PAWS Chicago began as a grassroots, all-volunteer organization dedicated to building a humane community. With strong community support, PAWS has built lifesaving programs that have helped to reduce the number of homeless pets killed in our city by 92% since our founding in 1997. It is the power of community engagement that fuels our lifesaving efforts and four core programs: Prevention, Adoption, Volunteers, and Animal Health and Behavior.Our mission is to build No Kill communities, starting with Chicago, that respect and value the life of every cat and dog. Our commitment is to end the overpopulation of homeless pets through practical efforts and long-term education. Our goal is to transform animal welfare by setting higher standards and developing sustainable, evidence-based solutions.