About AAWL

Here's What People Are Saying About Us

The Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA (AAWL & SPCA) is the largest and oldest no-kill shelter in Arizona. We are a no-kill shelter in that we do not euthanize animals except for the rare occasions when it is in the best interest of the animal to do so, usually from untreatable medical conditions.

AAWL & SPCA rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes more than 2,500 dogs and cats that are abandoned or that have been surrendered by their owners. We do this primarily by rescuing them from other shelters in Maricopa County where they are likely to be euthanized due to the lack of time and resources to care for them. At any one time our shelter will hold 190 cats and 90 dogs. We also have a foster parent network of approximately 80 families who provide care and shelter in their homes for puppies and kittens that are too young to be adopted, and those animals that are recovering from medical procedures or that need socialization before adoption.

All pets offered for adoption have been spayed or neutered; micro-chipped and are current on all vaccinations. Any medical treatments needed, including surgeries, are provided by our medical team and all animals are evaluated by our behavior department.

AAWL & SPCA not only adopts companion animals into loving homes, we also hold a leadership position in the community in education and animal welfare issues. Please review our Education section to learn about all of our programs.

Background

The Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL) was founded in 1971 by a group of concerned animal lovers. This group was led by Amanda Blake, best known as "Miss Kitty" on the television program, Gunsmoke. Starting out on a small scale, concerned volunteers adopted rescued cats and dogs from foster homes. In the late 1970s, the organization built its first shelter. By the mid 1990s, the AAWL & SPCA began rescuing animals scheduled to be euthanized by the County, and, after rehabilitation, made them available for adoption to the community. Over the past 39 years the organization has grown from adopting a handful of animals each year to a full service animal welfare organization and leader in innovative behavior training, medical care, adoption, education and community outreach programs. Today our shelter has an onsite veterinary clinic, kennels with a separate cattery, a training center and a freestanding infirmary.

In 2005, the Arizona Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) merged into AAWL. The new organization was renamed the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA (AAWL & SPCA).

AAWL & SPCA is the lead agency for the Maddie's Project in Maricopa County. Maddie's Project is a nationwide program started in California and currently working in most cities in America. The goal of this project is to make Maricopa County a community in which every healthy and treatable dog and cat in an animal shelter can be guaranteed a permanent home.