The objective was to place each of these animals into a loving home. In its beginning there was no shelter facility. Care for animals was provided strictly through a foster home system, but it quickly became obvious that the foster home system was limited.
Thankfully, in March of Albert O. Pritz donated land at West 8th Street off Pueblo Boulevard and 11th Street and a shelter facility was built. This is where currently both shelters are located. PAWS For Life soon established a policy based on population control and adoption as alternatives to euthanasia and the organization began a campaign to focus public awareness on the increasing needs of helpless and homeless animals.
In response to this, contributions from the public enabled us to construct a small, 10 run kennel. The shelter later expanded to 16 indoor access runs and four outside runs. In the shelter underwent a renovation project that made the shelter safer and healthier for dogs and staff and brought it into compliance with PACFA regulations. Our old shelter has 26 runs and housed between 50 and 60 dogs at any one time.
With donations from individuals and businesses, fundraising activities and an occasional grant as our only means of support we have been able to care for and adopt out several thousand animals into good homes. We have a year long fundraising push to expand on our success with our dog facility by building a no-kill cat shelter too.
