About the Nonprofit
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Animal Welfare Association (AWA), a private, non-profit, 501(c)3 animal welfare organization, operates the oldest and largest low-cost spay/neuter clinic, adoption center and no-kill animal shelter in South Jersey. We do not receive funds from the government or national groups. We rely upon local donations to fund our life-saving programs. Through a variety of innovative programs including adoptions, veterinary services, pet therapy, trap-neuter-return and humane education, we strive to ensure that animal companionship is accessible to all.
Founded in 1948, Animal Welfare Association was one of the first humane organizations formed by a group of volunteers to serve Camden County and all surrounding areas. In the early years, dedicated volunteers took homeless animals into their homes and provided them with shelter and love until a new home could be found. Committees were devoted to educating people about proper pet care, wildlife rehabilitation, and proper sheltering of unwanted animals.
During the late 1960’s and 70’s, AWA opened its shelter on a rural dirt road and continued their progressive ways by opening the area’s first Spay/Neuter Clinic, the ABC (Animal Birth Control) Clinic in 1974. Fees were as low as $25 and in the first year over 1,700 dogs and cats were sterilized. In the 1980’s, AWA operated numerous community services and added the Pet Therapy Program to honor the bond between people and their pets.
Beginning in the late 1990’s, our shelter started limiting its intake to focus on saving more lives and reducing euthanasia. By 2009, the shelter adopted a strong “No-Kill” philosophy. To accomplish this, given that every shelter has space constraints, AWA takes pets in to the shelter by appointments and cannot take in every animal. Caring for animals that require extensive medical care or behavioral rehabilitation means that these pets stay in our care longer and it costs more to care for them. We are unable to take in animals at all hours of the day without any planning because the pets in the shelter require our care.
From day one, AWA has been more than just a shelter. We have made it our responsibility to educate the community, provide accessible veterinary care and become a progressive leader in animal welfare.
We are so proud of how far we have come, but we recognize that there is still a long way to go. We are eager to continue our mission of eliminating the suffering of animals, promoting the importance of the human-animal bond, and improving the role of animals in the well-being of people.
