“Friends of the Westerly Animal Shelter” or FOWAS is a group of local volunteers that are dedicated to supporting animal care at the Westerly Animal Shelter. They are a 501-C non-profit, whose mission is “Supporting Westerly Animal Shelter in it’s quest to promote the health/welfare of lost/abandoned pets and to educate and assist those who care for them.”

Through fundraising, FOWAS uses 100% of its proceeds to take care of situations that the town doesn’t pay for. There are 3 major categories where these funds may be directed.

1. FOWAS will pay for non life-threatening surgeries that an animal may need to make them more adoptable. For example, a dog with the condition ‘cherry eye,’ which is a disorder of the Nictitating Membrane, could receive the surgery needed to fix the eyelids, therefore making the dog more adoptable and able to find a suitable home.

2. A portion of the proceeds from fundraising also goes to behavioral training, which will teach animals basic commands and help control anxiety, and anger or aggression, which often comes from the animals being caged for long periods of time. Like cosmetic surgery, this training will also greatly improve the animal’s ability and likelihood to be adopted.

3. Finally, FOWAS also helps save animals deemed “non-adoptable” and finds Rescues for animals on the “Euthanasia List.” For the animals that do not meet the criteria for adoption, the FOWAS will make donations to the Rescues that will accept these animals into their shelters; essentially saving them from being euthanized.

The “Pints for Paws” flyer, which promotes the event.

So how can you help?

Sally Trefes Sorensen, FOWAS volunteer, and manager of the Windjammer, a popular beach bar located in Misquamicut, RI, has created the “Pints for Paws” event.  This fundraiser allows “Celebrity Bartenders” the chance to hop behind the bar and show off their bar tending skills. Every Thursday in August, from 6pm-8pm at the Windjammer a celebrity bartender will join a veteran Windjammer bartender, and the duo will donate all their tips to the FOWAS. At certain events, there will also be live music, and the opportunity to purchase tickets for the annual FOWAS raffle, which offers a first place prize of $1,500, a second place prize of $1,000, and a third place prize of $500, with a $3/ticket purchase.

The sunset at the Windjammer during the first of 4 “Pints for Paws” event. (photo credit: R. Jacobson)

The first “Pints for Paws” of the summer went off without a hitch, and it is expected that each and every Thursday will bring in more and more money for FOWAS.

For more information on the “Friends of the Westerly Animal Shelter” and for an up-to-date list of the celebrity bartenders participating in the event, follow them on Facebook.