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PAWS puts in OT to meet increase foster requests during COVID-19

ByWendy Daughenbaugh WPVI logo

Monday, April 20, 2020

PAWS continues to place animals through Coronavirus crisis

We check in with PAWS to see how they are going above and beyond to fill the demand and continue to treat animals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rescues around the country are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of people looking to foster a pet.

At PAWS (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society), Executive Director Melissa Levy attributes the trend to the extra time people have while working from home and the undeniable comfort derived from having a furry friend in your life during a time filled with uncertainty and anxiety.

Pets, she says, not only provide unconditional love but caring for an animal give people a sense of purpose and structure during their time at home. Fostering and adoptions are available at PAWS by appointment-only, and hours have been expanded to meet the increasing demand and home as many pets as possible.

PAWS is still doing emergency clinical care at its Grays Ferry facility but owners stay outside the facility while a veterinarian inside provides care and communicates by phone. The non-profit is struggling financially under the crisis and has set up an emergency fund to continue its life-saving work.