PAWS Chicago

Our Mission

• To build No Kill communities – starting with a No Kill Chicago – that respect and value the life of every cat and dog.
• To end the overpopulation of homeless animals through solutions, practices and education.
• To transform animal welfare by setting higher standards in the way animals are treated and developing a sustainable, solutions-based model.

We Value

Respect

• For each and every life.

Community

• Of people and organizations committed to helping homeless pets—volunteers, employees, donors, adopters, fosters, clinic clients, corporations, small businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies.

Innovation

• To constantly improve best practices and search out new ideas and strategies to save more lives.
• To be a Learning Center that evolves and grows.

Pro-activity

• To solve difficult problems and to be prepared to offer emergency and crisis support.

Transparency

• That informs the public about the fate of homeless animals.
• That allows the public access to truthful statistics about the likelihood of pets surviving private and public shelters.

Education

• That raises awareness about the realities that homeless animals face in the community and across the nation, providing a forum for people to get involved in effecting change.
• That promotes and supports responsible pet ownership.

Sustainability

• Through financial management practices that maximize the impact and reach of our resources and ensure PAWS Chicago will always be a resource for homeless animals.

Compassion

• Toward all people and animals.

PAWS Chicago is the city's largest No Kill humane organization, focused on solutions to end the killing of homeless pets.

PAWS Chicago's lifesaving success is rooted in our No Kill Model, which can be replicated and scaled in any community.

The foundation of our No Kill Model is Community Engagement. By raising awareness about pet homelessness and engaging people in these efforts, we can make lasting change for animals. PAWS Chicago’s mission-critical programs—our No Kill pillars—sit atop this foundation.

These pillars are the robust Prevention, Adoption, Animal Health and Behavior, and Volunteer programs necessary to build a No Kill community.