PAWS has matched nearly 150,000 families with companion animals, giving us the experience and knowledge to make your adoption a success. We hope you will be very happy together!
If you need advice or guidance along the way, or simply want to let us know how your new companion is settling in, please use the following information to guide you or to reach us.
Adoption packet
When you adopted your pet, you received a packet with important information about your new companion, including medical records and information about the adoption process. The dog and cat adoption packets are full of helpful hints, and include the “Healthy Start Certificate” from VCA Animal Hospitals.
We encourage you to keep the packet in a safe place along with your other important papers. If you have misplaced items from the packet please contact us for assistance.
Contact PAWS staff
PAWS wants to keep in touch so we can help you bond with your new companion.
If you have immediate questions, we encourage you to look through your dog or cat adoption packet. Most common questions—such as what vaccines your cat or dog has received—can be found on the animal’s kennel card found inside the packet.
If you have questions that aren’t answered in the adoption packet or in our online resource library, please call 425.787.2500 x803 or send us a message from our contact page.
Online resource library
PAWS’ online library has resource sheets on behavior and care that supplement the adoption packet. Reading them will help you improve your relationship with your new companion.
Share your story
We hope you’ll keep in touch and share updates of your life together. Submit your happy adoption story and we may publish it on our website. Your story may even be chosen for one of our mini mag issues.
Other ways you can share with us:
- E-mail us with photos, links to video and details of your adventures together
- Post a message on our Facebook page, or send a private message
- Tweet your story, pics and video—be sure to tag @PAWS_tweets in your posts so we can see and retweet them!
- Post photos on Instagram and tag @paws_wa
We hope your adoption experience with PAWS has been a positive one, and we’ve made you feel like a member of the PAWS family. If you’d like to continue supporting us, we’d encourage you to explore other ways to get involved such as volunteering, becoming a foster care provider, or participating in one of our events.
Helpful Resources
PAWS is here to help you welcome the newest addition to your family with ease. Here are some links to resources by other organizations that you may find helpful as your new companion settles in:
Cats
- The Humane Society of the United States has an online Cat Answer Tool.
- Cat behaviorist Pamela Johnson-Bennett has several excellent books that can be borrowed from your local library. She also has many helpful articles and podcasts on her website.
- Contrary to their reputation, cats of all ages can be trained! You can find tips on how to do that here with Karen Pryor Clicker Training.
- Here’s a fascinating instructional video from the Dumb Friends League on clicker training.
And here is some information specific to kittens:
- New kitten checklist from Cat Behavior Associates.
- Kitten behavior basics from the Humane Society of the United States.
- The Humane Society of the United States’ guide to teaching your kitten to play nice.
Dogs
- Here is an article from a great website called Dog Star Daily that gives you a list of what to do with your new dog within the first two weeks, and has a wealth of articles, podcasts, and free downloads.
- Watch this fascinating video from Ahimsa Dog Training about how dogs learn.
- Here is a long list of free instructional videos from Dogmantics Dog Training that will give you a foundation of positive reinforcement training.
- The ASPCA’s Dog Care Tips Library can be helpful for troubleshooting.
Find more advice on a wide range of topics in our online resource library.
Give us your feedback
Your constructive feedback about our adoption process helps us improve the process and the information we provide. Please take a few moments to complete an adoption follow-up survey.