NOW OPEN! PAWS' Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic
To reduce the number of dogs and cats entering city shelters and provide urgently needed primary basic services and spay/neuter surgeries to shelter animals, other rescue organizations and the general public, the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) opened its Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic on March 22, 2010.
Located in the Grays Ferry section of the city, the Clinic serves pet owners who have difficulty affording or do not have access to basic veterinary care (sterilization, vaccinations, treatments for upper respiratory infections/parasites/fleas, etc.) and rescue organizations that need affordable spay/neuter surgery and basic veterinary care to carry out their lifesaving work.
“Our goal is to give pet owners an affordable way to care for and keep their pets as cherished family members,” says Dana Spain, PAWS founder and president. “In doing so, we expect this facility to significantly reduce Philadelphia’s homeless animal population, which now consists of more than 30,000 dogs and cats each year, and move Philadelphia closer to being a no-kill city in which every healthy and treatable pet is guaranteed a home.”
By providing services to the public, the Clinic helps fill a dire need in the community and will enhance the health of Philadelphia’s animal population as a whole. In conjunction with PAWS’ large and growing adoption and foster care programs, the Clinic will have both an immediate and a long-term effect on the number of stray and unwanted animals born and surrendered to shelters.
Congressman Bob Brady is a celebrated protector of animals. “Those who know me know I’m a dog guy. My dog is one of the lucky ones in Philadelphia. My goal is nothing less than making the City of Philadelphia a no-kill city; one in which every dog and cat gets the care they deserve and treatment they need. I applaud PAWS for taking the lead in building the infrastructure that moves one step closer to making this goal a reality,” says Brady.
The PAWS Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic occupies a 6200 sq. ft. space at 2900 Grays Ferry Avenue and operates seven days a week. PAWS projects it will perform 12,000-15,000 spay/neuter surgeries during the Clinic’s first year in operation, serving over 10,000 Philadelphia households. PAWS is still actively raising funds for the facility’s operating costs to enable the organization to reach full capacity within the first three to six months and to offer services to as many animals as possible.
To donate online, please click here.
Donations may also be mailed to:
PAWS
100 N. 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
For information on naming opportunities, please contact Melissa Levy at melissa@phillypaws.org.
Relying solely on the generosity of private donors and foundations, PAWS is indebted to the following supporters for helping to make the Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic a reality:
- Philadelphia Eagles’ Treating Animals with Kindness (TAWK) grant program
- The Joan and Bernard Spain Family Foundation
- ASPCA
- The Olitsky Family Foundation
- The Strauss Foundation
- The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- The David L. Wideman Foundation
- Clays for Strays
- Sponsors and attendees of the Chefs’ Dinner for PAWS
- Sponsors and attendees of Top Dogs on the Cat Walk
- and many other compassionate individuals.
PAWS is also deeply grateful to Dr. Michael Moyer and the staff of Bridgewater Veterinary Hospital for providing an invaluable temporary home to PAWS’ spay/neuter program for more than 14 months while the clinic was in development.
