Why a Sanctuary?

The concept of adoption is not practiced on this island. Most locals will not take in cats as domestic pets and consider them pests. There are hundreds of homeless cats living the wild, lurking in the dark, hunting for food, digging in garbage cans without being seen for fear they will become another innocent victim of abuse - or worse. With this perception, island cats don’t have much of a future. However, you can make a difference in the lives of these cats by adopting from us. We at P.A.W strive to give as many animals a forever home but with the scarcity of space and funds, it is very difficult.

If it wasn't for the intervention of P.A.W, many more cats would end up with the same fate as countless others on this island. Many of these animals have a short life span due to starvation, human cruelty, dog attacks or lack of medical intervention. Strychnine poison bait traps are sanctioned by the government and are common throughout the island. Cruelty is an unfortunate reality in Belize. Sadly, it is readily tolerated. Click here to view an image of the typical treatment of cats by many islanders (WARNING: graphic content).

At PAW we give a little piece of "haven" to each and every cat who comes through our doors.

We would really like to see this change and find homes for as many cats as possible. We are hopeful that this will change as tourists and visitors find this island and call it home or begin to express an interest in helping us better the situation. Until this begins to happen, the sanctuary cats will remain at P.A.W. to live out their normal lives and we will continue to make a difference everyday in the lives the unwanted cats of this island - helping one animal at a time.

We welcome and need your support as it is vital to our continued work. Please consider donating to our cause or say yes to adopting one of our lovely island cats.

Here are a few other ways which you can support P.A.W. and help animals in Belize:

• Donate to P.A.W.
• Write letters of protest to government officials in Belize.
• Write letters to elected representatives.
• Write a letter to your local newspaper, radio, television, or other news outlet.
• Host a booth or table at your next local event.
• Raise money to help us with medical care, spaying and neutering, feeding and caring for injured and abused animals.

At P.A.W., we know that help comes in many forms. We're appreciative of anything you can do to help our cause.