The Humane Society was first incorporated on March 26th, 1957 as the Playground Humane Society PAWS. We have played a key role in the field of animal care and control in Northwest Florida for over forty-five years. Our first facility was a small building in Valparaiso, Florida. In 1986, the shelter was renamed the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society, affectionately known as PAWS. Today, we serve over 160,000 residents in Okaloosa County and surrounding communities. PAWS is a private, non-profit organization that presently handles more than 7,000 animals annually. The vet clinic is now in its seventeenth year and has been an enormous success! Since the opening in January 1995, the clinic has sterilized over 48,000 animals. The Panhandle Animal Welfare Society is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of animals.
1. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. 2. All members of the household must be interviewed before an adoption is approved. A pet is a family member and so all members of the family need to be in agreement about when to adopt a pet, and which pet to adopt. 3. If applicants have a dog at home and are adopting a dog, they must bring their dog to the shelter to meet the new pet before the adoption will be approved. We want to make sure that their dog is happy with their selection and that the transition for both dogs will be relatively smooth. 4. Anyone renting or leasing must have written permission from their landlord before an adoption can be approved. Any restrictions regarding type or size of animal must be noted. 5. We prefer that applicants have lived at their current address for at least three months. This is to make sure that owners have had time to settle into their new surroundings, and have established a stable routine before bringing a pet into the home. Because pets have extremely sensitive noses, any remodeling projects that involve chemicals and paint - including the installation of carpet - should have been completed well in advance of bringing a new pet home. Please remember that any time of transition is probably not a good time to adopt a pet. 6. We do not adopt out “outdoor pets”, except for Barn Cats. Pets that are left outside do not bond as readily with their owners and are prone to nuisance behaviors like barking, escaping, roaming, digging, predatory behavior and other destruction. If applicants currently have an “outdoor pet” their adoption may be denied. 7. Applicants for dog adoptions must have a yard that is fenced on all sides, or a fenced kennel area. Dogs that do not have access to a fenced-in area are much harder to housebreak and are more likely to escape, roam and become a neighborhood nuisance. Some dogs may require a fence of a certain type and height. 8. Because young puppies require intensive training and care, we cannot place puppies younger than four months of age in a home where everyone is consistently absent from the home for long periods of time. 9. Because of potential injury and behavior/training concerns, we are very cautious when placing very young pets (those younger than four months) in homes with children under the age of five. Puppies and kittens chew, scratch and nip, and children may be unintentionally rough as well. We encourage adopters with young children to consider adopting a dog or cat that is at least four months of age. 10. We prefer not to adopt out two dogs at one time. Dogs need time to bond with their owners one-on-one. Dogs that are adopted together will likely look to one another for companionship and direction rather than to their new owners. 11. Adoption Prices range from $50.00 to $125.00 - Puppies and Kittens are $125.00 (which includes shots, micro-chipping & spay/neuter). The range of adoption prices vary with age, medical needs & length of time the animal has been at the shelter.
Fort Walton Beach FL 32547 | 1.5 miles away
Save Our Cats and Kittens is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding forever homes for unwanted cats and kittens in this area. We take them in from military families, from people who are suddenly homeless, from the elderly who can no longer care for them, or when a family member passes away. Sadly, we also take them when they are found on the street, left behind in a move, or du
Fort Walton Beach FL 32549 | 3.7 miles away
The Southern Dog is a Florida Panhandle foster-based animal rescue organization run by dedicated volunteers. We save abandoned or displaced dogs and cats from death at over-crowded shelters and find them loving, happy homes. All the animals in our care (we affectionately refer to them as Southies) are spayed or neutered, microchipped and fully vaccinated prior to adoption. Any additional medical n
Fort Walton Beach FL 32549 | 3.7 miles away
The Rescued Rescuers, Inc. is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 organization located in the Panhandle of Florida that exists for the sole purpose of rescuing unwanted dachshunds and other small breeds in need. Since 2011, our mission has been to serve the Panhandle area of Florida by rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing unwanted dogs. The focus of our efforts is to assist dogs in need and restoring heal
Mary Esther FL 32569 | 10.7 miles away
Save UnderDogs is an all volunteer group of people who rescue and foster needy dogs, mostly from death row at local shelters. Dogs are kept in our homes for evaluation and are socialized in a home environment. We operate by fundraising and with personal funds, which is why we can only help a few dogs at a time.
Eglin AFB FL 32542 | 11.3 miles away
In September 1982, Pet Welfare was started so that military members needing to relinquish their pets had a safe place to leave them until we could find a home for them. Stray pets were also brought to Pet Welfare waiting to be adopted. At that time, we were giving cats and dogs away because we had so many to care for and we were just happy to find a home for all of them. We were a no-kill animal s
Destin FL 32540 | 11.5 miles away
Founded in 1997, Feline Friends of Destin is part of an international effort working to promote, foster and develop humane non-lethal control programs for feral and stray cats through sterilization that effectively reduces their numbers over a period of time. Feline Friends respects the sanctity of life and the rights of individual animals and embraces proactive and preventative control methods i.
Fort Walton Beach FL | 13 miles away
Hannah's HOPE Inc is a Dog Rescue and Senior Dog Sanctuary in NorthWest FL., "Helping Out Pets Everywhere''
Crestview FL | 23.5 miles away
We are a group of friends, volunteers, and foster homes located in Crestview, Florida dedicated to rescuing homeless animals.
Crestview FL | 23.5 miles away
We are an all foster group that rescues the unwanted from the streets, high kill shelters and from owners that no longer want them. We get them vet care, rehabilitate them, spay/neuter, microchip, vaccinate, and parasite treat them then find them loving homes.
Crestview FL | 23.5 miles away
Helping abandoned, abused and neglected pets to find safety through rescue, transport, foster & adoption.