How do I admit the poor stray kitten/puppy into PAWS? .jpg)
"I saw this poor (hungry/thin/mangy) kitten, dog/puppy in the street - how do I admit it into the PAWS shelter?"
PAWS receives this question a lot.
To clarify --
PAWS admits only:
- animals who are subjects of criminal cases (Rationale: Filing criminal charges is a strong deterrent to animal cruelty)
- animals in distress
While a starving kitten, dog or puppy in the street is also in distress, our limited resources simply does not allow us to take in every thin or mangy stray animal in need of help.
For these, we need the help of the concerned citizen to take a more proactive approach and agree to foster or temporarily keep the animal while we assist in rehoming and giving low-cost veterinary care /spay-neuter. A Foster Agreement Form is signed at the PAWS office. See PAWS Foster Care Agreement Form here.
- Not all animals in distress can be taken in at a given time due to the limited space & number of caretakers in our shelter and due to our strict quarantine protocols.
- These quarantine protocols ensure that disease does not spread within our facility which would put our current animals at risk.
- We are committed to providing, to the best of our ability, optimal rehabilitation (physical and behavioral) care for our shelter animals and minimize euthanasia.
Therefore admission of some animals reported to be in need may be delayed to ensure the well-being of other animals in our care.
Due to the fact that there are always more animals in need than those who are willing to provide homes for them, PAWS’ limited-admission policy will look at the special circumstances of each “animal in distress” presented for admission which will be weighed against the needs of animals already in our shelter.
Related links:
For any other concerns not answered in the PAWS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), please email philpaws@yahoo.com or call 475-1688 (during office hours only: 10am-5pm Mondays to Saturdays, except holidays).