PAWS was Founded in 1967 by a group of women who loved animals. These women were sad about all the homeless and unwanted companion animals they saw in their neighborhoods, so they decided to do something to help. First they opened a Thrift store.

The founders of PAWS used the money they made at the thrift store to help pay for companion animals to be spayed and neutered. These women knew there were already too many animals and not enough homes for them all. By making sure companion animals were spayed and neutered, then those animals would not be able to have more babies therefore, reducing the number of homeless animals.

But soon people began bringing unwanted animals to the store. The store became overwhelmed with dogs and cats. So the founders of PAWS decided to do even more to help animals: they opened a Companion Animal Shelter. Less than two years after they opened the thrift store, the Companion animal Shelter opened in Lynnwood, Washington to take care of unwanted animals until permanent, loving homes could be found. Today, the Companion Animal Shelter takes care of more than 3,000 dogs and cats each year.

But then something else started to happen. People began bringing injured and Orphaned wild animals to the shelter. While PAWS had learned a lot about taking care of companion animals, they didn’t know what to do with wildlife. And, they found that it was illegal to take care of wild animals without special permits (written permission) from the government.

So, the people at PAWS spent a long time learning about how to care for all the different wild animal Species. Then they got the right permits and opened up a wildlife hospital. In 1981, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center opened to help sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals, with the goal of healing and releasing the animals back to their wild homes. Today the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center takes care of approximately 4,500 wild animals of over 230 different species each year.

Throughout this history, PAWS has also worked to help end the Abuse of animals. Through teaching lessons about animals in classrooms PAWS has helped kids learn how to be responsible with companion animals and wildlife, to appreciate farm animals, and what do to in animal emergencies. Through advocacy, PAWS has helped create laws that protect animals.

Today, PAWS continues to shelter homeless animals, rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned animals and give people the information to be compassionate and respectful of all animals. Community support and the work of hundreds of volunteers are so important to PAWS' ability to care and Advocate for the Northwest's animals.