PAW Team

  

In Portland, pets are often one of the only companions and forms of stability that people experiencing homelessness have. In Portland it is estimated that 5%-10% of people experiencing homelessness are pet owners with some specific areas reporting 20%-25% of houseless individuals owning pets.  

Portland Animal Welfare Team or PAW Team began their work in the early 1990s as just a group of volunteer veterinarians before officially founding the nonprofit in 2003. The goal of this nonprofit organization is to provide free or low cost veterinarian care for pets and animals that belong to people experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness. 

PAW Team offers their services through outreach and pop up veterinary clinics to make pet treatment more accessible. Their mobile outreach technique allows individuals to gain access to pet treatment by meeting the pet owners where they are, such as shelters, camps, and community resource centers, instead of making pet owners travel to traditional clinics. 

The services that PAW Team offers are basic veterinary exams, vaccinations and preventive care, flea and parasite treatment, minor medical treatment, pet food and supplies, and referrals for more advanced veterinary care. Every year PAW Team provides care to over 1,000 local families in need. 

For many unhoused individuals pets provide emotional support and a sense of safety. PAW Team and the work they do focuses on preserving the relationship between pet and owner. 

PAW Team is very reliant on donations, volunteers, and partnerships with local shelters and veterinary clinics in order to sustain their program. 

Donate or Volunteer Here: https://www.pawteam.org/