Dear Friend,
This week we announced the Chicago Animal Crisis Fund, created to ensure we are there when animals need us most.
Pet abandonment is increasing and rescues across the country are full. Euthanasia at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC), the city impoundment facility, was up 22.7% last year.
PAWS stepped in to help. In 2023, PAWS rescued 695 more cats and dogs from CACC than the year before, for a total of 2,325 animals. But the crisis shows no sign of slowing. In January and February this year, we rescued 39.6% of the cats and dogs that were transferred out of CACC, already a total of 388 pets.
Butterscotch (below) was badly abused—she had two broken legs and needed orthopedic surgery. But her wagging tail told us she was ready to trust and love again.
When we met Gemi she was just weeks old, and her owner could no longer care for her. She was also blind in one eye due to a birth defect, but already getting a hopeful glimpse of her second chance at life.
We saved these pets, but there’s so much more to do.
