Paws Patrol Inc

Story about Paws, Why we care...

   The story of Paws Patrol begins in April of 2006 when five dedicated and experienced individuals determined that something needed to be done about the large feral cat population in our area.  There is a lot of misunderstanding around the issue of feral cats, and there are those who regard them as nuisances at best and as expendable at worst.   The founding members of Paws Patrol wanted to help our communities understand that feral cats deserve long, healthy lives and that their numbers can be managed through a program called Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).

  We believe we have come a long way in our goal of educating the public about the importance of spay/neuter and the plight of feral cats as well.  We attend the Green Valley Farmers Market weekly and also participate in events such as the Tubac Festival of the Arts.  The attitudes toward feral cats of those who stop at our booth have shifted considerably, from complete disregard or even disdain for the ferals, to an understanding of the importance of what Paws Patrol does.

  We care about feral cats because if we don't, no one else is likely to.  We care because  they are not feral by choice, but are the offspring of irresponsible humans who discard their animals like so much refuse, without regard for their survival or wellbeing. Our program reduces the future number of feral cats significantly and the nuisance factor to some extent.  (The behavior of neutered males is certainly preferable to that of un-neutered ones.)  We also provide veterinary/medical care for the various conditions common in feral cat colonies, ear mites, ringworm, and respiratory illness, among others. Feral cats deserve to live and to live in decent health.

  There are too many stories of individual cats to share in this space, but pick up a copy of any of our feral cat calendars that we produce as a fundraiser each year, and you will see color photos of a few of the cats who have been adopted to caring families:  our success stories.  Those cats who have not been adopted but returned to colonies or place in barns are success stories as well.  They have been sterilized and vaccinated and live among their own with food and shelter provided.  Paws Patrol has provided a better life for hundreds of feral cats, and improved the environment in the communities we serve, from Sahuarita/Green Valley to Amado to Arivaca to Elephant Head and points in between.  The town of Arivaca is of particular note.  The residents have worked closely with us to address the large numbers of feral cats in their area, and are so committed that they now trap cats and take them to the vet for sterilization on their own.   They are a model for what a community can do when it comes together to work on a problem with the assistance of a nonprofit such as Paws Patrol.   We are honored and pleased to have the opportunity to share our story through the efforts of Arizona Give Day.  We thank you for your support of nonprofits such as ours and for providing a showcase for our program.