Seeking support for PAWS
A local animal welfare association
needs your help.
The Progressive Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) is a new non-profit charity that seeks to alleviate the ever-increasing problem of the overpopulation of dogs and cats in Southwestern Ontario. They have proposed the Companion Animal Hospital to the AVIVA Community Fund competition. In order for the Companion Animal Hospital to be built, they are relying on votes from the public to win the competition (you can vote online at tinyurl.com/PAWSvote2012, idea number 14032). If PAWS qualifies for round three, voting begins on November 12.
PAWS stems from the original founding organization, the Cooperative for Companion Animals, which is a grassroots gathering of London-based animal rescue groups. This group is an important part of the London community, as they raised over $800,000 in 2011, contributed 87,750 volunteer hours and found homes for over 1,200 homeless animals.
The main goal of PAWS is to provide support to a high-volume spay/neuter clinic that is currently in development. They are in association with the Humane Alliance, which is a non-profit organization based in North Carolina. They have been working since 1994 to provide assistance to similar highvolume clinics. Under their guidance, over 100 clinics have opened, neutering and spaying over 400,000 cats and dogs each year. Veterinarians and staff will be trained by Humane Alliance both in North Carolina and London, and will also receive training in budget management and designing the clinic.
The Companion Animal Hospital is the non-profit clinic that is being considered for construction. Dr. Martha Harding, who will become a co-owner if the clinic is built, stated that her clinic is "dedicated to enriching the lives of companion animals and their guardians, by helping support the human-animal bond in vulnerable and low-income individuals and families, and reducing over-population and suffering in dogs and cats." Harding also stressed the importance of PAWS to the community, adding that, surprisingly, one vulnerable sector the organization would help is abused women. Ontario statistics show that nearly half (48 per cent) of abused women delayed their departure because of concern for the well being of their pets. Another disturbing statistic is that in 60 per cent of these situations, the abusive partner harmed or killed the pet in question.
Harding also noted that homeless shelters do not allow pets, and that many patients with mental health problems delay, do not enter, or leave their treatment programs early because of their concern for their pet(s). The Co-operative for Companion Animals network will house and take care of pets that cannot enter shelters, as well as those who are concerned for their pets and must enter a treatment facility for mental and physical health problems. PAWS will be also working alongside Mission Services of London, London Abused Women's Centre, Women's Community House, WOTCH Community Mental Health Services and London Health Sciences Centre's Mental Health Care Program.
In the future, PAWS is looking to provide similar hospital and shelter services for other communities in Ontario.
The Progressive Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) is a new non-profit charity that seeks to alleviate the ever-increasing problem of the overpopulation of dogs and cats in Southwestern Ontario. They have proposed the Companion Animal Hospital to the AVIVA Community Fund competition. In order for the Companion Animal Hospital to be built, they are relying on votes from the public to win the competition (you can vote online at tinyurl.com/PAWSvote2012, idea number 14032). If PAWS qualifies for round three, voting begins on November 12.
PAWS stems from the original founding organization, the Cooperative for Companion Animals, which is a grassroots gathering of London-based animal rescue groups. This group is an important part of the London community, as they raised over $800,000 in 2011, contributed 87,750 volunteer hours and found homes for over 1,200 homeless animals.
The main goal of PAWS is to provide support to a high-volume spay/neuter clinic that is currently in development. They are in association with the Humane Alliance, which is a non-profit organization based in North Carolina. They have been working since 1994 to provide assistance to similar highvolume clinics. Under their guidance, over 100 clinics have opened, neutering and spaying over 400,000 cats and dogs each year. Veterinarians and staff will be trained by Humane Alliance both in North Carolina and London, and will also receive training in budget management and designing the clinic.
The Companion Animal Hospital is the non-profit clinic that is being considered for construction. Dr. Martha Harding, who will become a co-owner if the clinic is built, stated that her clinic is "dedicated to enriching the lives of companion animals and their guardians, by helping support the human-animal bond in vulnerable and low-income individuals and families, and reducing over-population and suffering in dogs and cats." Harding also stressed the importance of PAWS to the community, adding that, surprisingly, one vulnerable sector the organization would help is abused women. Ontario statistics show that nearly half (48 per cent) of abused women delayed their departure because of concern for the well being of their pets. Another disturbing statistic is that in 60 per cent of these situations, the abusive partner harmed or killed the pet in question.
Harding also noted that homeless shelters do not allow pets, and that many patients with mental health problems delay, do not enter, or leave their treatment programs early because of their concern for their pet(s). The Co-operative for Companion Animals network will house and take care of pets that cannot enter shelters, as well as those who are concerned for their pets and must enter a treatment facility for mental and physical health problems. PAWS will be also working alongside Mission Services of London, London Abused Women's Centre, Women's Community House, WOTCH Community Mental Health Services and London Health Sciences Centre's Mental Health Care Program.
In the future, PAWS is looking to provide similar hospital and shelter services for other communities in Ontario.
