PAWS is an all-volunteer, non-profit animal rescue and foster network, founded in Wakefield, MA, in 1982 by the late Esther Nowell. PAWS grew out of Wakefield’s Canine Control Committee and now responds to various types of animal-related needs in the Greater Boston area—especially north and northwest of Boston.

Our primary services consist of the following:

Humane Response Line—a voicemail service, linking our members and the public to our volunteers to help find solutions for animal-related questions and issues, including inquiries about adoptions, rehoming, behavioral issues, finding vet care, lost and found information, and more.
Pet Adoptions and Re-Homing—matching pets and people for companionship.
Low-Cost Spay/Neuter—working with the community to ensure that pet guardians have access to affordable spay/neuter and vet-care options for their companion pets.
Community Cats Management—working with the community to ensure that free-roaming cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and provided with food and appropriate shelter and friendly strays are either reunited with their homes or adopted to new homes.
Educational Programs—hosting speakers and educational opportunities and providing literature and other educational material at meetings and community events.

We serve the people and animals in many communities, primarily north and west of Boston. Our core communities include Wakefield, Lynnfield, Reading, North Reading, and Stoneham. However, we field calls from all over New England, and we are willing to accommodate requests as long as we have a volunteer available and able to respond. Whenever we are unable to help directly, we provide referrals to other organizations that may be able to offer assistance.

Our top priority is given to members, volunteers, adopters, and other PAWS supporters, plus requests from residents of Wakefield, Reading, Stoneham, and Lynnfield.

Note: Since we do not have a facility that qualifies under the State’s quarantine requirements, we are not certified to import animals from locations outside of Massachusetts.

An Afternoon of Personal Discoveries 2025

By PAWS Wakefield

An Afternoon of Personal Discoveries 2025