Palmas Animal Welfare: 100% Volunteers, 100% Heart - Saving Strays and Completing Families
Palmas Animal Welfare, a grassroots nonprofit fueled entirely by volunteers, is stepping forward to shine a light on Puerto Rico’s stray crisis - and the community-powered solution that is saving lives every day.
With no paid staff and no overhead, Palmas Animal Welfare directs every dollar of donations to where it counts most: extensive and expensive shelter medicine, adoption travel protocols, shelter space. From heartworm treatments and sterilization surgeries to the cost of airfare for animals traveling to stateside adoption partners, every contribution fuels a life-changing rescue.
“We want communities to know that there is complete transparency,” said Elisabeth Cusack a spokesperson for Palmas Animal Welfare. “Donations go straight into the animals: their medical care, their sheltering, their supplies, and their path to a forever home. There is nothing extra - we are 100% volunteer-based.”
Our Mission
Palmas Animal Welfare: Save a life, complete a family, and help build a stronger Puerto Rico, our United States Territory.
The organization’s mission is to address the stray animal crisis in Puerto Rico through rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption. Following strict shelter medicine protocols, the group prepares animals for fostering and travel while partnering with stateside adoption groups to secure permanent homes.
“Every adoption means one less animal suffering on the streets and one more family completed,” the spokesperson continued. “And beyond the animals, it means safer, healthier neighborhoods and hence an enhanced Puerto Rico.”
Why It Matters
Puerto Rico faces one of the highest stray populations in the United States, with more than 650,000 dogs. Given the severe overpopulation, many of these healthy, adoptable animals are put down simply because there are not enough homes. The work of Palmas Animal Welfare, therefore, literally saves lives that would otherwise be lost. Palmas Animal Welfare currently funds the care of 100’s of animals annually, with shelter costs running into the thousands each month. The group is a lifeline for dogs who would otherwise have no chance.
Education, community outreach and exploring management and prevention of an increased stray population, remains a constant endeavor and lives at the core of the group's mission.
Each rescue tells a story of hope: from a sick dog nursed back to health through months of treatment, to a puppy flying hundreds of miles to finally find a loving home. These stories are made possible only through the generosity of donors and the dedication of volunteers.
How to Help
When you purchase from PUPEYE, 10% of the proceeds go directly to funding their mission. You can also make a direct impact by donating, fostering, or adopting.
To learn more or make a direct donation, please visit their website: www.palmasanimalwelfare.org
Author: Elisabeth Cusack, President of Palmas Animal Welfare
