the home and family routine more quickly and easily—no nighttime feedings or potty breaks.

All these qualities and more make senior dogs the perfect low-key pet for folks with busy lives and hectic schedules. 

And during the month of October, we're offering $50 adoption fees for all adult dogs who are seven years and older! If you're looking for a loving and devoted companion, look no further than a senior PAWS pooch.

Adopt a senior dog from PAWS and receive $25 off the adoption fee through October 31!

 

 

Frenchy Finally Finds a Home

 

Members of the unofficial "Frenchy Fan Club" were grinning ear-to-ear as the 10-year-old tabby, who had been waiting more than a year for a forever home of her own, nuzzled the hand of her adopter and proud new papa, Walt.

Frenchy came to PAWS as a stray on August 19, 2011. She was one of those kitties who need time to adjust to new people and surroundings, which can be challenging in a shelter environment.

For more than a year, PAWS staff and volunteers tried every angle to find the right person who would appreciate Frenchy's smart, sweet, and sometimes sassy, nature. Several PAWS staff members even started an "Adopt Frenchy" campaign complete with custom-designed t-shirts!

On September 26, they finally found that person. Walt Saveland had just lost his beloved cat Taylor to cancer, and was looking for another feline companion. PAWS staff members suggested he visit with Frenchy.

During their visit, Frenchy performed her special trick, "sit," that PAWS staff and volunteers had taught her using clicker-training. Walt decided that Frenchy was a character just like him and decided to adopt her!

PAWS staff and volunteers were overjoyed.  Volunteer Zach was so happy to see Frenchy finally going to a good home that he generously paid her adoption fee. Fellow volunteers chipped in as well — Megan made up a goodie bag filled with Frenchy's favorite toys, and Jen gave Walt a ride home so that he wouldn’t have to take Frenchy on the bus.

After 398 days of waiting, Frenchy finally found a home and family to call her own.

 

Girl Scout Cookies: More Than Just a Tasty Treat

 

The members of Girl Scout Troop #41236 were determined to help animals in need.

As they researched the idea and learned more about PAWS, they were excited to discover that they would be helping both companion animals and wildlife (especially bears and baby seals!)

They decided they would share the proceeds from their annual cookie drive and set a fundraising goal for “A Gift of Caring”.  It was a sweet success.

With the money they raised, they purchased items from the PAWS Wish List, and delivered their donations along with bright smiles.

Thank you Girl Scout Troop #41236 for all your hard work and your gift of caring!

 

 

 

Petfinder "Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet" Week

 

Bonded Pairs. Senior pets. Special needs animals. Cats with three legs, like our handsome boy Slick (pictured below). Many factors can make a pet seem "less adoptable," or cause an animal to be overlooked by potential adopters in the shelter environment. To raise awareness and help promote these wonderful, albeit often overlooked, animals, Petfinder has designated September 17–23 as "Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week."

In honor of the occasion, and to help these deserving cats and dogs find the homes they deserve, PAWS will be offering $25 off adoption fees for several of our "harder to place" animals.

September 17–23, the following PAWS animals will have reduced adoption fees:

Cats
Frenchy: This beautiful tabby gal is looking for a mellow home.
Logan and Heiress: This bonded senior pair would give you double the love!
Jet: This sweet tuxedo kitty is the perfect lap warmer.

Dogs
Boo Boo: This gentle lady has a lot of spunk left in her golden years.
Eddie: This three-year-old Pit Bull gets along with other dogs both big and small!
Hogan: This nine-year-old (but young-at-heart) guy still has lots of energy.

Companion animals make wonderful additions to any family, and these six cats and dogs would be no exception. They may be unique, but that's what makes them special.

"Less adoptable"? We think not. 

Adopt during our Petfinder Adoption Special!

 

Saving Lives and Having Fun at PAWSwalk 2012

 

The sun was shining on Saturday, September 8, as animal-lovers from all over the greater Seattle area gathered at Marymoor Park for the 21^st Annual PAWSwalk sponsored by Seattle Weekly! Thanks to more than 1,300 walkers and at least 800 of their canine pals, dozens of generous sponsors, and 170 amazing volunteers, PAWSwalk was a great day for the animals at PAWS.

The grounds were abuzz with excitement and energy as Master of Ceremonies Lee Callahan welcomed walkers—both two- and four-legged—to the event. Dogs of every shape and size sported colorful PAWSwalk bandanas as their humans perused the Sponsor and Vendor Booths , watched exciting demonstrations by the Seattle FlyDogs team, participated with their pooch in Canine Behavior Center’s agility course, and visited the family-friendly Kid Zone.

After the walk, participants enjoyed more fun activities, including a Human/Canine Look-a-Like contest and PAWS Dog Games, before finishing out the day with a cold beverage in the Pours for PAWS Beer and Mimosa Garden.

And here is the best news—while we’re still adding up all of the generous donations for the final total, so far we’ve raised more than $165K! Your generous gifts will allow us to continue our life-saving work helping thousands of injured, orphaned and homeless animals this year.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you! 

If you weren't able to join us this year, you can also still make a difference for the animals: give online now and help raise the PAWSwalk total even more.

Thank you for making PAWSwalk 2012 a success!

 

Can't make it to PAWSwalk? Join The Couch Potatoes team!

 

Some of us, like Annie here, love to walk (or run!) For others, relaxing in a hammock with a good book or lounging on the couch to watch their favorite TV show sounds much more appealing. But everyone wants to help animals!

That's why we’ve created The Couch Potatoes.  This is the perfect PAWSwalk group to join if you can’t make it to PAWSwalk this year—or  if you just prefer to sleep in on Saturday mornings—but still want to help make PAWSwalk a success. It’s a team for those of us who want to make a difference for the animals without having to change out of our PJ’s!

With your help, we can raise the money needed to provide food, shelter and medical care for more than 6,000 animals this year. 

It’s easy!  You can make a donation to The Couch Potatoes, or sign up to be a Couch Potatoes team member!  As a member of the team, you can stretch your personal donation even further by asking your friends who couldn’t make it to PAWSwalk to contribute as well. 

We on The Couch Potatoes team hope to raise $1,000 for the animals at PAWS. Please, help us reach our goal by donating or joining our team today. And best of all, you can feel good about making a difference in the lives of cats, dogs and wildlife in our community from the comfort of your own couch!

Thank you for your contribution!

Donate to The Couch Potatoes today!

 

Pours For PAWS

 

What could be better than walking for charity to save the lives of injured, orphaned and abandoned animals?  How about finishing that walk with a thirst-quenching beer or a bubbly mimosa!

Get ready to work up a thirst at PAWSwalk on Saturday, September 8, at King County's Marymoor Park in Redmond. Then join us post-walk in the Pours for PAWS Beer and Mimosa Garden for a refreshing drink!  

Pours for PAWS, sponsored by The Baltic Room, will be serving delicious local brews from 12 Noon to 4 p.m. (and mimosas, too, if bubbles are more your style). 

Confirmed breweries include Pike Brewing Company, Fish Brewing Company, Scuttlebutt Brewing Company, and Mac & Jack's Brewery!

Your four-legged friends are welcome too!  Located just next to registration, the Pours for PAWS Beer and Mimosa Garden will be the perfect way to celebrate a successful PAWSwalk and toast to saving animals' lives.

Bottoms up!

Register for PAWSwalk today!

 

Waived Adoption Fees for Felines like Frenchy!

 

Have you ever met a cat with his or her own cheerleading team? Allow us to introduce Frenchy, the most popular cat you've ever met!  This sweet 10-year-old tabby recently reached her one year anniversary at PAWS, and our caring, creative staff members have rallied together to find Frenchy the perfect forever family to adopt and take her home.

To get the word out about Frenchy and what a terrific pet she would make, PAWS staffers have started an "Adopt Frenchy" campaign complete with posters and custom-designed t-shirts like the one Kara is wearing in this photo!

Clearly a staff and volunteer favorite, Frenchy would make the perfect lap-warmer and companion for a low-key, patient family. She likes to explore and would love to have a window to bird-watch and relax as she enjoys her naps and quiet time.

And catnip? Yes please! She's sure to make you smile as she rolls around in it and rubs it all over her face!

Senior cats like Frenchy offer the perfect mix of companionship and independence. And best of all, we're waiving the adoption fees for any cat seven years and older through August 31! You can bring home the perfect furry companion without paying a dime. Love is pricessless, and so is adoption—come in today for our Senior Cat Adoption Special! 

Adopt a senior cat today!

 

Find Love, Adopt a Senior!

 

For those of us with busy lives and hectic schedules, adopting a cat or dog may seem like a desireable but unrealistic dream.  "I want a companion, but how will I find the time?" you may ask yourself. Enter the senior cat!  These laid-back, self-sufficient felines are the perfect match for those who may not have the time or energy to commit to a young, excitable kitten or an active dog.

Lucky for you, PAWS has many wonderful senior felines available for adoption, and now through August 31 we're waiving the adoption fees for any cat seven years and older!

Like Gomer for example! Gomer is a sweet and gentle soul. This 14-year-old gentleman absolutely loves attention from people and might even drool a little as you pet him. He is a total lap cat and thoroughly enjoys being brushed, even on his stomach!

Senior cats like Gomer offer the perfect mix of companionship and independence. With so much to give and never asking for more than love and a warm bed in return, senior cats are the perfect companion for every person and lifestyle.  Love is priceless, and so is adoption. Come meet your new companion at PAWS in Lynnwood or Cat City in Seattle!

Adopt a senior cat today!

 

Meet Our PAWSwalk Protectors!

 

PAWSwalk is right around the corner! You won't want to miss this fun, family- and canine-friendly event at King County’s Marymoor Park in Redmond on Saturday, September 8.

Great activities for the whole family are a part of PAWSwalk, including animal-friendly shopping for the grownups, PAWS Kid Zone for the young ones, and doggie games and an agility course for your four-legged friends! Not to mention the beautiful walk through the park, too. Get ready to Bark in the Park and register now!

And of course we would not be able to put on such a fun event without the support of our generous sponsors! It's with great appreciation that we thank and acknowledge our PAWSwalk Protector-level sponsors:

 

• Alternative Talk 1150 AM KKNW
• VCA Animal Hospitals
• Canine Behavior Center

 

Thanks to generous support from VCA Animal Hospitals, Canine Behavior Center and Alternative Talk 1150 AM KKNW, PAWS will continue working to help injured, orphaned and abandoned cats, dogs and wildlife, and ensure a better tomorrow for the animals in our community.

PAWSwalk is a fun, family-friendly event that will give 1,200 supporters the opportunity to take a beautiful 4.1-mile walk through Marymoor Park with their dogs, and enjoy a morning of entertaining activities, contests, shopping, and giveaways at sponsor booths, all while helping save animals’ lives.  Sponsorship opportunities for PAWSwalk are still available; please contact Whitney Allen for more information.

Register now for PAWSwalk 2012!