Women for Paws

Women for Paws was created by our founder Grace C. Lopez because of her love for animals. Her vision for pet retention and animal welfare led her to creating an organization that serves pet owners in financial need. When our founder volunteered for nine years at a national breast cancer organization, she witnessed first-hand how many pet owners had to give up their pets during treatment and also because they lacked the financial resources to pay for their pet's immediate medical needs. She promised herself that one day she would create a charitable organization that would keep pets together with their paw parents. Women for Paws now provides financial support to assist human paw parents that temporarily cannot care for their pets due to illness or financial hardship. We are committed to pet retention and will provide the financial support needed to prevent the family pet from going to a shelter or being given away.

We save dogs and cats from getting hurt or killed by providing financial support to pet owners who are survivors of domestic violence that need to hide their pet temporarily in a boarding facility. There is a tremendous need for this type of help due to the many pets that are targeted as a form of punishment. We will provide financial support to homes and no-kill facilities that will temporary foster the family pet until their human parent is in a safe environment. Ninety percent of the human parents that we serve are women who are struggling emotionally and financially to retain their family pet. Pets are members of our families, and they deserve to stay in their homes and be returned to their rightful owners. No one should ever have to decide whether to give up their family pet because they do not have money to feed them or provide the medical treatment necessary to save their lives. Women for Paws is committed to helping pet owners in need. 

Women for Paws collaborates with a women shelter, pet rescue nonprofits, and the county's animal services to promote pet retention and pet adoption. In 2021 we partnered with Miami-Dade County Animal Services to work on pet retention initiatives. This year we are partnering with Lotus House to help women in the shelter that have pets.  We understand the human connection with an animal and also the fact that some of these women all they have in their live is their pet.  We fundraise to keep pet owners together with their pets. Our goal is to make sure that the women transitioning out of the shelter with their pet, keep their pet.  We will provide the financial support for the pet's immediate needs so that the pet does not become a financial burden.   

Women for Paws also responds to the emergency needs of pet owners when something horrible happens in their lives.  Last year we learned in the news about a family that lost everything including several pets to a house fire in Homestead.  The family was left with nothing, but luckily their children and three of their pets survived and we were able to provide financial support for the immediate needs of their pets.  Last year we also provided financial support to a women who was physically abused by her partner that to punish victim, started to also abuse her dog physically.  She was in desperate need of boarding her dog for a month.  We were able to respond by providing the financial support that she needed.  A few weeks ago, we received a call from a pet owner that had limited financial resources that needed to save his dog's eye and he didn't have enough funds for the emergency surgery. We were able to provide financial support to help with the surgery.  These are just some of the stories that stand out from what we do whenever we need to respond to the needs of our community.  Women for Paws is a small nonprofit with a big paw heart and your support is incredibly appreciated. 

Lastly, so far, all administrative and operational expenses for Women for Paws have been paid by the founder herself so that every dollar raised goes directly to the pet owners in need. We ask that you give as if your pet's life depended on it, because for some of these pet owners, it really does.