Progressive Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) is a volunteer-based charity organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged and in-crisis people access veterinary care to keep their animal companions safe, healthy, and in their loving arms. We know that animal companions support the physical and mental health of humans.
PAWS programs:
Progressive Animal Welfare Services is dedicated to supporting the welfare of humans and their animal companions. We subsidize and improve access to veterinary care and offer solutions and education for people and community agencies. We aim to reduce suffering, overpopulation, and unnecessary euthanasia or surrender to shelters and animal control organizations.
Creating a better life for animal companions and those who love them.
People need pets. Animal companions bring proven benefits for human physical and mental health and are particularly valuable for those in-crisis or living with disabilities. By giving pet owners assistance during difficult times we help keep families together and lift the whole community
Outreach – Connect with people and agencies to expand awareness and access to programs. Guide agencies in pet-friendly practices.
Focus – ensure programs target the most essential needs and gaps of the clients and communities we serve.
Partnerships – Engage collaborative partners to expand impact.
Sustainability – Develop resilient broad sources of funding and maintain low-cost operations to consistently offer programs.
Volunteer Effectiveness – Recruit and grow a strong team equipped with effective tools.
Our goal is to help more people in more communities through:
In the beginning, PAWS was instrumental in making London, Ontario a friendlier place for animals.
Progressive Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) was first formed in 2012 in collaboration with seven local animal welfare groups in response to an urgent need for a more ethical animal control model for the City of London. Due in large part to our members’ influence and advocacy, the City of London enacted numerous new animal welfare guidelines, partnerships with local rescues AND designated London as a “No Kill City”. The focus shifted from euthanasia to collaboration, adoption and treatment programs.
PAWS and City leaders understood that there was a real need to support those with animal companions in difficult times.
PAWS then evolved into a non-profit organization aimed at improving the lives of animal companions and their human families by facilitating access to affordable veterinary care and other support services. PAWS has been running as a non-profit in this capacity ever since and has successfully supported dozens of vulnerable families and animals in our community.
In 2019 PAWS set off to establish itself as a charity. After much paperwork and many COVID delays, we officially became a charity in 2022.
Our mission is to help everyone have access to care for their animal companions. We all have a role to play in creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization that is collaborative and seeks to remove barriers faced by equity-seeking groups.
We value equity, diversity, and inclusion as every person has a right to equal treatment regardless of race, sex, age, physical disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, neurodiversity, or socioeconomic status. In the spirit of reconciliation, we hope to develop and enhance existing Indigenous relationships.
We believe we are strengthened by diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences in an environment free from discriminatory and intimidating behaviour.
We act by regularly meeting as a Board and routinely assessing the effectiveness of our diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in our recruiting, program delivery, education materials, and initiatives.
