​During The Holiday Season, millions of Americans hit the road to visit family or enjoy a much-needed vacation. While some pet parents leave their beloved animals with friends or find a suitable boarding facility, others take them along for the ride. Bringing your animal into the wide world can be an amazing opportunity to share new experiences and broaden their horizons but also requires crucial logistical and safety considerations. In this article, we offer a comprehensive guide t ..read more

By Guest Writer, Scarlett Khanbeigi Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash ​Securing sustainable funding is one of the greatest challenges facing nonprofits today. To allow these essential services to thrive, charitable organizations need the kindness and financial support of a broader community. One of the many ways non-profits receive this support is through fundraising events, initiatives and campaigns. To help inspire your next effort, we have compiled a list of 15 animal-related fu ..read more

Photo by Shane on Unsplash The indelible bond between human and dog is deeply embedded in our culture, a recurring theme expressed most decisively in the (hu)man’s best friend motif that appears in everything from marketing materials to novels and movies.  But where did this idea come from? Why dogs instead of cats, parrots, or hamsters? Humans share strong bonds with many kinds of animal and will keep almost anything, including roaches and snakes, as pets. ​Ye ..read more

Written and researched by Grace Okafor. Developed and edited by Ryan Hilary Like many other organizations, we at PAWS/LA place enormous value on all our volunteers. They are crucial contributors to the effectiveness of our institution, often proving instrumental in executing our projects and initiatives. In short, we couldn’t do what we do without the many volunteers who donate their time and resources on a regular basis. But what does volunteering mean? What are its benefits? What impact do volunteers actually deliver? In this article, guest writer Grace Okafor explores the co ..read more

Another post from one of our awesome volunteers! Farrah Volpintesta is a student at USC and she spoke to some members of the local community about the bond they share with their companion animals. They respond to my feelings; I see it often. Mostly they warm my heart and make me smile just knowing the unconditional love they give me. “Lilo and Mocha are both rescues. What do Lilo & Mocha do for me? They have become my “office mates” since I spend a lot of my time working from home. They provide love and companionship that I didn’t know I even needed, but so appreciate. Whether I’m having ..read more

Pets are beloved members of families around the world. Offering companionship and love, dogs, cats and other animals become deeply embedded in the fabric of our lives. Perhaps less well-known, however, is that pet ownership also confers a surprising number of health benefits. From alleviating depression to lowering the risk of heart attacks, a growing body of recent scientific research suggests that pet ownership can positively impact physical, mental, and emotional well-being in numerous ways. This is one of the principles that guides PAWS/LA’s mission to keep people and pets together ..read more

PETS AND PICTURES - BETTER TOGETHER It’s difficult to understand the popularity of animal photographs. Whether pets appearing on social media, or professional wildlife photography gracing the pages of the finest magazines, animals and cameras go together like cookies and milk. Adorable dogs and cats rack up millions of views on Instagram and TikTok, and in some cases the pet itself in the social media personality! If you’re a pet owner yourself, especially one of a certain age, you’ve probably taken quite a few pics of your animal companion—potentially hundreds, actually. This makes sense; in ..read more

In the last week or so, we were incredibly lucky to have worked with Rebecca Charles and Zachary Goodman. They volunteered to deliver food to some of our clients. It was a big delivery, with multiple stops spread throughout the Los Angeles area, but they took to the task enthusiastically and did a great job. We always want to check in with our volunteers to see how their experience went. You can hear Zach's thoughts above, and Rebecca offered us this testimonial: Hi, my name is Rebecca Charles, and I am a volunteer with PAWS LA. I found PAWS LA via a professor at UCLA, who recommended a few ..read more

With Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching, there’s no better time to talk about pampering your pet! Yes, I’m sure a lot of us have mixed feelings about the holiday in general. Whether we’re grateful for a long-term relationship, still suffering the sting of heartbreak, looking for something new, or entirely indifferent to romance in general, Valentine’s Day can elicit a full spectrum of human emotions, some good and some pretty bad. But regardless of where we currently stand on the issue of human romance,  as pet owners we can surely agree that the affection we get ..read more

Declining rates of cognitive health have become a significant problem in the United States, with the Center for Disease Control recently describing it as a “public health crisis.” These disorders occur more commonly in seniors (65 or older), although a significant number of people will begin showing signs when they reach middle age (around 45 years). Overall, cognitive decline positively correlates to the natural effects of aging; the older we get the more at risk we are. Among seniors, those living alone are especially vulnerable.   ​ In response to the crisis, medical researchers h ..read more