As February wraps up, we celebrate AWA's amazing work. This month's report focuses on lifesaving projects, educational outreach, and facility upgrades. Our volunteers and supporters help animals in our community thrive.
Enhancing Shelter Facilities: A New Era of Comfort and Convenience
This month, we completed the second set of dog runs! These new runs give dogs more space to move and play, and they also increase efficiency for kennel cleaning, leaving staff more time to explore training projects and enrichment. With more room, our dogs are happier and healthier, enjoying better socialization.
We also installed a new water bottle refilling station near the community room. Thanks to a wonderful volunteer, staff and visitors can easily access clean, filtered water. This station promotes sustainability and supports events and educational programs.
Development and Grants: Supporting Our Mission
Fundraising is strong. Pet Sponsorships brought in 10% more donations than last month. The Celebration Wall launched to excitement, showcasing over 425 celebration photos. Donors, volunteers, and employees can honor their pets while helping AWA’s mission.
We secured several grants totaling $12,900. Some notable granters include the following:
- Best Friends Animal Society Rescue Roundtable Grant – $4,000 for cat transport improvements, helping us support other regional animal shelters to move closer to No-Kill for Cats.
- Petfinder Foundation Grant – $1,000 for small animals
- Petco Foundation VOW Vaccine Medical Stipend – $900
Community Engagement & Events: Spreading Awareness and Raising Funds
Our Philadelphia Auto Show participation led to a generous $5,000 donation from Subaru of America. Our annual Pins for Purrs event raised $2,956, surpassing last year’s total. The revamped Puppy Bowl 2025 featured social media donations, with our Challenge Fund matching contributions to double the impact.
Looking ahead, we’re preparing for:
- Tats for Tails at 168 Tattoo (February fundraiser)
- Philadelphia Flyers AWA Fundraiser (March 29th)
- Paws & Feet 5K & Doggie Fun Day (May 4th at Cooper River Park)
Shelter Updates: Adoption Growth and Expanding Partnerships
Adoption rates are up, showing a 4% overall increase compared to last month:
- Cats: 157 adoptions (down by 2%)
- Dogs: 100 adoptions (up by 16%)
- Small Animals: Consistent year-over-year numbers
Intake numbers stayed steady, though two canceled cat transports from one of our partners affected totals. Our team is forming partnerships with smaller rescues to help more animals find homes, even during slower months.
Our foster program is actively recruiting for kitten season. Educational opportunities, like clicker training and puppy socialization courses, have been well received, strengthening our fostering community.
We partnered with Fetch Pet Insurance to offer adopters insurance coverage at adoption, helping reduce returns due to unexpected vet costs. Early enrollment shows a promising 67% success rate.
Our behavior team has seen a 25% increase in revenue from group training classes and is working with the foster department to enhance ongoing education.
Clinic Services: Expanding Lifesaving Efforts
The AWA clinic completed two MASH clinics so far in 2025, sterilizing 119 feral cats. Another clinic is planned for March 17th before a break for spring and summer.
Education & Outreach: Inspiring the Next Generation
Our education department has kicked off the year strong:
- 11 birthday parties, hosting over 200 guests and raising valuable donations
- 9 school visits, reaching more than 120 students
- STEM outreach at Dwight Eisenhower School, educating 50 students about animal careers in STEM
- Field trips for adult special education students, focusing on animal enrichment
- Wags and Wiggles program, teaching gentle handling for 2–4-year-olds
These efforts nurture compassion and awareness about animal welfare in our community.
Volunteers & Community Support: Making an Impact
The Pet Food Pantry served 44% more families, growing from 124 last year to 179 this year. Volunteers packed and distributed over 1,000 pounds of pet food, helping families care for their beloved animals.
Our MLK Day of Service was a success, with 156 volunteers creating over 426 enrichment toys for shelter animals. This hands-on event shows the power of community action in improving the lives of animals in our care.
Marketing & Digital Presence: Engaging a Wider Audience
Website traffic grew positively, with a 5.24% increase in new users, but revenue dipped after year-end giving campaigns. Social media engagement was mixed:
- Facebook: More views and reach, but fewer new followers
- Instagram: Higher engagement despite slower follower growth
- TikTok & YouTube: Fewer views, but more shares and likes
- LinkedIn: Significant increase in new followers (75.6%)
AWA also received strong press coverage from major media outlets, including 6ABC, CBS3, Fox29, and the Courier Post, highlighting our impactful programs and community initiatives.
Looking Forward
As spring approaches, we look forward to more adoptions, increased support, and a stronger connection with our community.
Thank you to everyone who makes this lifesaving work possible – our dedicated staff, passionate volunteers, generous donors, and community supporters. Here’s to another month of making a difference for animals in need!
