Updates from our Blog

The PAWS blog has become one of the most visited pages on our website. Here are just two of the most recent stories we thought you’d enjoy.

Northern Saw-whet Owl

On January 1, at 9:30 am, we received our first wild patient of 2012 here at the PAWS Wildlife Center. This year's first arrival was a Northern Saw-whet Owl that was hit by a car along Washington's Highway 2. Fortunately, a passing driver spotted the diminutive raptor sitting on the shoulder of the road and stopped to rescue him. By the time the bird arrived at PAWS, he was in a state of shock due to head trauma he sustained during his earlier collision. We’re happy to report that, after one month of care, the Saw-whet Owl made a full recovery. In the evening on January 31, he was released in a forested natural area along the Skykomish River. Thanks to the expert medical care he received at PAWS Wildlife Center, he now has a second chance to live wild and free.

Bramble

Bramble paces in front of the large window, he gazes at the birds while inviting passersby to stop and say hello. This handsome gentleman is one of the many cats in residence at PAWS Cat City, our open colony adoption facility in Seattle’s University District, which today celebrates its one-year Anniversary in this new space.

On January 11 of last year, PAWS moved its Cat City facilities from a small, cramped office space in Greenwood to this bright, state-of-the art facility on Roosevelt Way. The new-and-improved Cat City features three separate cat colony rooms where kitties like Bramble can lounge on cushions, socialize with others cats and roam freely without being confined to a kennel.

So far, it’s a huge success. In the first year of operation, adult adoptions are up by 31 percent. And most importantly, says PAWS Cat City Supervisor Steph Renaud, “Many more cats are living in a colony setting rather than in a kennel. There’s no better way to really see a cat’s personality!”