Pets Helped

A 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to animal welfare and pet retention.

Charitable organization focused on animal welfare

helping pet owners

our mission started because of breast cancer survivors

Women for Paws was created by our founder Grace C. Lopez because when she volunteered at the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, she learned that some breast cancer survivors had to give up their pets because after chemotherapy they were not able to take care of their pets. They could not bend down to feed them, walk them, bathe them, or carry them. Survivors could barely care for themselves, much less their pet.

Our founder promised herself that one day she would create an organization that would provide the financial support needed for pets to stay with their human parents. As a result, Women for Paws was created. This promise became a reality when the pet owner shown on this photo, who was a breast cancer survivor reached out to us for help. This beautiful lady had two rescues that needed medical attention., but because she had limited financial resources, she needed help. We were able to provide financial assistance twice within two years before she passed in 2023.

Just imagine not being able to provide for the medial attention your pets needed? What would you do?

Meet some of the pets that we have helped

Hannah & Brooklyn

Hannah was rescued in Little Havana after roaming in the streets and parking lots. She was adopted by a loving paw parent. Brooklyn was rescued from being kept in a cage with a rope around his neck. He was adopted by the founder of Women for Paws. Both dogs have passed, but they will always be a part of us.

Chloe

Hannah & Brooklyn

This two year old Shitzu mix was rescued in 2015 from an elderly lady that never took this dog to the vet or groomer. When she was rescued her hair was full of knots and it had to be shaved to the bone. Chloe was adopted by the founder of Women for Paws or as the story goes, she adopted us.

Pepsi

Hannah & Brooklyn

Pepsi

Pepsi is a feral cat who lives underneath an abandoned home where he depends on neighbors to get fed. Today Pepsi is no longer considered a feral cat as he comes on a regular basis to be fed and pet. Members of the Women for Paws team feed him at least twice a day.

Hope

Brooklyn

Pepsi

Hope was only 3 1/2 weeks when she was rescued from underneath a neighbor's trash bin. It took hours before we could identify where the crying was coming from. We found her stuck and couldn't get out, but because her meows were so loud, we were able to find her. Hope was was adopted by a wonderful family that has another cat. She now dominates their household.

Kitty

Brooklyn

Kitty was a neighborhood cat that was fed by a family that moved away. It took a while to get this cat to come to us, but slowly she started to trust us. We rescued her by providing a suitable outdoor home. She is now vaccinated and is fed at least three times a day. Kitty now acts as if she owns our home.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn was rescued from underneath a car after running away from a German Sheppard. He was then brought inside to be cleaned to later be placed in a small chicken crate tied with a rope around his neck so that he couldn't escape. After several attempts in posting flyers about this lost dog, no one responded. A few months later, Brooklyn was rescued by the founder of Women for Paws when he was six months. Brooklyn has since passed, but he remains a big part of this organization as the Founding Paw.

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Coco

Megan & Picasso

Coco is a Yorkshire Terrier who is six years old. Coco developed a case of bronchitis and his treatments were intense because he was also diagnosed with pancreatitis and peritonitis. Additionally ultrasound showed that he had a mass that needed treatment and possible surgery. He became so ill that he was being fed through a tube. Coco's family was faced with a $6,000 pet bill and they started a fundraiser. When we learned about this case, we immediately responded by providing financial support to pay for a small portion of their pet bill. Coco is slowly recovering and is now eating on his own.

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Megan & Picasso

This was one of the saddest stories that we had to deal with. Megan and Picasso's human paw mother died of old age leaving them behind in a home in Westchester. They stayed at the home for months even after all the furniture was removed. They were traumatized and angry because they did not know what was happening. The niece of the deceased took care of them as much as she could. Other neighbors also helped in feeding the cats and changing the litter boxes. They were in distress and lonely. Women for Paws learned about these two cats and took action in fostering them for one month until finding a permanent home. The most difficult part about this rescue was the fact that we wanted to keep the two siblings together. We felt that they needed each other after their world felt apart when their human mother died.

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Cocoa

Megan & Picasso

Abandoned Puppy

Cocoa's human mother reached out to us because she needed financial assistance to board her. This is a sad story about a survivor of domestic violence who was frequently threatened by partner to hurt the family pet. Therefore, Cocoa had to be removed from the premises to avoid further violence against her. We were able to provide financial support to safely pay for one month boarding.

Abandoned Puppy

Family of Chihuahuas

Abandoned Puppy

This Chihuahua puppy was abandoned and was almost taken to a shelter with his parents and siblings The family that had him planned to leave the country without making arrangements for fostering or giving him away. We did everything possible to get him adopted with his parents so that his mother can continue nursing him.

Family of Chihuahuas

Family leaving the country with little effort in finding homes for these dogs. With a new litter and no time to take them anywhere other than a shelter, Women for Paws quickly acted in creating social media posts and communication throughout the community to find homes for these dogs. Within four hours, we were able to find them forever homes. It was a difficult rescue because most people called to only adopt the puppy, but we were firm in having them all adopted to only one family so that they could stay together.

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Isys

Family of Chihuahuas

Isys is a 9 year old mix breed that we were able to assist financially for an emergency surgery. The human father was struggling financially because the surgery was $2,500. Although we were not able to pay for the entire surgery, we were able to guide the pet owner in utilizing other resources. Isys is back home and happy to be back with her human father and siblings.

Meet some of the pets that we have helped

Midtown Husky

Pet Food for Cat Colony

Midtown Husky

This beautiful husky was rescued by the founder of Women for Paws. This dog was running for miles crossing busy intersections without stopping. Luckily we captured him and took all measurements to find its rightful paw parent. Apparently the dog had escaped during a thunderstorm. While we are not a rescue organization, we do participate in emergency rescues whenever feasible.

Chuley

Pet Food for Cat Colony

Midtown Husky

The pet owner of this dog reached out to us because she had limited financial resources to take care of her dog's medical needs. This pet owner was special to us because she was a breast cancer survivor, which is the idea to help pet owners came from for when our founder was volunteering at a breast cancer organization. This was the sec

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Sky

Pet Food for Cat Colony

Sky's pet owner reached out to us because after taking his dog to an eye specialist, he found out that Sky needed emergency surgery. The dog was in pain and discomfort and vet told the pet owner that he may lose his eye if it wasn't treated. We were able to provide financial support the surgery to take place.

Pet Food for Cat Colony

This is what helping pet owners that care for a colony of cats looks like. We learned that pet owner takes in abandoned cats and dogs, but sometimes struggles to keep up with the raising cost of pet food. Women for Paws was able to provide food for a couple of months.

Women for paws responds to family - pets in house fire

Cat saved from a fire

This beautiful cat was saved from a house fire in Homestead, Florida. We saw on the news the terrible story about a family that was affected by a house fire. The family was displaced and three out of five of the pets were saved. We reached out to the television stations that covered the story and we were able to connect with the pet owne

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Cat saved from a fire

This second cat is part of the family that their house caught fire and they lost everything. We provided financial support for basic needs for the surviving pets.

Dog saved from a fire

Cat saved from a fire

Dog saved from a fire

This dog is also part of the house fire. This was the only dog that survived from the house fire. We provided financial support to purchase beds, food, and new carriers.

Because we care about the family pet

Renee

Lala & Lelak

This elderly dog needed emergency surgery for removing three tumors. The family was devastated because they did not have the financial resources to pay for this surgery. They borrowed money from their family, but still did not have enough to cover for the entire surgery. We responded at moment's notice, and we were able to cover for 75% of the cost for the surgery.

Lala & Lelak

The pet owner of these two dogs was featured in the local news in May 2024 . Her desperate need for housing for her three kids and two dogs led us to providing financial support for two weeks stay at the hotel she is currently staying. We wanted to make sure that these two dogs did not end up in a shelter.

Captain

Lala & Lelak

Captain

This 13 year old dog was dropped off at a local shelter because his human mom had to be taken to the hospital unexpectedly. We were called to help with the cost of finding a pet sitter to take care of him while the pet owner recovered. We were able to work as a team with the pet sitter, the mother of the pet owner, and the shelter to save this little guy.

Our work is proof of our commitment to helping pets

Meloso

Lotus House Cat

Meloso

The pet owner of Meloso reached out to us because she had to take her dog to an emergency hospital and her pet's bill was very high. She had exhausted her credit card and had no other means to be her bill. We were able to provide financial support to pay a small poertion of her bill.

Hachi

Lotus House Cat

Meloso

This beautiful German Shepard is a service dog. whose pet mom reached out becuase she is struggling financially to keep up with the cost of feeding her large dog. She explained how she had to proportion his food and sometimes feed him less so that she can have enough for the rest of the week. We are now providing monthly financial help t

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Lotus House Cat

The Lotus House reached out to us because this cat belongs to one of their guests. Sadily this cat was injured with the entry gate to their building closing on his back leg causing this cat to have emergency surgery to save his leg. We were able to provide the financial help needed for the entire surgery. The vet that took care of this cat was able to work with us in reducing the vet bill.

donate to save pets' lives

My name is Hope, and I was rescued by Grace, the founder of Women for Paws. I was stuck underneath a garbage bin. I had ringworm and my paws had sores. The beginning of my life was not very good, but Women for Paws found me a human parent to adopt me. I now live in a loving home.

The mission of Women For Paws is to provide financial support to pet owners who are struggling financially and cannot pay for their pet's medical emergencies, surgeries, treatments, medicines, neutering, vaccines, and food. Although they are not a rescue organization, they rescued me and paid for all my medical treatments to be ready for adoption. Please consider donating to this organization so that more pets are impacted by their efforts.