PAWS shelter provides and finds homes for cats and dogs.
Miranda Pierce, kennel tech at entry door of Paws Leed Platinum building.
PAWS full name is PAWS for life Animal Welfare and Protection Society. PAWS began in 1978, it started out as a system to foster and adopt animals and grew from then. The current facility is on land that used t0 be a pickle Farm. It is located off Pueblo BLVD and 11th street. The land was donated by Albert O. Pritz in 1980. The Current Building has a Leed Platinum designation, which is a qualification showing leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Linda Mitchell, CVT, SAWA, is the Shelter Director of PAWS. She has a busy schedule that includes managing the shelter, educating the community, increasing public awareness and fundraising. Mitchell is From Pueblo.
Damian Theis, volunteer, Linda Mitchel at booth at City Park event,
promoting PAWS and fund raising with participants.
PAWS is a nonprofit organization and does not have to accept every animal. But every animal they take in is allowed to stay until the animal has a new home. PAWS is a "no kill" or "limited admission" shelter. There is an application process in order to turn in an animal. The application includes the reason for bringing the animal to PAWS. One important concern is whether the dog has a history of biting someone and if so, may, or may, not be accepted. Half of the animals that come into PAWS are strays. Christine Bueno veterinarian technician (vet. tech.) lists moving, owner health changes, domestic abuse, (because many shelters for people do not allow pets), and homelessness as some reasons people bring animals into PAWS. Mitchell reports that if the reason is financial, PAWS will offer to help with food and medical needs in order to keep pet in current home. These things will not be provided if there is abuse or neglect. PAWS also offers pet vaccinations to public for ten dollars each. They have a pet food program for low income needs. They offer emergency vet care for the public, dog training, and low cost ID chipping as well. "Every thing is donated by the amazing people of Pueblo", according to Mitchell.
Rosalinda Diaz holding Her Puppy. Her family came in to PAWS for vaccination.
Boots is a chiweenie Puggle that is a cross of chihuahua, dachshund, pug, and beagle.
Currently there are 70 dogs and 69 cats staying at facility. The capacity allowed is based on Colorado Agriculture laws and can vary. Longterm animals have to have a larger space and larger animals require larger space as well. There are 10 paid staff members and more than 40 volunteers. The animals are given attention from staff and volunteers. "These animals are given more attention, than my animals at home, I guarantee it", said Mitchell. The facility appears clean. The length of time an animal takes to be adopted varies, but the trend is that younger animals are usually adopted sooner. Here are some of the animals available to adopt.
Up date Louie, 4-year-old Corgi, is on hold.
If all goes well with next meeting with family,
he will be adopted.
Fiesty is a 1-year-old terrier mix.
Hannah is 4-year-old German Shepard/Heeler mix
Kitten is 8 weeks old.
Volunteers and staff take dogs outside in fenced area. The outside yard can also be used for meet and greet potential pet.
Rhonda York is spending outside time with Stitch,
York has been a volunteer for 3 years.
Stitch is a 4-year-old Heeler mix.
Tammy Hayes was outside with family doing meet and greet,
she is the cat manager which seems very hard.
Leann Miller, shelter tech for cats and dogs, reports there are plans to expand and have a doggy day care and emergency vet clinic in future.
Kaylynn Rice adopting Blue Heeler-Lab puppy.
Potential new families will need to fill out an adoption contract, which stipulates agreeing to home check, (and agreeing to subsequent home checks), agreeing to vet care, and notifying and getting approval of any rehoming. Once that is completed, then finding the match begins. "It is always good to see a cat or dog go to a good forever home" said vet tech Pierce.