Paws Humane Society is a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of both animals and people as a solution-based community resource for animal welfare by providing high-volume and high quality spay/neuter, rescue and adoption services, volunteer opportunities, outreach, and education.
Founded in 2009, Paws Humane Society has been saving the lives of animals in need for nearly 10 years. Although Paws Humane has only been in existence for a decade, its roots date back to 1969 when Colonel Syd Sacerdote established the first animal shelter in Muscogee County called the Muscogee County Humane Society. Then, in 1999, a group of animal welfare advocates who were dedicated to helping save even more animals created and started PAWS Columbus. By the year 2009, these two groups decided to merge together to form Paws Humane Society. Paws Humane receives no federal, state or city government funding, and relies upon private support and contributions from concerned citizens of our community.
Paws Humane is the largest companion animal welfare organization in the region and is committed to assuring its community has:
- A comprehensive adoption program that matches nearly 2,000 homeless animals with new families every year. There is no time or space limit for any animals in the adoption program. Not only does Paws Humane save animals from Columbus Animal Care and Control, we also accept surrendered pets for owners who can no longer care for them.
- Affordable veterinary services open to the public. We offer spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, microchips, preventative medicine and more.
- Pets for Life Outreach program to provide assistance to pets owners in underserved areas of Columbus.
- Foster Care for in-home heroes to open their homes to puppies and kittens as well as sick, injured, and behaviorally challenged animals. Once foster animals are rehabilitated or are of appropriate age to be vaccinated and altered, they return to the shelter for placement in the adoption program.
- Community Cat program that allows for the humane trapping of community (feral) cats. Community cats are transported to our Veterinary Clinic, spayed/neutered, rabies vaccinated, ear-tipped and returned to their colony through a model called TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return).
- Volunteer opportunities which play a vital role in enabling Paws Humane to accomplish our mission. Volunteers serve in many different roles suggest as dog walkers, special event assistants, adoption floor cleaning, dog bathing, cat socializing, dog training and enrichment.
The vision of Paws Humane is to be the regional leader for animal welfare in adoption, spay/neuter, outreach and education to ultimately create a No Kill Community.
100% of all proceeds from entry submissions, vote donations, and sales benefit the lifesaving programs of the Paws Humane Society.