The Closter Animal Welfare Society (CLAWS) was founded December 4, 1969. With our network of dedicated volunteers, we rescue, foster, and find forever homes for abandoned and unwanted pets in the northern NJ area. We encourage the public to spay and neuter their pets to reduce the number of unwanted animals in our area. We also run a pet food pantry to help families in our community struggling to feed their pets. CLAWS is not a shelter. CLAWS has no paid employees, receives no funds from the state, and exists solely on donations and money we make from fundraisers and adoption donations. Because of this, 100% of every dollar raised goes directly toward the care of our animals. CLAWS is licensed in the State of New Jersey as a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.