PERFORMING ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY

Rescue. Advocacy. Sanctuary. For Life.

Since 1984

Newsletter | September 2026

In this issue:

Bobcat Archer Anniversary

Healthy Treats for PAWS’ Animals Are a Click Away

The Great Emu War (Not at PAWS!)

Archer

Celebrating Bobcat Archer’s One-Year Anniversary!

While big cats may get much of the attention, two smaller feline residents make their home at PAWS: bobcats Archer and Rumi. This month, we’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of Archer’s arrival on September 7, 2025.

Archer was seized by California authorities from a roadside facility following investigations into neglect and poor animal welfare. PAWS is now providing lifetime care for several other animals from that same facility, including black bear Dally, mountain lion Casey, and tigers JB and Franklin.

Archer is not your typical bobcat, who naturally tends to avoid people. He is communicative with his caregivers, greeting them with deep, rumbling purrs.

Archer’s custom-built habitat sits next to Rumi’s, and he often spends time quietly observing her with great interest. From the elevated platforms in his enclosure, he takes in the sights, sounds, and scents of the natural world around him.

Won’t you join us in celebrating Archer – a true survivor and much-loved member of the PAWS family? You can make a donation in his honor or “adopt” Archer to help provide for his lifelong care.

Popcorn and Fruits and Nuts, Oh My!

You might be surprised to learn that PAWS regularly purchases cases of popcorn and other healthy treats for the rescued and retired wild animals who call our sanctuary home.

Popcorn is more than just a tasty treat. Caregivers provide it daily to elephants, bears, and monkeys as a low-calorie snack that encourages natural foraging behaviors and supports overall health and welfare. Bears Dally, Ben, and Mack, and monkeys Zeppo and Chico enjoy dried fruits, nuts, and seeds as part of their diets. 

You can help keep the treats coming with a few clicks!

PAWS’ Amazon Wish List makes it easy to provide some of the animals’ favorite healthy snacks, from sunflower seeds and pecans, to pine nuts, dried fruits, and fresh oranges. 

The Wish List also includes other important supplies, such as kidney support supplements for our felines. These supplements can help promote healthy kidney function in younger cats and provide vital support for those beginning to show signs of age-related renal disease.

When purchasing an item, check the box indicating that your order is a “Gift.” Then, at check out, enter your name and email address in each “personalized gift message” box. We’ll be able to identify your gift and thank you in a future newsletter!

Visit PAWS’ Amazon Wish List and help us stock up on these key items. Or make a donation by clicking on the link below.

Every purchase and donation helps provide the care – and healthy treats! – our animals deserve.

PAWS' Emu Georgette

Outwitting Humans in Australia’s Great Emu War

Emus aren’t always taken very seriously. They’re often depicted as silly characters in insurance commercials, cartoons, and social media memes. These portrayals belie the intelligence and resilience of these impressive animals – and their exceptional place in history as the bird that outsmarted the Australian army.

Found only in Australia, the emu is the second tallest bird in the world after the ostrich – standing between five and six feet tall and weighing more than 120 pounds. With their long, powerful legs, emus can reach running speeds of 25-30 miles per hour, with strides measuring up to nine feet. They communicate with deep, booming calls that can carry for more than a mile.

These abilities served emus well in 1932, when an unusually large number of them migrated into farmland in Western Australia during a drought, damaging wheat crops as they searched for food and water. In response, the Australian government sent members of the Royal Australian Artillery, armed with machine guns, to kill 20,000 of the large birds.

What followed became known as the “Great Emu War.”

The military quickly discovered that its weapons and strategies were no match for the emus. When confronted, emu groups as large as 1,000 animals scattered into smaller units and spread across the landscape, making them nearly impossible to target.

Emus also had a clever defense strategy. Groups often had a lookout that watched for danger and alerted the others, giving them time to escape.

After about a month, the government withdrew the troops. The cost of the failed campaign, negative media coverage, and growing public sympathy for the animals made continuing the effort unpopular.

The number of emus killed remains uncertain – but there was no question about who won this battle.

Attempts to control emu populations continued in later years through measures such as bounties and fencing. In 1999, however, wild emus received formal protection under the Australian government.

Today, PAWS cares for six emus (some of whom are pictured): Noir, Billy, Blue, Artemis, Cynthia, and Georgette. We give these remarkable animals the respect and care they deserve. After all, they’re descendants of the great emus who once outwitted an army!

Did you know that you can help the animals at PAWS with just a few clicks?

Our Amazon Wish List includes items we use every day at the sanctuary, such as health supplements, food, batteries, and other essentials. 

By purchasing directly from the list, you support PAWS and help give the animals the best care possible.

Click here to see needed items and make your purchase!

Thank You to Our September Amazon Wish List Donors:

Shelley McCune: one bottle of Kidney Support, 60#. Beverly Archer: two bottles of Kidney Support, 60#. Shaw Law Group: legal services. Marianne Reece: Oranges, 20lbs. Apurva Bhatt: Oranges, 70lbs. Anonymous: two bottles of Kidney Support for Dogs, 60#; one bag of Pecans, 5lbs.

RESCUED TIGER FALCOR

PAWS provides lifetime care to the tigers, bears, elephants, and other animals who call our sanctuary home. Your kind support provides expert daily care, necessary veterinary treatments, and specialized nutritional support, all tailored to the individual needs of each animal. Your gifts make this excellent care possible.

There are many ways you can help PAWS animals:

Donate. Although we work closely with regulatory agencies on animal rescues, PAWS receives no government funding and must rely on your donations to continue our work. When you make a contribution for the wild animals at PAWS, it is unlike any other. How many people can say they’ve gifted elephants with spacious rolling hills and a more natural life, or made a present of a lush, tree-filled habitat for a tiger? Or given a bear a new chance at life? And you ensure we are prepared for the next wild animal in dire need of rescue. Three ways to give and every donation matters.

PAWS is proud of its 4-star rating with Charity Navigator - the highest rating possible. We are part of an elite group of charities with an "exceptional" designation (at least four consecutive years of 4-star ratings), meaning that your gift will have the greatest impact possible. CharityWatch gives PAWS an "A" rating.

Give to one of PAWS' ongoing MightyCause campaigns: Our "Dollars for Dirt" or "Give BIG for PAWS' Elephants" fundraisers for the elephants, like Prince (pictured), or our "Help Captive Tigers" fundraiser to benefit the rescued tigers living at our ARK 2000 sanctuary.

Adopt A PAWS Animal. If you would like to help our animals, one of the best ways is to become an "adoptive parent," or give a PAWS adoption as a gift to an animal lover in your life. PAWS adoptions are symbolic adoptions only. No animal will be sent! Learn more

PAWS Amazon Wish List. We have chosen specific items that are needed at the sanctuary, which you can purchase directly from Amazon. Many items are ongoing. The list is always current! View here.

EBAY Giving Works. Visit PAWS eBay page to view our current listings and to bid. List your items on EBAY and choose PAWS as your charity. Donate a percentage of each sale to the animals. Visit our EBAY charity listing page here. Start selling or buying!