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, our 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, 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 estimates of more than 650,000 stray dogs and over a million stray cats. 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 and cats 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 Palmas Animal Welfare’s mission.

Each rescue tells a story of hope: from a sick dog or cat nursed back to health through months of treatment, to a puppy or kitten 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.