Our Story

From Two Hearts, One Mission

Every great story begins with people who care. Ours began in 1969 when Colonel Syd Sacerdote looked at the stray and abandoned animals in Columbus and decided to do something about it. He founded the Muscogee County Humane Society, the very first animal shelter in our region. For four decades, this shelter provided a safe haven for animals seeking their forever homes.

Thirty years later, in 1999, another group of animal advocates came together with a different approach. They formed PAWS Columbus, determined to prevent pet homelessness before it began. Where the shelter offered refuge, these advocates offered prevention strategies.

The Power of Unity

In 2009, these two organizations joined forces to become Paws Humane Society. One brought 40 years of sheltering experience, the other brought a decade of advocacy work. Together, they formed the largest companion animal welfare organization in the Chattahoochee Valley, headquartered at 4900 Milgen Road in Columbus, Georgia.

We became a solution-based community resource with a clear vision: to create a no-kill community where every healthy and treatable animal finds a loving home.

Transforming Our Community

The impact has been substantial. Working alongside the city's animal services, our programs helped reduce shelter intake from 8,000 animals annually to 4,000. The change for cats was particularly notable: euthanasia rates dropped from 90% to below 10%.

We achieved this through targeted community programs:

A New Chapter of Trust

For 15 years, we operated entirely on private donations and community support, building an animal welfare system that served thousands of animals. When our community faced a crisis in 2024 with the municipal animal services system, the City of Columbus turned to us.

On February 1, 2025, we accepted the responsibility of managing all of Columbus's animal care and control services. The organization that began as two groups of concerned citizens now serves as the official steward of animal welfare for our entire region.

Looking Forward Together

Today, Paws Humane operates as both a publicly trusted service provider and a privately supported nonprofit. Our Paws Animal Services Division ensures every animal in Columbus receives professional care, while our original programs continue through the generosity of donors.

Our story encompasses the 100,000 surgeries performed and the thousands of animals adopted. It reflects a community that chose to take action. It shows how volunteers became advocates, advocates became professionals, and professionals became problem-solvers. Colonel Sacerdote's vision in 1969 has grown into an organization that both shelters animals and works to prevent homelessness from occurring.

Your support has made this possible. Every person who has adopted, fostered, donated, or volunteered has contributed to this story. Together, we're building a no-kill community, one life at a time.