Animal Aid

Mission

Animal Aid of Portland enhances the welfare of companion animals through individualized care and lifelong commitment, rescue and adoption, resources and education, and community partnerships.

We operate a free-roam shelter for cats; a foster program for dogs and cats; It Takes a Pack, a community-driven supply sharing program; and the Animal Aid Cares Fund, a partnership with local veterinarians, behaviorists, and trainers to offer funding for urgent medical or behavioral care.

We specialize in assisting animals who may be struggling in larger shelters, as well as Heartstrings Pets: These may be senior animals, animals needing significant medical or behavioral care, or shy animals requiring extra reassurance and time. We commit to the animals we rescue for life, including post-adoption support and a lifelong return policy.

Bottom Line for Portland

In 2023, Animal Aid assisted more than 130 animals and their families in the Portland metro area: We cared for 94 cats and dogs through our rescue program, provided over $19,700 in financial aid for urgent medical or behavioral care to 30 guardians through our Animal Aid Cares Fund, and shared more than 5,000 lb. of food and a wide variety of animal care supplies with our 15 Pack partners and local guardians.

Beyond the numbers, the impact that we make in our community is our focus on helping animals who have more extensive medical or behavioral conditions and thus fewer rescue options. Typically, about a third of our annual rescue intakes are these types of animals, whom we refer to as Heartstrings Pets. By devoting extra time, care, and resources to them, we aim to save a life that might otherwise be lost, help bring together a new family when that animal is adopted and contribute to building a more compassionate community for both pets and people in Portland.

Quote

“I’ve always loved working with the great folks at Animal Aid. The passion they bring to everything they do is inspiring and heartwarming. I’ve hosted several fundraising events for them, and the audience they draw is SO IN LOVE with their animals and the programs and services offered by Animal Aid, the energy in the room is palpable! As one who has loved and lost pets over the years, it's so comforting to know Animal Aid is here for our community to help us through the tough times and to celebrate the good!” - Poison Waters

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Animal Aid wants to be a part of the movement toward social justice for traditionally marginalized communities, and we recognize the need for more diverse representation within the animal welfare community. We have a lot to learn and, more importantly, a lot of action to take to help make our nonprofit, our community, and the animal welfare sector a more inclusive and diverse place. We understand that racial injustice is deeply ingrained in our society, and we recognize how we have benefited from and perpetuated a system that is responsible for countless atrocities committed and lives lost as a result. We understand that we can no longer be silent, that we can no longer let this be someone else’s issue; we understand that to effectively create change, we have to start with ourselves. Read more about the steps we are taking at animalaidpdx.org/DEIA.

Incentives

• Friday 11/1 Incentive: Support Animal Aid and local businesses! The first 10 people to donate $50 or more, get a randomly selected $25 gift card to one of the following locations: Rose City Coffee, Greenbridge Coffee, Hinterland Coffee, Citrine Bloom, College, Savory Spice, Trader Joes, Mudbay, or Portal Tea.

Tuesday 11/26 Incentive: Not only is this a Big Give Day, it's a chance for you to win a custom pet portrait by Allyssa, our Dog Program Coordinator who doubles as an artist! Anyone who donates $10 or more, gets entered to win and each $10 donation for the day counts as an entry. Donate $20 - get 2 entries to win. Donate $50 - get 5 entries to win. 

Friday 11/29 Incentive: It's Black Friday and anyone who donates today gets an Animal Aid alumni sticker or a keychain PLUS $5 off any of t-shirts or sweatshirts. Don't miss our adoptable black animals that are being featured today as well!

Monday 12/30 Incentive: Anyone who donates between 9am-12pm today gets entered to win the opportunity to name an Animal Aid cat or dog AND receives a custom piece of artwork from the animal they named. 

Partner(s)

Poison Waters: Warm and welcoming, quick-witted and savvy, Poison Waters is not just a personality, she is an experience you'll not soon forget!

Project POOCH: Project POOCH provides opportunities for youth in corrections to develop the personal and vocational skills needed to become responsible and productive members within their current environment and upon rejoining their community. Project POOCH youth are paired with dogs to learn kennel management, positive reinforcement, grooming, and training techniques.

The Pongo Fund: The Pongo Fund is Oregon’s only full-time charity focused on fighting animal hunger. Because hungry people have hungry pets. We work tirelessly to reduce shelter populations and keep families together by providing emergency pet food assistance to anyone in honest need.
We!Shine: WeShine designs, builds, and operates neighborhood-based micro-villages that provide safe, transitional shelter with wrap-around services for Portland’s underserved, unsheltered adults as they prepare to become successful tenants in permanent, affordable housing.
 

The Pongo Fund & We!Shine are part of Animal Aid's It Takes A Pack program, helping to keep pets with their families!