Prevention-led animal welfare.
Community-rooted change.
Our Vision
Kathleen’s Paws exists to develop humane, prevention-led solutions for animals and the communities they live within.
We believe lasting change is not created through reaction alone, but through collaboration, structure, and trust.
By working alongside communities rather than against them, sustainable animal welfare becomes possible.
What begins locally can inform wider systems change.
From Rescue to Prevention
Frontline rescue saves lives.
Prevention changes futures.
Both matter- but without prevention, the cycle continues.
Early hands-on experience in rural Bulgaria revealed both deep compassion within communities and the repeated cycle of preventable suffering when structured support systems are absent.
Without humane population control, education, and local partnership, the same challenges return year after year.
Kathleen’s Paws was built on the understanding that alongside crisis response, prevention reduces suffering at its source and supports longer-term stability.
Our Three Pillars
Kathleen’s Paws operates through three interconnected pillars designed to create long-term, measurable change.
Community-Based Prevention (Bulgaria)
Working directly with rural communities and municipalities to implement humane population control and responsible ownership initiatives — building practical, scalable models at local level.
Guidance Hub
Providing education, practical guidance, and emotional support for rescuers, carers, and community leaders working in challenging environments — recognising that those supporting animals also need structured support.
Global Voices
Connecting grassroots realities with international awareness — amplifying local experiences, highlighting systemic challenges, and encouraging cross-border dialogue and collaboration.
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Together these pillars form a prevention-led framework that bridges grassroots compassion with policy-level thinking.
Early Foundations
Bulgaria
The initiative began with direct, on-the-ground work in one rural village — supporting humane neutering efforts, building trust with residents, and building relationships with veterinary partners, NGOs, and municipal representatives.
From these early conversations and actions, a collaborative approach began to take shape.
This groundwork reflects a core belief: sustainable change starts locally — and grows through partnership.
The Story Behind The Name
Kathleen’s Paws is named after Kathleen — a small dog whose early life reflected many of the challenges seen across rural communities.
Her story was not unique. That was the point.
What began as a personal connection became a wider realisation: that behind every individual animal is a larger system shaping their reality.
Kathleen represents not just one life, but many — and the reason this work exists today.
About the Founder
Kathleen’s Paws was founded by Liz, an animal welfare advocate working between Bulgaria and the UK.
Her work focuses on bridging grassroots compassion with structured, prevention-led systems — fostering collaboration between communities, rescuers, and local authorities.
Alongside field experience, she is completing training as an animal rescue mental health support worker, recognising that sustainable animal welfare also requires supporting the wellbeing of those doing the work.
Her work is grounded in the belief that sustainable animal welfare requires both practical systems and support for the people behind them.
Training & Development
December 2025
ICAM ( International Companion Animal Management Coalition.
Humane Community Development.
Implementing DPM (Dog Population Management)
DPM for Policymakers.
November 2025
Four Paws.
Shelter Adoption Academy Certificate.
CNVR (Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return) Online Course
In Progress
Battersea Academy.
ISCP Level 3 in Animal Rescue Mental Health Support Worker.
ICARE Contemporary Issues in Animal Rights Law.
ILLIS Animal Behaviour.