Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society

What Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society does

Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2005/2006 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It serves as Philadelphia's largest rescue partner with the municipal ACCT Philadelphia shelter, pulling animals — primarily adult dogs, kittens, cats recovering from illness, and small animals — for rehabilitation and adoption. PAWS operates four physical locations: an Old City adoption center at 100 N. 2nd Street, a Grays Ferry spay/neuter and wellness clinic open seven days a week at 2900 Grays Ferry Avenue, a Northeast Philadelphia clinic at 1810 Grant Avenue, and a volunteer-run satellite adoption center inside PetSmart Broad & Washington. The organization has cumulatively saved 44,113 animals, served 417,409 clinic patients, performed 169,736 spay/neuter surgeries, and logged 178,607 volunteer hours.

PAWS generates revenue from a diversified mix of individual donations (one-time, monthly, planned giving, pet sponsorship), adoption fees covering spay/neuter/vaccines/microchipping, low-cost clinic services, corporate sponsorships (notably Pet Supplies Plus as title sponsor of Philly Loves PAWS), merchandise sales, and citywide fundraising events. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: adoption matchmaking at physical locations, grassroots volunteer/foster programs, social media engagement on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky, and signature events including the annual Philly Loves PAWS citywide fundraiser (10th year, 60+ business partners), Mutt Strut, Everyday Heroes Foster Challenge, and Virtual Kitten Shower. Technology infrastructure is limited to the phillypaws.org web platform (adoption listings, online pharmacy, appointment booking, donation processing) and a volunteer-built data pipeline being developed with Code for Philly.

The organization's core differentiator is combining direct animal rescue and adoption with preventive spay/neuter and affordable veterinary care — credited with reducing Philadelphia shelter admissions by nearly two-thirds and lifting the city's animal survival rate from 11% to 89% since inception. PAWS is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Melissa Levy, with a staff of 51-100 supporting its multi-site operations.

Name

Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society

Legal name

Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society

Website

https://phillypaws.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Philadelphia's largest rescue partner, operating adoption centers, low-cost spay/neuter and wellness clinics, and foster programs to rescue homeless animals and prevent pet homelessness across the city.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Veterinary Services (54194)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB)

Keywords

• Animal welfare services
• Pet adoption services
• Animal rescue services
• Veterinary wellness clinics
• Nonprofit organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individual supporters, including tribute gifts in honor or memory of people and pets.
2. Adoption Fees: Fees collected from pet adoptions covering spay/neuter, vaccines, microchipping, and veterinary examination.
3. Philly Loves PAWS Event: Citywide fundraiser where participating businesses donate a percentage (10-50%) of sales. Has generated over $150,000 since 2016.
4. Clinic Services Revenue: Low-cost spay/neuter and wellness clinic services for owned pets, rescues, and community cats.
5. Planned Giving: Legacy Society bequests through wills, trusts, retirement assets, donor-advised funds, and stock donations.
6. Pet Sponsorship: Direct sponsorship of cats and dogs awaiting adoption to fund their veterinary care, housing, food, and enrichment.
7. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships from businesses like Pet Supplies Plus and partnerships with companies for fundraising events.
8. Merchandise Sales: PAWS branded merchandise sold through their shop and Threadless online store, with curbside pickup available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

An animal welfare society based in the Philadelphia region. The specific portfolio of products and services offered is not detailed in the available source material.

Product overview

Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is an animal welfare organization offering a unified suite of services centered on animal rescue, adoption, and community support. The core offerings include animal rescue and adoption programs, low-cost Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinics, foster care programs, volunteer opportunities, and a pet food pantry. These services work together to fulfill PAWS' mission of making Philadelphia a no-kill city by rescuing animals, providing affordable veterinary care, and supporting pet owners in need.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 44,113 animals saved through rescue and adoption
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship sponsor, core and minor.

• Pet Supplies Plusflagship sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 May 2026Title sponsor of the 10th Annual Philly Loves PAWS citywide fundraiser. Pet Supplies Plus provides comprehensive PR support and promotes the event across their retail network, with stores participating in the annual giving day.
• PetSmart Broad & WashingtoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSatellite adoption center location inside PetSmart store, entirely volunteer-run. Helped 83 cats find families in 2026 (as of early June), compared to 52 at the same point in 2025. High-volume adoption channel.
• FoxwyndminorOthersBusiness partner listed among PAWS partners with logo displayed on website.
• Kennel-to-CouchminorOthersBusiness partner listed among PAWS partners with logo displayed on website.
• Mazzoni CenterminorOthersCommunity partner listed on PAWS website.
• UnderdogsminorOthersAnimal rescue organization partner listed among PAWS community partners.
• New LeashminorOthersAnimal welfare organization partner listed on PAWS website.
• No Kill Philly CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAWS is a founding member of the No Kill Philly Coalition working to make Philadelphia a no-kill city where every healthy and treatable pet is guaranteed a home.
• ACCT PhiladelphiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAWS is ACCT Philadelphia's largest rescue partner, pulling animals from the city shelter daily to rescue and place them in loving homes.
• Share Food ProgramminorOthersFood bank partner supporting PAWS' Pet Food Pantry program.
• Urban Village Brewing Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for Kitten Shower Happy Hour event and regular supporter of PAWS events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: National animal welfare organization combining rescue, veterinary, and advocacy operations. Overlaps with PAWS in shelter, adoption, and clinic activities but at national scale with broader portfolio of programs.
• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): Largest US animal welfare organization with national policy, rescue, and shelter support functions. Comparable rescue and advocacy mission but operates as a national umbrella rather than a city-level direct services provider.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National no-kill advocacy and operations organization running sanctuaries and regional programs. Comparable mission alignment around no-kill goals, but operates nationally rather than within a single city.

Others

• PetSmart Charities: National pet welfare grantmaking organization that funds shelter, adoption, and spay/neuter programs across the US. Connected to PAWS via the PetSmart satellite adoption center and grants, but functions as a funder rather than direct operator.
• Petco Love (formerly Petco Foundation): National pet welfare organization funding adoption, spay/neuter, and welfare programs. Comparable cause-marketing model through pet retail partnerships, but operates as a grantmaker rather than direct rescue operator.

Regional players

• Brandywine Valley SPCA: Mid-Atlantic SPCA operating multiple shelter and clinic locations with adoption, spay/neuter, and wellness services analogous to PAWS' core model, but headquartered in Delaware. Comparable scale and service mix make it the closest regional structural peer.
• Animal Care Centers of NYC: Large municipal animal welfare organization operating multiple shelter locations in New York City with adoption, veterinary services, and rescue partnerships. Functionally comparable as a high-volume urban rescue and clinic operator.
• Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS): Large municipal-contracted animal shelter serving Baltimore with rescue, adoption, and low-cost clinic services, mirroring PAWS' Philadelphia role as a contracted rescue partner to the city shelter. Comparable mission and clinic-based revenue model.

Direct peers

• ACCT Philadelphia: Philadelphia's municipal animal control shelter and PAWS' primary rescue partner, serving the same geographic market with overlapping intake and adoption functions. Direct operational counterpart in the same city.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PhilaAnimalWelfareSociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/phillypaws

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society