UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | February 16, 2025

PAWS, a non-profit animal rescue that makes PAWSitive impact, rescues animals, builds futures

Providing Animals With Support is a nonprofit animal shelter that is dedicated to rescuing animals from being euthanized in shelters at full capacity. PAWS operates to protect animals and aims to provide them with their forever homes. Lindy Blair | Sun News Daily

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Providing Animals With Support is a nonprofit, no-kill animal rescue organization that works to save animals from being euthanized at shelters at full capacity.

PAWS was founded 23 years ago by five local women who wanted to lower the euthanasia rate in St. George animal shelters. They started to slowly adopt a few animals at a time and eventually grew into the organization it is today, and now they have the PAWS adoption center as well as the PAWS thrift shop.

They get their animals from other animal shelters that are approaching maximum capacity. PAWS will take them and give them a chance to be adopted and given a home. The only factor that influences their selection is that the animal has to be non-aggressive. Some factors that determine if an animal is aggressive is if it is a danger to families like biting, growling or scratching.  

They are also a medical rescue. For example, they take in animals that have been affected by times of disaster. Currently, they have taken in animals that have been affected by the Los Angeles fires.

The workers at PAWS have a strong love for the animals they work with; therefore, they form bonds with the animals and grow to love them. There is a mix of volunteers and employees.

Kim Scribner is a volunteer at PAWS and a dog walker. Her main responsibility is to make sure the animals have a chance to get outside and get exercise once a day.

When the animals get adopted, the volunteers are sad they are gone, but they know the animals are in a happy home. 

Lulu Hart, the animal rescue manager, said, “I see them go into a new home, and to me, that is the reward… but every time one of my office cats gets adopted it takes a good two or three days before anybody can talk to me.”

PAWS offers opportunities to volunteer. You can apply for a long list of specific jobs like working in the dog room, helping with adoption events or even taking pictures to help bring attention to the pets that need a home.

Scribner said, “I love animals… I didn’t want the responsibility of having a day-to-day dog, but I have to have doggy energy around me and it just seemed perfect.”

Aside from community members, students who volunteer have an opportunity to give back to their community and can help give animals a home. One of the benefits of volunteering is PAWS also lets volunteers spend time with the cats and dogs. 

Spending time with animals has been shown to reduce stress levels, but also improve your mood as animals reduce loneliness and create social support. If someone wants a dog but isn’t able to get one themselves, this is a great opportunity to spend time with a furry buddy. Volunteers get an advantage because it looks good on resumes, which is something employers look for.

Every month they do events that help showcase the animals that are available for adoption. In the past, they have done events like a puppy bowl, and next month there will be a baby kitten shower. As kitten season comes, there will be around 300 kittens coming to the shelter.

David Moore is a volunteer at PAWS, and his primary responsibility is cleaning up the dog room, which involves getting the dogs outside for exercise, feeding them and also cleaning up the poop. He also acts as a handyman, and he will fix anything that breaks, like making modifications to how the doggy door works. 

Moore said: “Well I’ve always liked animals, especially dogs. I’m retired, so I have some spare time and was looking for something to do, so I volunteered to help.” 

The employees and volunteers at PAWS work hard so that every animal in the shelter can find a happy home by spending time with them, cleaning them and loving them. They will continue this work “until they all have a home.”