Cause for the Paws

About Cause for the Paws

Every year more than 23,000 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens rely on the Metro Animal Care and Control Shelter (the MACC) as their last and only hope of rescue from unthinkable abuse and neglect, or the tragic life of an abandoned stray.

While many animals were successfully returned to their grateful owners, sadly in 1999 only seven pets were adopted from the MACC. In 2006, through public awareness and increased public support, 1,462 MACC animals found "forever homes."

Still, this only constitutes a small fraction of the abandoned, abused, neglected and unwanted pets in desperate need that come through the doors of the MACC each year. In 2006, the shelter was forced to euthanize 14,475 animals. Some of these tragic cases were due to illness or aggression, but many were simply the result too few adoptive families.

It was in response to these shocking and heart-wrenching statistics, the merchants of the world famous Printers Alley took action, forming The Printers Alley Merchant Association’s Cause for the Paws. An organization whose mission is to save to the lives of Nashville area pets through facilitating adoptions, community education, advocacy initiatives, and financial support of the incredible work of the Metro Animal Care and Control shelter (the MACC).

In just a few short years Cause for the Paws has grown to a community wide cooperative of individuals and businesses that are passionately committed to the belief that every pet deserves a loving forever home, and that it is our community's responsibility to make the world safer and healthier for them.

If you would like to contact us about working with Cause for the Paws, you can send an email to volunteers@causeforthepaws.com