What We Do
They deserve better.
Improving the lives of pets in BC.
Each year in BC, tens of thousands of pets are taken in by community-based rescue organizations and shelters. They are abandoned and surrendered for a number of reasons—families with a pet in distress often feel that they have nowhere to turn, individuals in crisis or fleeing violence are rarely able to take their pets with them, many people are unable to find pet-friendly housing.
In order to create meaningful and lasting change for pets, we must also recognize the needs of their people. Pets and their people are bonded; their lives are inextricably linked. For the vast majority of households, animals are considered members of the family. As such, we believe that animal welfare work must integrate with social services sector and support the people who share their lives with the pets we are helping.
You will see that belief in our approach to all of the work we do—in all of our programs and initiatives and partnerships. Paws for Hope is a non-profit with many moving parts, but they are all connected by a unifying mission and three key priorities.
Our Mission
Paws for Hope Animal Foundation strives to keep pets and people together, ensures BC pets survive and thrive, and supports positive change in animal welfare.
Our Priorities
Prevention
We focus on preventing unnecessary harm to animals through education, advocacy, outreach, and support for pets and their guardians.
Intervention
We go above and beyond to help people who are struggling to access veterinary care for their pets in order to reduce undue suffering.
Sustainability
We build strong partnerships, share best practices, and foster professionalism and accountability across BC’s animal welfare sector.
“We need to be professional, we need infrastructure, credibility, expertise, and sustainability. That is when change will happen.”
Kathy Powelson
How we do it
Keeping
pets with families
We Believe
that all pets deserve to be healthy, happy, and with the people who love them the most.
building trusted
relationships
with families
We Believe
that all bonded families should receive help and support in times of need, without judgement.
supporting a
one health mindset
We Believe
social services, crisis intervention, and financial support are essential to animal and human welfare.
harnessing the power of
working
together
We Believe
working in partnership with vets, social services, and other agencies will create a more sustainable, meaningful, and empowered animal welfare sector.
Our Programs
Veterinary Funding
Better Together is a shelter intervention program that aims to keep pets with their people by providing basic veterinary care, training, and supplies.
Learn MoreCrisis Foster Care
No Pet Left Behind is a crisis foster care program created to provide safe care for pets of individuals who are escaping violence.
Learn MoreRemote and Underserved Communities
The Animal Welfare Advisory Network of British Columbia empowers organizations to work together on specific projects and initiatives associated with companion animal welfare in BC.
Learn More
Youth & Pets
New Study
McCreary Centre Society and Paws for Hope have released a new report looking at the relationship between youth and their pets.
Press releaseCOVID-19
Stepping Up
Rescue organizations across BC have been stepping up to help animals in need as shelters closed their doors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blog postOur Impact
Since we established in June 2011 we have successfully…
Built and maintained an emergency and organizational development fund
We established a much-needed program, called Guardian Angel, that provides thousands of dollars in emergency and organizational development funding each year to qualified animal charities across BC.
Learn MoreCreated SpayAid BC to help control the pet population
We established a provincial program that partners with veterinary hospitals to eliminate pet over-population in British Columbia by providing a spay/neuter assistance program for low-income earners.
Learn MorePublished the AWANBC Animal Welfare Standards of Practice
In 2020, the Animal Welfare Advisory Network released the final draft of its Animal Rescue Standards of Practice providing feasible and scientifically informed approaches for rescues to meet animal health and welfare needs.
Learn MoreSupported homeless, low-income, and elderly pet guardians
We established Better Together (formerly Roxy’s Relief), a program that partners with social service agencies in Vancouver, New Westminster, and North Vancouver to provide support to homeless, low-income, and elderly pet guardians.
Learn MoreCampaigned to inform and educate the public about inhumane and unnecessary animal testing
We launched an ongoing, province-wide education campaign, called Cruelty Free BC, to inform the public about the inhumane and unnecessary animal testing for cosmetics and household products.
Learn MoreHosted dozens of free animal health clinics
We have held free animal health clinics for homeless and low-income pet guardians multiple times a year throughout Vancouver with the support of our community partners and sponsors.
Learn MoreCampaigned to end the retail sale of cats, dogs, and rabbits in BC
We launched an ongoing, province-wide educational campaign, called Pets Are Not Products, to educate the public about animal welfare issues related to the retail sale of cats, dogs, and rabbits resulting in the ban of pet sales in a number of BC cities.
Learn MoreProvided funding support for critical veterinary care
We have provided funding support so that homeless and low-income earning pet guardians across the lower mainland can access critical veterinary care for their their pets.
Learn MoreMapped supports and resources in underserved communities
In order to better support animal welfare organizations in remote, northern and under-served communities, AWANBC mapped what services and resources are available in these communities and illustrated the findings.
Learn More