OUR MISSION

The mission of PAWS is to ensure that there comes a day when every homeless animal has a safe, loving home where they are respected, nurtured and valued as a family member.  We are working towards a time when NO homeless animal must die simply for being born.  Our mission will be achieved through the following steps:

1. Education – It is imperative that the public be educated about their treatment of and behaviour towards their fellow creatures.  Through outreach we are beginning to teach people that animals are not property to be disposed of at will but living beings deserving of our respect and compassion.
   
   
2. Rescue – Rescue work is our focus because of the many lives which need to be saved.  We rescue animals from abuse, abandonment and neglect.  We are also heavily involved in trapping and rehabilitating feral cats, domestic animals who have been forgotten and marginalized by humans.
   
   
3. Spay/Neuter – We are committed proponents of spaying and neutering cats and dogs.  We face an overpopulation crisis which means millions of animals are killed every year simply because there are not enough homes for them.  This is a tragedy which must end.  PAWS not only spays or neuters every animal who comes through our doors; we help fund low-income individuals who would not otherwise have this procedure done for their companion animals.

OUR VALUES

1. Every living creature has intrinsic worth and deserves to lead a life free of pain and suffering.  Animals not only deserve our compassion but our respect as well.
   
   
2. Domestic animals are not property but living creatures who have emotions and are capable of forming deep social attachments.
   
   
3. Those who choose to be guardians of domestic animals take on the responsibility of caring for these animals for the rest of their natural lives.  This is why we are very careful about our adopters; we want our animals to be cared for by people who will stand by them through thick and thin.  Issues will arise but these can almost always be solved with knowledge and patience.
   
   
4. We are a NO-KILL shelter which means we do not take the life of an animal unless severe pain or suffering is involved.  Animals have good and bad days just like humans; an animal who seems aggressive or dangerous one moment may only be experiencing stress or fear of an unknown situation.  Countless ferals have been saved at our shelter because we refused to take “professional” advice and kill them.  Now, many of them are the sweetest lap cats imaginable.