PAWS is made up of a hard-working group of part-time local and expat volunteers committed to protecting animal welfare in Kuwait. PAWS’ aim in forming, in late 2003, was to open Kuwait’s first officially licensed shelter for injured, lost or abandoned animals. Until PAWS was established, nothing was being done to address the issue of stray, abandoned and injured animals in our country, (in any organised way). The first phase of our shelter project opened in July 2005. Although a building was donated, every development to turn this site into a shelter has been carried out painstakingly through donation and fundraising. We are unfunded by any private or municipality source and every brick, fence and can of paint has been gifted or purchased through donations.