Get Sweet on Animals This Valentine's Day

 

Looking for ways to make your Valentine's Day a little sweeter?  Give some love not only to your special someone, but to a homeless or shelter animal as well!  If you're not sure how to get started, we've put together a short list of ways that you can be a sweetheart for animals in your community:

 

1. Support your shelter. Shelters provide a variety of rewarding opportunities to help animals in your community.  Share the love by volunteering your time, fostering a sick or newborn animal, making a donation, and more!
2. Live Humanely. Show your love for animals by considering their welfare in the every day choices you make.
3. Spread the word.  Write a letter to the editor of a local paper, share posts from PAWS' blog to encourage others to speak up, or become a fan of PAWS on Facebook and spread the word about important animal issues.
4. Spend some quality time. It's the day of love, so shower your pet with some!  Take your pup to the dog park and throw around the ball, or curl up with your cat to watch a movie.  Spreading the love starts at home! 

 

These are just a few ways to show animals some love this Valentine's Day, but there are many more ways that you can help animals every day. Visit paws.org to find out how! 

Thank you for being a champion for animals!

Call to Action: Help End the Suffering of Homeless Animals

Please take five minutes today to send an email to your representative and help us get SB 5151, the Spay/Neuter Assistance bill, on the budget. 

This can be done in just two easy steps:  

Step 1.  Use this letter template to help formulate your message. The key point is to emphasize the financial and community benefits of the bill.

Step 2. Email a copy of your letter to the members of the Senate Ways & Means Committee. The email addresses of the members of the committee can be found here.

Please contact info@savewashingtonpets.org if you need assistance with writing your message or identifying your legislator.

This bill will help put an end the suffering of unwanted and homeless animals in our community by preventing unplanned litters. Spaying and neutering is good for the community and a great way to help our animal friends live longer, healthier lives.

On behalf of PAWS and the animals in our community, thank you!

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!

Spruce Elementary Pet: Meet Gwen

 

When the second graders in Miss Jennie Warmouth's class at Spruce Elementary saw this photo of our sweet but long-time resident Gwen, they were struck by two things:  her captivating eyes, and her playful personality!  They wrote this adorable adoption profile to help Gwen find a home where she can take long naps in the sun to her heart's content. If you're looking for someone to keep your lap warm and your heart full of love, look no further.  Come meet Gwen at PAWS in Lynnwood today!

 

FE-FI-FOE-FUM.

I see the eyes of a cutie cat! 

Toys over here, feathers over there. Gwen is playing everywhere!

This little girl is SO playful she even imagines that the BROOM is a gigantic back scratcher!

Little Gwen sees the fun in every moment. Gwen is an ENTERTAINER!She will light up your life with her sweet imagination.

Gwen is the most warmhearted and playful cat ever!

 

 

 

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

Volunteer Spotlight: Craig Walker

When Craig Walker came to PAWS as a volunteer, he imagined that his job would be a walk in the park. “Fresh air, exercise and just being with dogs sounded very appealing” he says. But little did he know that he would soon be putting his experience in commercial building maintenance to use as PAWS’ resident master welder and Caretaker Assistant.

Craig recalls, “I was about to sign up for kennel attendant when one of the staff members approached me and asked if I had any mechanical skills.” A week later he was building and repairing caging units, clearing brush, and helping with maintenance of the Wildlife Center facilities. 

Although Craig may not spend much hands-on time with the animals, his efforts and building expertise have a direct impact on the well-being of the animals at PAWS. He feels a sense of accomplishment knowing that he is helping the animals in his own way, saying “It is gratifying to know I have made some animal’s stay a little more comfortable, a little safer and more pleasant." 

Volunteering at PAWS not only allows Craig the opportunity to help the animals, but to help PAWS staff and fellow volunteers as well. “I have helped improve working conditions and efficiency for those who care for the wildlife, and that is extremely rewarding."

Craig, thank you for being champion for animals!  Your dedication, as well as your craftsmanship and expertise, makes a great difference for the animals at PAWS.

Volunteer Spotlight: Laurel Gardner

Laurel admits that the job of a Cat Room Cleaner can be dirty work.  But for every soiled litter box to be cleaned and food bowl to be filled, there are twice as many happy moments. “It's the little things that make it so rewarding.”

PAWS volunteer Laurel Gardner knows the joy of providing a warm and loving home for her own two kitties, pictured right.  She wanted to give the same love and care to all the animals at PAWS who have yet to find their forever homes.  “Spending time every week with the cats of PAWS is my way of giving back to them, making them feel loved and wanted and appreciated for the joy that they can bring to our lives.”

She loves spending time with her furry friends at the shelter; seeing the shy kitten come out of his shell, watching the cats playfully leap to catch their toys, hearing their content purrs and giving all the animals a little extra love.  But Laurel is even happier when they find a loving new family and a forever home. 

“I literally jump with joy for them,” she says.  She was especially overjoyed when Albert, a shaved-clean kitty kept warm by a gray sweater, was adopted from Cat City.  She remembers, “Albert was this very sweet older boy, gentle and charming and distinguished.”

Laurel, you are truly a champion for animals!  All of us here at PAWS are thankful for your passion and dedication to our feline friends.

Are you catnip friendly?

PAWS Cat City is looking for more volunteers. In addition to being catnip-friendly, applicants must have a gentle touch, posses strong toy skills, and be prepared to spend three hours a week cuddling cats and kittens. If you’re 18 or older and willing to make a three-month commitment, volunteering with the felines at PAWS Cat City could change your life…and it will certainly change theirs. In exchange for your time, our cats will teach you everything to know about love, caring, and the value of giving back.

 

There’s no experience required, and those three hours a week of cuddling will make a difference in the lives of hundreds of cats. Fill out a volunteer application today.

Volunteer Spotlight: Molly Bard

Volunteer Molly Bard is a long time supporter of PAWS. She adopted her Chihuahua Gomez from PAWS shortly after she moved to Seattle in 1973. Since then, Molly has helped PAWS grow into a new building, expand our services, and help more homeless pets and injured wildlife.

While volunteering at PAWS and other animal welfare organizations, Molly and her husband Bud also spend time rescuing Chihuahuas. They have  helped an average of 22 pups a year find loving homes by connecting adopters with available dogs through rescue groups, animal shelters, classified ads, and an extended personal network of Chihuahua enthusiasts. They also have a few PAWS alums at home, including Fluffy, a rescued toy Poodle and Rilie the cat.

Molly wanted to take her volunteering home with her by fostering kittens, but Rilie was none to pleased. "Rilie constantly layed by the door where the kitten was, and she is STILL searching for the intruder!" So now Molly volunteers her time working at outreach events and educating the public about PAWS' different programs and services.

Molly, you are truely a champion for animals. Thank you for your passion ansd dedication to our furry and feathered friends. 

Volunteer Spotlight: Valerie

 Volunteer spotlight: Valerie Leonard 

What started as high school community service has now turned into a long-term passion.  

From education to foster care, adoption to rehabilitation, Valerie knows the importance of it all. “I’ve had the rare opportunity to experience firsthand how PAWS not only betters the lives of all the animals who come through our doors, but to also understand the impact that we have on the community.”

Serving at both shelter volunteer and at outreach events, Valerie has the chance to work hands-on with the animals, and also meet great new people from the PAWS outreach tent.   At a recent event, Valerie braved the wind and rain to spread the word about PAWS. At the Sustainable Ballard Festival, Valerie and fellow volunteer Kexin chased down fly-away tents and papers, and still inspired people to learn more about PAWS. Not only that, but Valerie also stayed well beyond her shift to help make sure that everything was organized and ready to go before she left. Talk about dedication! 

Volunteering is very rewarding, but there is something really special about PAWS that makes it all worthwhile to Valerie. “Seeing animals find a good, loving home brings a smile to my face! I love it!” 

When Valerie isn’t helping to save lives as a volunteer at PAWS, she is a world traveler who “loves to sail and drink sangria, but not at the same time!”

 Valerie, you are a champion for animals!Thank you so much for your time and dedication to the animals at PAWS.