FAQs

Is PAWS a municipal (government-run) facility?

No.  PAWS is a private, nonprofit, 501c-3 organization.  We rely on community donations, fundraising events, and foundation grants to fund our programs.

Is PAWS associated with Bourbon County Animal Control?

PAWS contracts with Bourbon County in order to help the County fulfill their state-required obligations.  As a result, we work closely with Bourbon County Animal Control, but we are independent organizations.   We do not have the authority to go pick up strays or investigate cruelty calls.

What animals will PAWS accept?

We are a managed intake, open-admission shelter.  This means we will take all companion animals (dogs, cats, and some small critters) within Bourbon County.  Owner surrendered animals (animals that are not strays) are taken by appointment only.  For more information, see our page about surrendering an animal.

We regret that we cannot take animals from outside of Bourbon County, except for very limited circumstances.

Is PAWS a no-kill shelter?

PAWS will shelter an adoptable animal for as long as it takes to find him or her a permanent home. All animals who enter our shelter pass a medical and temperament test before they are adopted.  We believe in transparency and post all of our statistics online.   We are recognized as one of the top county shelters in Kentucky, caring for thousands of stray and abandoned animals on a yearly basis. PAWS consistently maintains a Live Release rate over 90%, which is among the highest in the country for open-admission shelters.

Being an open-admission shelter, we take in all animals regardless of health or disposition.  Unfortunately, some animals that come to PAWS are too sick or too aggressive to be candidates for adoption.

Are there criteria for adopting animals?

Some.  Every potential adopter must complete an application to ensure they will be able to properly care for an animal.  Visit our adoption page for more information.