Show Off Your Pet, Win Prizes, Help PAWS Save Lives!

Is your pet the cutest?

Does your four-legged companion have what it takes to win this year’s World Spay Day Pet Photo Contest? Enter now to find out!

Each vote for your pet's photo means a $1 donation to PAWS, to help us spay or neuter even more animals after Spay Day (February 28, 2012) is over.  After you enter, please take advantage of the photo contest’s easy features to share your pet's photo and story with your friends and family, and ask them to vote!

More than 100 people who enter the contest will win prizes ranging from official recognition on the World Spay Day Pet Photo Contest website to an iPad 2 and iPod! The two Grand Prize winners will each win the privilege of awarding a $5,000 grant to the eligible World Spay Day event organizer of their choice. (Hint, hint—choose us!)

 

Here's how to enter your photo:

1. Upload a photo of your pet on the Humane Society Photo Contest website.
2. From the drop-down menu, select PAWS as the organization you would like to benefit from the votes on your pet's photo.
3. Ask your friends, family and colleagues to vote for your pet's photo ($1 per vote).  Each vote means a $1 donation to PAWS!
4. At the end of the contest, PAWS will receive all of the money designated to us by entrants (you) and by voters.

 

The earlier you enter, the more time you’ll have to get votes and raise critical awareness and spay/neuter funds for PAWS.

Upload a photo of your pet now to get started!

Thank you for your support!

45th Adoption of our 45th Year

PAWS has been adopting animals into loving forever homes since 1967.  To celebrate, we recorded the 45th adoption of our 45th year as an organization!  Congratulations to adopter Mackenzie Mangold and her new furry best friend, Ozzie.  Take a look!

 

Anniversary of a New Home

Bramble lets out a friendly warbling meow as he slowly stretches his hind legs. Pacing in front of the large window, he gazes at the birds while inviting passersby to stop and say hello. This handsome black and white gentleman is one of the many cats in residence at the PAWS Cat City facility in the University District, which today celebrates its one-year Anniversary in this new space.

On January 11 of last year, PAWS moved its Cat City facilities from a small, cramped office space in Greenwood to this bright, state-of-the art facility on Roosevelt Way. The new-and-improved Cat City features three separate cat colony rooms where kitties like Bramble can lounge on cushioned bedding, socialize with others cats and roam freely without being confined to a cage. It also features a fully separate visiting room, a station for washing dishes, and a bright and inviting common area for staff and volunteers to greet and counsel prospective adopters.

“Functionally, we have a lot more workspace,” says Cat City Supervisor Steph Renaud. “In the old place, we literally had a sink in the bathroom that functioned as a place to wash hands AND cat food dishes. Now we have space to exercise the animals and give them even more one-on-one attention.”

With its meet-and-greet rooms and large windows, the new facility is designed to showcase Cat City’s eligible four-legged felines, and encourage visitors. So far, it’s a huge success. In the first year of operation, Renaud says they have seen a leap in adoptions. Despite having 42 fewer kittens than average in the past year, Cat City saw a 31% increase in adult adoptions (including bonded pairs and senior cats aged 7 and up). And most importantly, says Renaud, “It’s that many more cats that are living in a colony setting rather than in a cage.”

The new facility also boasts a large retail section to meet the needs of pet-owners and their furry friends alike.

“We have lots of toys, brushes, beds, catnip—basically anything you’d need to get started” says Renaud. Cat City even sells starter kits for first-time adopters, which includes necessities like a litter box and cat bed, plus other toys and goodies that cats will love.

It was a long journey getting to the new facility, but Renaud says that in the end it was worth the wait. “The animals are happier, the staff and volunteers are happier, and that’s the best of both worlds.”



PAWS at a Glance: A Look Back at 2011

In 2011, PAWS transformed the lives of nearly 6,000 homeless, injured and abandoned animals thanks to the support of our amazing volunteers, adopters, donors, advocates and ambassadors. Last year, we achieved a number of amazing milestones:

• We moved into our new, much improved Cat City facility in the U-District, allowing us to increase the numbers of cats we take into our care. 
• Our veterinarians successfully performed their first-ever blood transfusion on a young Black Bear cub.
•  In April our annual PAWS Wild Night Gala raised a record breaking $347,000 to benefit the animals!

 

A Black Bear cub receiving a blood transfusion from PAWS veterinarians 

 

We also witnessed unimaginable disasters and hardships. In May, a deadly tornado struck the town of Joplin, Missouri, displacing many families and leaving 1,300 cats and dogs homeless.  PAWS helped rescue 50 cats from the disaster, flying them across the country to receive medical treatment before being adopted into new, loving homes.

 

Because of the generosity of supporters like you, we are able to provide and care for the thousands of animals who come through our doors every year, and we could not do it without your help.

 

“Without you, there is no us.”

 

Thank you for your ongoing support, and for being a champion for animals.  Wishing you a very happy, healthy and humane New Year!

 

 

At right, Volunteer Byron Wilkes examines a kitten after the long flight from Joplin, MO

Every Dollar Makes A Difference

Looking for a tax break? Look no further -- make a year-end donation to PAWS! You'll not only be saving the lives of animals, you'll also save on your taxes. A donation to PAWS is 100% tax deductible!  Every dollar makes a difference to the animals, too. 

With your help in 2011, we were able to care for thousands of dogs, cats and wildlife animals. From orphaned Black Bear cubs and injured Bald Eagles, to kittens rescued from Joplin, MO and dogs in need of a new home, we could not have saved their lives without your support. Thank you.

We hope you’ll take a moment to make an end of the year tax-deductible donation for the animals at PAWS before December 31.  With your support for the year ahead, we will continue saving the lives of thousands of animals throughout 2012.

Wishing you a very happy, healthy and humane New Year!

 

Home For The Holidays Special

The holidays are a great time to bring home the gift of love. During the month of December, PAWS is offering a “Home for the Holidays” promotion with discounted adoption fees for just about every animal. Bring home your forever friend today!

Seasons Greetings from PAWS

Happy holidays from all of us here at PAWS!  We could not care for the thousands of animals that come through our doors without your help.  We are honored and grateful for your support in helping to make a better world for animals and people.  Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holiday season!

 

Puppies, Puppies, Puppies!



PAWS usually receives its largest number of puppies in the late summer and the early fall, but this year the Lynnwood animal shelter has more “Santa Paws” than usual.

“We have dozens of puppies in care right now, many of them ready for adoption in the next couple of weeks,” says PAWS Foster Care Coordinator Rebecca Oertel. “I can’t remember ever having this many for the holiday season.”

 

During the month of December, the shelter is offering a “Home for the Holidays” promotion with discounted adoption fees for just about every animal.

“The holidays are a great time to bring home the gift of love. You can celebrate the season while saving the life of a dog or cat,” says Kay Joubert, PAWS Director of Companion Animal Services. “And with money still tight this year, the lower adoption fees make it even easier.”

While most of the puppies are still in foster care, if you have your heart set on one of these cuddly creatures, you can get a head start by coming by PAWS this week.
“We can get your paperwork started and match you up to a puppy while they’re still in foster care,” says Oertel. “

For more information, go to paws.org, or stop by the PAWS Animal Shelter at 15305 44th Avenue West in Lynnwood. We’re open Tuesday through Friday from noon until 6 p.m., and Saturday/Sunday from 11a.m. to 5 p.m.

Success Tails from Alley Cat Adoption Event

The Alley Cat adoption event on October 6 was a success with a new home for one kitten and a popular kitten kissin’ booth. The event raised over $100 for PAWS. Held in Nord Alley the event had good foot traffic from the nearby Art Walk with a nice room on the alley for people to visit our cats and kittens. 

Karl, a 5-year old orange love bug was adopted on Sunday, October 9 by the family who visited with him at Alley Cat. We have also had inquires about Comet, the 1-year old calico who was at the event.  

Cherrystone, the lucky kitten adopted that night, went home with Greta Wilson and her husband Nick. Greta reports that Cherrystone is “…doing great.”  She goes on to say “Our older cat, Joplin….gave the three of us the cold shoulder for a day or two…” but now “the two of them …spend their days and nights alternating between chasing each other around the house and cuddling in a kitten pile”. Greta relates the kitten feels right at home around husband Nick, as “one of her chosen napping spots is inside Nick’s sleeve as he works at his desk…..no invitation needed.” We see a happily ever-after for Cherrystone.

Celebrate sustainable living with PAWS this weekend!

Join PAWS Sunday, September 25 from 11 a.m. -- 5 p.m. at Sustainable Ballard Festival – Corner of NW 57th & 22nd NW (Ballard Commons Park). Stop by our booth to find out how to live conflict-free with Raccoons. Take the PAWS’ Raccoon quiz on our laptop and get entered to win free car washes too! And while you're there, browse our adoptable pet binder and find out about volunteer opportunities with PAWS.
 
This fun community fair showcases everything sustainable, with how-to workshops, green transportation and home centers, fun and educational activities, local and sustainable businesses, and live music on our solar-powered stage. The kids can enjoy fun green activities in each area plus a storytelling and puppetry tent.