Serving the dogs and cats of Quepos, Costa Rica for 15 years
Pets of Aguirre Welfare Shelter (PAWS) is a non-profit animal welfare organization that provides much-needed services to the dog and cat populations in and around Quepos, Costa Rica.
Our Work
Each year, our all-volunteer team:
- Rescues hundreds of dogs and cats
- Spays and neuters thousands of cats and dogs
- Cares for on average 100 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens to prepare them for adoption
- Promotes animal welfare education both in the classroom and in the streets
Our Story
We’ve worked hard to serve the dogs and cats in Quepos, Costa Rica since our founding in September 2011.
During all of COVID, we never ever stopped working. Our community was shut down with no international tourists allowed, and we received a $25,000 donation in March 2020 that allowed us to keep working as hard as we could in those early months without the usual support of our tourist community.
In November 2021, we were able to open the PAWS storefront in the center of Quepos. This space (which was donated for PAWS use) allows us to have a physical presence for adoption events and vaccination campaigns. It can even be used as a surgery suite where local vets can perform spay and neuter services in a clean, well-equipped environment.
