Business Details
47 Years
experience
Your Trusted Animal Welfare Partner in Baton Rouge
Founded in 1979, we are the first and oldest non-profit organization in the Greater Baton Rouge Area dedicated to animal welfare. Our mission focuses on three core pillars: facilitating adoption of homeless animals, providing community education on responsible pet ownership, and promoting spay/neuter practices to reduce pet overpopulation. With over four decades of service, our organization operates as both an educational resource and adoption shelter, housing dogs and cats in need of permanent homes. Our team of dedicated volunteers delivers humane education programs to schools and businesses, conducts pet touch therapy visits to nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, and manages trap-neuter-release initiatives for feral cat populations.We maintain rigorous adoption standards to ensure animals find suitable homes while offering public assistance programs for pet owners facing financial challenges. Through community partnerships and donor support, we provide critical veterinary care, shelter resources, and educational outreach across East Baton Rouge Parish and six surrounding parishes. Our volunteer-driven model ensures 100% of donations directly support animal care, medical treatments, and community programs. We maintain transparent operations with documented adoption processes, volunteer training protocols, and measurable impact reports demonstrating our effectiveness in reducing euthanasia rates and improving animal welfare standards regionally.
Services
Animal Adoption
Humane Education
Spay/Neuter Programs
TNR Program
Pet Touch Therapy
Details
- Year established: 1979
Highlights and features
- We have served the Baton Rouge community for over 40 years with dedicated animal welfare programs
- Our volunteer-run model ensures maximum resource allocation to animal care
- We offer comprehensive spay/neuter assistance and TNR programs proven to reduce euthanasia rates
- Our humane education initiatives reach schools and community groups across seven parishes
- We maintain transparent adoption processes with documented health and safety requirements
Associations and certifications
- 501(c)(3) charitable organization
What people say
Excellent adoption experience
Well-adjusted shelter animals
Stress relief through therapy
Positive outcome for both sides
Changed my life
Services
Animal Adoption
Our adoption program connects homeless dogs and cats with permanent families through structured evaluations and documentation requirements. We maintain medical records, conduct adoption interviews, and require veterinary documentation to ensure proper animal care. The process includes online listings, adoption events, and post-adoption follow-up to guarantee successful placements while preventing pet overpopulation.
Humane Education
We deliver customized presentations about responsible pet ownership to schools and community groups across seven parishes. Our programs cover animal behavior, local pet laws, and spay/neuter importance through interactive sessions with live demonstrations. Materials include age-appropriate handouts, videos, and activities designed to promote lifelong humane treatment of animals through educational outreach.
Spay/Neuter Programs
Our two-pronged initiative provides financial assistance through $25 coupons and full-cost vouchers for low-income residents. The program covers surgical costs at approved veterinary clinics with eligibility requirements ensuring resources reach those most in need. We serve seven Louisiana parishes with income-limited assistance while maintaining strict documentation of all procedures performed.
TNR Program
This initiative manages feral cat populations through trap-neuter-release methodology, providing equipment loans and surgical vouchers. We've sterilized 1,265 cats in the past year, preventing over one million potential births while reducing shelter euthanasia rates. The program includes volunteer trapping assistance and requires participants to return cats to original locations post-surgery.
Pet Touch Therapy
Our registered volunteers conduct therapeutic visits with trained animals at healthcare facilities across Baton Rouge. The program demonstrates measurable benefits including stress reduction, improved social skills, and enhanced mobility for participants. All therapy animals undergo behavioral screening and maintain current vaccination records to ensure safe interactions with vulnerable populations.
Questions
How do I adopt a pet from CAAWS?
Visit our website to view adoptable animals, complete an application, and schedule a meet-and-greet appointment at our Baton Rouge shelter.
What spay/neuter assistance do you offer?
We provide $25 surgical coupons and full-cost vouchers for qualifying low-income residents across seven Louisiana parishes with documented eligibility.
Can I bring my pet to therapy visits?
Our Pet Touch Therapy program requires volunteer certification and basic obedience training for participating animals through our structured application process.
How can I schedule humane education programs?
Contact us via email to coordinate customized presentations for schools or community groups with age-appropriate materials and live demonstrations.
What are your adoption requirements?
All adoptable animals must be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and have medical records verified before placement through our documented health protocols.
Do you accept out-of-parish donations?
As a 501(c)(3) organization, we welcome tax-deductible donations from all sources to support our Baton Rouge-based animal welfare programs.
Videos
Reviews (6)
Frank Lozano
Feb 17, 2022
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They ask the community to take care of their free dogs the ones abandoned by irresponsible owners and despise the joy of actually buying a full bred puppy that could make a better pet. They hate on breeders because we're suppose to all take abandoned animals. Some people have allergies and need other dogs or want dogs who can play with children but they intimidate people to buy otherwise. They complain about not having homes for their dogs but make the process so hard. They are absolutely ridiculous. The whole process has become absurd.
Swampland
Jan 22, 2022
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I adopted skittles now ( Frankie). Although the paperwork seems kind of ridiculous. The staff were friendly and helpful. This was my first adoption and everything went smooth and they were informative. Love my buddy Frankie.
Connie K. Meyers
Jan 20, 2022
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I really wanted to adopt Snookie, but due to my age and fear of covid (not to mention the weather today) I was unable to come to the CAAWS shelter today. My family and I have adopted from CAAWS two other times over the years. I understand your caution when placing an animal for adoption, but our past experience with you should count for something. As an older dog I am afraid Snookie will be hard to place. I hope I am wrong and a loving family makes her a part of their family. Sincerely, Connie (Constance) Meyers
LaWanda Washington
Sep 16, 2021
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This was my first time going through an adoption center to receive a pet. But I must say, it wasn't a bad experience at all. When the hurricane hit our city during Hurricane Ida, they were very professional about it by rescheduling our appointment with their facility. Would strongly recommend to our friends and family.
Leland Redmond
Jun 06, 2021
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We adopted a beagle/basset hound mix from CAAWS in 2019 and have loved every minute of it. Great people to talk to, get advice from when caring for your dog!
Taylisse B.
Dec 10, 2020
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Very professional and amazing follow up after I adopted my cat from here. They are solely volunteer based but extremely responsive and a great place to adopt your pet from! Also great to foster with CAAWS and that's how I ended up adopting my cat. Go here!
