Our Mission

Non-Profit Status

The Providence Animal Rescue League (PARL) is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1913. We are governed by a Board of Trustees, composed of volunteers from the community. PARL does not receive federal or state funding and relies solely on donations from generous individuals, businesses, and foundations to support its programs and services. Tax ID: 05-0262712

Our Values

Integrity: Through transparency, open communication, and reliability, we create opportunities for collaboration, and achieve greater impact through connected relationships.

Innovation: We are committed to continuous improvement, and integration of innovative ideas that support the changing needs of those we serve.

Service: We serve people and animals best with a professional, compassionate, and cooperative approach.

Positivity: We approach situations with enthusiasm and an optimistic perspective to foster a supportive and welcoming atmosphere.

Quality: We maintain a commitment to consistently high standards based on industry guidelines and analyze our impact regularly.

Our Core Beliefs

• The human-animal bond is an essential part of a thriving community.
• Animals and humans have a basic right to food, shelter, medical care, and healthy relationships.
• The physical, mental, and emotional needs of individual humans and animals are important.
• Policies and approaches of the animal welfare movement must be free from racism and discrimination.
• Animals and humans do the best they can given their circumstances and those who struggle should be supported.
• Partnerships with other animal welfare organizations and human service agencies are vital to support the holistic welfare of animals and their human families.

About Us

Since 1913, PARL has been a haven for hundreds of thousands of animals in need in the Greater Providence area and beyond. As an open admission shelter, we practice managed intake and aim to help every community member when they are faced with the difficult decision to surrender their pet. We also take in stray animals in situations where our shelter is the appropriate and only option for that animal. Although PARL is not contractually obligated to assist our state’s animal control facilities, we routinely do so because we believe that a strong partnership between animal welfare organizations is vital to our mission.

PARL meets the nationally recognized requirements to be considered a 'no-kill' organization. We do not euthanize any animal due to age, space, or length of stay. Euthanasia is only considered for animals posing significant safety risk to the public due to aggressive behavior or those suffering due to a medical condition beyond the help of treatment. We publish our statistics annually to maintain transparency and accountability (see below).

Conversation-Based Adoptions

PARL is an open adoption animal shelter, which means we seek to create a welcoming and barrier-free adoption process that is entirely conversation-based. We believe every person who wants a companion animal deserves one, and through conversation, we seek to find the best match for both adopter and animal. Through this process, we build trusting relationships with adopters, encouraging them to communicate openly and honestly with us if they should need our advice or assistance. 

Providing Individualized Quality Care

We strive to consider each animal's individual needs, addressing their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing every step of the way from intake to outcome. Specially trained staff and volunteers spend time handling, grooming, socializing, training, and interacting with each animal. Our dedication to enrichment, training, and physical activity helps reduce animal stress and encourages healthy development. Contributions to our LEAP Fund and partnerships with local trainers are vital to the success of these efforts.

Our medical service team is dedicated to the health of each shelter guest. All animals receive routine vaccinations, physical exams, and any other required treatments ranging from spay/neuter surgery to flea and tick preventative to major surgery while in our care. This commitment to care requires a large, up-front investment on our part, but it is a vital part of our mission and is, thankfully, often boosted by support from our Betsy's Fund.

Our Community Programs

PARL has a variety of programming to support pets in our community and the people who love them. Several of these programs have seen significant increase in demand since the start of the pandemic and are helping to keep pets and families united through these difficult times.

Pet Food Pantry
Provides complimentary pet food, cat litter, and assorted pet care supplies to anyone in need due to financial hardship. (Application and renewal process has been waived due to pandemic.) For more information, please call 401-421-1399.

Low Cost Vaccine/Microchipping Clinics
Provides affordable vaccinations and microchipping services for cats and dogs in the community. 

Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic 
Provides affordable spay/neuter services for community cats, dogs, and rabbits. 

Annual Statistics

PARL is a participant of Shelter Animals Count and is proud to report our statistics to maintain transparency, identify trends, and consistently reflect upon where we are, where we have been, and where we want to go. The reporting format tracks the status of every pet using a nationally recognized standard known as the Basic Data Matrix, created in accordance with the Asilomar Accords. 

PARL is also a proud Best Friends Animal Society Network Partner. Our shelter is committed to saving every animal in our care who can be saved. We do not end the life of healthy or treatable pets even at an owner’s request. We only euthanize a pet if:

• A veterinarian has assessed that there is no chance of recovering an acceptable quality of life, or
• It would be clearly inhumane or unsafe not to do so immediately, or
• In cases of irremediable aggression when (1) a veterinarian has eliminated medical treatment as a solution; (2) rehabilitation by a specialist in behavior has failed;  (3) staff and public safety cannot be reasonably assured, or other management protocols seriously compromise quality of life.

Read more:

• 2023 Organizational Stats
• 2023 Impact Report
  
  
• 2022 Organizational Stats
  
• 2022 Impact Report 
  
  
• 2021 Organizational Stats
• 2021 Impact Report
  
  
• 2020 Organizational Stats
• 2020 Impact Report
  

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Providence Animal Rescue League stands alongside and supports the Black community to call for and commit to equity and inclusion. Black lives matter. We reject racism in any form. We believe in inclusivity and diversity and will work to ensure that we continue to demonstrate that through how we serve our community and how we treat each other. In 2020, PARL established a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee, comprised of both board and staff members to prioritize this important work.

Read our Statements Against Racism

Strategic Goals

1. Center the animal-human bond in our programs, services, and storytelling.
2. Positively impact pet acquisition and pet surrender cycles within our community.
3. Increase access to preventative veterinary care for companion animals in our community.
4. Ensure PARL's long-term sustainability and fulfill our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
5. Maintain and improve our facilities to successfully support our work and the animals in our care.

Learn More About Our Strategic Plan 2022-2027