Welcome to the PAWS Adoption Center web site. PAWS Adoption Center is a private, no-kill, non-profit animal shelter located in Middletown, Ohio dedicated to providing care and shelter for unwanted dogs and cats and placing them in loving homes. Our mission is to reduce the number of homeless pets by promoting adoption, spay/neuter and responsible pet ownership.  We house approximately 80 dogs and cats looking for permanent, loving homes.

PAWS is conveniently located off the I-75 corridor and has served Middletown and surrounding communities for over 30 years. Please explore our site to learn more about PAWS and the wonderful dogs and cats we have available for adoption.

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Christmas message from PAWS

PAWS Annual Report for 2011

Shelter updates:

  • Over 300 dogs and cats placed in forever homes
  • Over 100 new volunteers participated in PAWS’ orientation class
  • New Mobile Ambassadors program created with three levels of participation: Public Relations (Level 1), Dog Handling (Level 2) and Adoption Procedures (Level 3)

New building updates:

  • Land for new PAWS’ building surveyed
  • Temporary sign announcing new building plans erected on site
  • Architectural drawings for new PAWS’ building completed
  • Four area general contractors invited to bid on new PAWS’ building; bids due in mid-December 2011

Board of Directors expanded to include eight local professionals:

  • President Sue Hutson – AK Steel
  • Treasurer Gail Corrill – Liberty Mutual
  • Secretary Laurie Wood – Middletown City Schools
  • Board Member Marty Davis – West Chester/Liberty Community Foundation
  • Board Member Josh Holter – Menards
  • Board Member Brandon Hance – AK Steel
  • Board Member Mark Bolen – Cintas
  • Executive Director – Ginger Shawver
  • Board members furthered their knowledge of non-profit management techniques through free courses offered by Community Development Professionals (CDP)

Financial updates:

  • 2011 Operational Budget completed
  • Audits for years 2010 and 2009 completed with unqualified opinion by Stephenson & Warner CPAs, Inc.

Marketing updates:

  • Online PAWS’ newsletter resumed
  • New PAWS’ video created at no cost to PAWS and disseminated to public via YouTube and local television stations  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nvt2n7BifI
  • Regular updates made to PAWS pages on Facebook
  • Partnered with Miami University Middletown’s BIS (Bachelor of Integrative Studies) program where PAWS management worked with two interns, one a marketing student who improved PAWS’ marketing efforts and one with an interest in political science who helped PAWS gather signatures for the Ban Ohio Dog Auctions (BODA) campaign
  • Partnered with Miami University Middletown’s SAFARI Club, a group of student animal activists who helped PAWS by working both in the shelter and with the public at area events
  • Created a list of 3,000-plus PAWS’ donors, volunteers and supporters
  • Used above list to mail Christmas message to all PAWS’ supporters; mailing due out in mid-December 2011
  • PAWS grew awareness of the shelter’s efforts via Hanover Winery’s wine tasting event in Hamilton, the Angel Dog Walk in Centerville, “Yappy Hour” in Cincinnati, the City of Monroe’s “Light Up the Skies” event, Christmas in Springboro, “Howloween” in West Chester, “Paws for a Cause” at Miami University Oxford, and presentations to DeVry University in Dayton and the Cincinnati Academy for Creative and Performing Arts
  • Mobile Adoption program held at PetSmart stores in West Chester, Mason and Bridgewater Falls
  • Continued strengthening PR efforts in the Middletown area by participating in the city’s popular Broad Street Bash events, “National Night Out,” the downtown Santa Parade, a booth at Walmart, Miami Middletown’s “PAWS Day,” “Operation Show Our Love” honoring U.S. troops overseas and hosting a PAWS’ Community Yard Sale at the PAWS shelter
  • Grew awareness of PAWS with youth by presenting at Primrose School in West Chester, the Central Academy in Middletown and St. John 23rd Catholic Elementary in Middletown

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Want to know more about PAWS or one of our animals?  Click the link and ask!