PAWS
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersLynnwood, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
PAWS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PAWS
- Legal name
- Progressive Animal Welfare Society, Inc.
- Website
- https://paws.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PAWS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animal Welfare Services
- NAICS
- Veterinary Services (54194), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)
Keywords
Where PAWS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lynnwood
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
PAWS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: PAWS relies heavily on individual donations, monthly giving programs, matching gift programs, and employer workplace giving. The organization also receives donations through vehicle contributions, donor-advised funds, stock gifts, and IRA donations.
- Spay/Neuter Clinic Services: Low-cost spay and neuter surgeries provided to qualified low-income individuals, with fees ranging from $100-$240 depending on animal type and weight. Additional services include vaccinations, microchipping, and other surgical add-ons.
- Pet Adoption Fees: Fees charged for cat and dog adoptions from PAWS Companion Animal Shelter and PAWS Cat City adoption centers.
- Signature Events Fundraising: Annual events including PAWSwalk and PAWS Wild Night generate funds through participant fundraising, corporate sponsorships, auction items, and ticket sales.
- Third-Party Fundraising Campaigns: PAWS receives funds from Colossal's America's Favorite Pet competition, which has raised over $22 million for PAWS since 2022.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Female cat/kitten spay/neuter |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Male cat/kitten spay/neuter |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Female dog/puppy spay |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Male dog/puppy neuter |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Additional surgical services |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Vaccination and preventive services |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Summer Camp - Wildlife Week |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Scout Program - Junior Animal Habitats Badge |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | ID Tags |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Appointment deposit |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
PAWS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PAWS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization that shelters and adopts out cats and dogs through facilities in Lynnwood and Seattle, operates a 365-day full-service wildlife rehabilitation hospital in Snohomish for sick, injured, and orphaned mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, runs a low-cost spay/neuter clinic for income-qualified pet owners, places animals in volunteer foster homes, and delivers humane education programs for youth and adults.
Product overview
PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) is a nonprofit animal welfare organization offering an integrated portfolio of services for companion animals, wildlife, and community education. The core offerings include: Companion Animal Adoption Services (shelters in Lynnwood and Seattle's Cat City), the PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (a 365-day emergency hospital in Snohomish for sick/injured wildlife), Lost and Found Pet Services, Low-Income Spay/Neuter Clinic, Foster Care Program, and PAWS Education Programs (including PAWS Academy, Kids Who Care, and summer camps). PAWS also operates fundraising events including PAWSwalk, PAWS Wild Night, and America's Favorite Pet Competition. The organization provides companion animal sheltering, wildlife rehabilitation, and education as a unified mission to help cats, dogs, and wild animals go home and thrive.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Companion Animal Adoption Services PAWS operates companion animal shelters in Lynnwood (Companion Animal Shelter) and Seattle (Cat City), placing homeless cats and dogs with new families. Adoption advisors help match families with companion animals.
- PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center A full-service wildlife rehabilitation facility and 365-day emergency hospital in Snohomish providing veterinary care, surgery, X-ray, and ultrasound for sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. One of only two Washington State facilities permitted to rehabilitate American Black Bears and marine mammals.
- Lost and Found Pet Services PAWS reunites hundreds of lost dogs and cats with their guardians annually and is authorized to take strays from Edmonds, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Shoreline, and Woodinville.
- Low-Income Spay/Neuter Clinic Low-cost spay and neuter surgeries by appointment for qualified low-income families in King and Snohomish Counties, with procedures for cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies at $100-$240 depending on animal type, sex, and weight, plus paid add-on services such as microchipping and vaccinations.
- PAWS Education Programs Experiential learning programs for schools, scouts, and youth including the Kids Who Care 4th-grade classroom program, summer camps, scout badge programs, and workshops that inspire compassion for animals among youth and adults.
- Foster Care Program Foster families are trained to provide temporary care for cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies in their own King and Snohomish County homes, saving more than 2,000 animals each year.
- PAWSwalk Annual 21-day walk-from-anywhere challenge held in June where participants walk solo or form teams and each mile walked generates a $1 donation to PAWS through a corporate mile-matching sponsor.
- PAWS Wild Night An annual dinner and fundraising gala bringing together PAWS supporters and community leaders to celebrate accomplishments for animals and highlight critical work ahead.
- America's Favorite Pet Competition Viral online competition and fundraising campaign operated by Colossal, where participants compete for magazine covers and $10,000 prizes and raise funds for PAWS through vote donations.
- Middle School Summer Camps Four-day drop-off camps for students entering 6th-8th grade exploring animal behavior, welfare, and enrichment, including Companion Animal Week and Wildlife Week sessions at $400 per student with EARLY50 discount available.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 5,000 wildlife patients representing 150 species cared for annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use PAWS
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
PAWS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
PAWS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ColossalcoreColossal operates America's Favorite Pet competition as a fundraising campaign, with PAWS as the nonprofit beneficiary. Since 2022, Colossal has raised over $22 million for PAWS through this competition. The annual viral online competition allows participants to compete for magazine covers and $10,000 prizes while raising funds for animal charities.
- DTCarecoreAmerica's Favorite Pet competition is operated as a fundraising campaign for DTCare, a 501(c)(3) public charity. Donations raised from Donation Votes go directly to DTCare, which subsequently grants funds to PAWS at the end of each competition. The 2026 campaign raised $7.5 million to support DTCare's grants to PAWS.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
PAWS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ASPCA: One of the largest U.S. animal welfare nonprofits, providing adoption, veterinary, advocacy, and rescue services. Overlaps with PAWS on adoption, low-cost veterinary care, and humane education, but operates nationally as a broad incumbent.
- Best Friends Animal Society: National leader in the no-kill animal welfare movement operating the largest companion animal sanctuary in the U.S. and a national adoption/transport network. Comparable mission and adoption program model but operates nationally at much greater scale.
- Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): National animal welfare organization with advocacy, rescue, and direct-care programs. While not a direct shelter operator in WA, it competes for donor dollars across PAWS' mission areas including wildlife and companion animals.
Others
- Woodland Park Zoo: Seattle-based AZA-accredited zoo with conservation, education, and animal care programs. Adjacent rather than directly competitive; PAWS' new CEO came from a peer zoo (Dallas Zoo), and Woodland Park's former Chief People Officer sits on PAWS' board, indicating operational overlap.
Direct peers
- Pasadena Humane Society: California-based animal welfare nonprofit offering adoption, spay/neuter, wildlife rehabilitation, and humane education under an integrated service model directly comparable to PAWS' multi-program structure.
- Seattle Humane: Regional direct peer in the greater Seattle/Washington area offering companion animal adoption, pet support services, and humane education. Directly competes with PAWS for donors, adopters, and volunteers in the same King/Snohomish County geography.
- The Marine Mammal Center: Specialty wildlife rehabilitation organization focused on marine mammals (including harbor seals) along the California coast. Closest functional peer to PAWS' marine mammal rehabilitation work, with similar veterinary hospital model and rescue/release mission.
Regional players
- Oregon Humane Society: Major Pacific Northwest animal welfare organization offering adoption, veterinary, and humane investigation services. Operates in adjacent geography (Portland metro) with a similar integrated service model, comparable scale, and overlapping donor base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PAWS social profiles
Digital presencePAWS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PAWS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
PAWS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PAWS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PAWS
What does PAWS do?
PAWS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization that shelters and adopts out cats and dogs through facilities in Lynnwood and Seattle, operates a 365-day full-service wildlife rehabilitation hospital in Snohomish for sick, injured, and orphaned mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, runs a low-cost spay/neuter clinic for income-qualified pet owners, places animals in volunteer foster homes, and delivers humane education programs for youth and adults.
Is PAWS a public or private company?
PAWS is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PAWS founded?
PAWS was founded in 1967. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PAWS based?
PAWS is headquartered in Lynnwood, United States, in the North America region.
How does PAWS make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are spay/Neuter Clinic Services, pet Adoption Fees, signature Events Fundraising and third-Party Fundraising Campaigns.
Who are PAWS's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society and Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Woodland Park Zoo is listed as an others. Direct peers are Pasadena Humane Society, Seattle Humane and The Marine Mammal Center. Oregon Humane Society is listed as a regional player.
Does PAWS have an API?
No public API is recorded for PAWS.
What industry is PAWS in?
PAWS's product category is Animal Welfare Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAIAA, Animal Shelters & Adoption Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAIAD, Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid. Its NAICS code is 54194 and its SIC code is 8300.