St. Croix Animal Welfare Center

15/06/2026

Every face in this video exists because someone said “yes.” 💚🐾

Yes to the tiny puppies needing a safe place to land.
Yes to the sleepless nights.
Yes to the messes, the feedings, the goodbyes, and the happy tears when they finally found forever homes.

For years, Katherine “Kat” Pugliese has been that “yes” for countless SCAWC puppies. 🐶❤️

While creating some of St. Croix’s favorite restaurants and feeding our community, Kat has quietly opened her home and heart again and again to our island’s homeless animals.

This Wednesday is Kat’s big birthday 🎂, and an anonymous donor wanted to honor her incredible compassion with a $25,000 matching challenge for the animals she loves so much.

Thanks to everyone who has already donated, we’re getting closer! 🎉 But there is still $17,211 available to be matched before Kat’s birthday.

That means:
🐾 $25 becomes $50.
🐾 $100 becomes $200.
🐾 $500 becomes $1,000.

Help us give Kat the birthday gift she really wants: more second chances for animals just like these. 💚

Donate using Facebook’s donate button or visit:
🐾 StCroixAWC.org/donate

Let’s unlock every dollar for Kat and St. Croix’s homeless pets. 🐶🐱

15/06/2026

Greetings Paws from Paradise fans!!! We have 18 dogs and pups heading off island Thursday June 18. As a result we could use some volunteer dog walkers from 0700-730 at our 5 Corners/clinic location. Come on out and tire out and say goodbye to our lucky island pups. If interested please text 340-474-9736 free puppy kisses for all who volunteer.
Thank you all,

15/06/2026

Our Internet and Phones are out at our Clinic/Intake Bldg at 5 Corners. Please call or text our clinic cell (340)642-1490 to reach us.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Waiting on Liberty/Broadband.

12/06/2026

Sharing this good info from our neighbors at Humane Society of St. Thomas USVI.

🐾 Why Do We Post Stray Holds When an Animal Is Clearly a Stray? 🐾

This is a question we hear often at the Humane Society of St. Thomas.

Sometimes a dog or cat arrives at our shelter and it seems obvious that they have been living on the streets for quite some time. So why do we still post them on Facebook and ask if anyone knows their owner?

The answer is simple: it’s the law.

When an animal is brought to the Humane Society as a stray, we are legally required to place that animal on a five-day stray hold. During that time, we must make every reasonable effort to locate an owner if one exists.

While some animals may appear to have been living on their own for weeks, months, or even longer, we never want to assume. Pets go missing. Families move. Animals wander farther than expected. Sometimes a beloved pet that has been missing for months suddenly turns up.

The stray hold period gives owners an opportunity to reclaim their pet while ensuring we are following the laws that govern animal welfare in our community.

At the end of the day, our goal is what is best for the animal. If an owner is found, we want to reunite that pet with their family whenever possible. If no owner comes forward, the animal can then begin the next chapter of their journey toward adoption, rescue, or foster care.

So when you see one of our stray hold posts, please share it. Even if the animal looks like they’ve been on their own for a while, you never know who might recognize a familiar face.

Thank you for helping us give every animal the chance they deserve. ❤️🐾



Pictured below is Nova. This beautiful, but very shy coconut retriever would love to find her very own family. A family that can be patient and show her love as she understands she needs and wants love.

08/06/2026

Help us celebrate the woman who has helped so many of St. Croix’s animals. 💚🐾

If you know Katherine “Kat” Pugliese, you know her heart. ❤️ As the talent behind some of St. Croix’s most beloved restaurants — Bacchus, Eat @ Cane Bay, Un Amore, and now Cheese & Bread— Kat has spent years nourishing this community. But behind the scenes, she has also been changing the lives of countless animals at the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center.

Kat has opened her home to countless foster animals in need, adopted SCAWC pets as family, donated supplies, and generously supported our lifesaving work time and time again. Simply put, when animals need help, Kat shows up. 🐶🐱

Now, in honor of Kat’s milestone birthday 🎂 on June 17, an anonymous donor is stepping up in a BIG way with a $25,000 matching challenge!

Their birthday wish for Kat? To inspire everyone who loves her — family, friends, restaurant guests, fellow animal lovers, and supporters both on and off island — to come together and raise $25,000 for the animals she cares so deeply about.

Starting today, every dollar donated in Kat’s honor will be matched, doubling your impact for St. Croix’s homeless pets through her birthday on June 17. 🐾

$25 becomes $50.
$100 becomes $200.
$1,000 becomes $2,000.

Every gift celebrates Kat’s incredible compassion and helps continue the lifesaving work she has supported for years: giving animals on St. Croix the second chances they deserve.

Let’s show Kat just how much love this community can give back. 💚

Donate through Facebook’s donate button or visit:
🐾 StCroixAWC.org/donate

Happy early birthday, Kat. Thank you for proving kindness is contagious. 🥂🐾

08/06/2026

✈️🐾 From island puppy to endless possibilities. 🩵💙

A special SCAWC thank you to Bohlke Aviation for joining us as a Putter Level Sponsor for last Sunday’s golf tournament! ⛳️

Their generosity helps create brighter futures for animals like Kraft, an adorable shelter puppy hoping his next big adventure is a forever home. 🐶🏡

At SCAWC, every animal’s journey looks a little different. Some find families right here on St. Croix, while others get their second chance through lifesaving partnerships beyond our shores. 🌴✈️ Support from community partners like Bohlke Aviation helps make those happy endings possible.

Thank you, Bohlke Aviation, for always helping St. Croix soar. From supporting our island community to lifting up our four-legged friends, we are grateful to have you by our side. 💙🐾

Learn more about our community partner at Bohlke Aviation: ✈️👇www.Bohlke.com

Meet Kraft: 🐶💚👇
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/213668508

07/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello during yesterday’s 🏳️‍🌈 parade, gave our pups some love, and generously donated to support the animals of SCAWC. 🐾❤️ Every dollar helps us continue providing care, shelter, and second chances to animals in need.

A very special thank you to our wonderful volunteers, Sharyn and Dave Pittman, for helping our adoptable pups enjoy a fun day out in the community. We couldn’t do what we do without volunteers like you. 💕

Our parade stars, sisters Harmony and Coconut, 🐶 🐶 loved all the attention, but they’d love a forever family even more. These sweet puppies are still waiting for homes of their own. 🏡✨

Meet Harmony: 🐕
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/213488193

Meet Coconut: 🐕
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/213488213

Thank you, St. Croix, for always showing up for the animals. 🐾

05/06/2026

Flight changes and torrential downpours don’t stop Paws from Paradise from our mission! Low rider Sloppy Joe and sweet girl Sophisticated headed to partner Shultz Guest House in Boston. Both of our babies were escorted by Michael and Kara Jund. A huge thank you to both for picking up their pet in cabin fee and meeting us in the downpour! These babies wrapped both of them around their little paws. Sweet life babies. Gonna miss my boy Sloppy Joe

05/06/2026

It's calendar 🗓️ turn week Muscles & Mutts fans! This week we're turning from Francisco and Doggie Polo, to Kaeden and Doggie Cera.

Thanks to our May models and Polo's 🐶 adopters, sponsors Christie's International Real Estate USVI St. Croix and Estera STX. We appreciate all the kind day sponsors as well, including doggos Scout, Charlie and Mack. We appreciate St. George Village Botanical Garden for letting us shoot on-site.

Shout out to former St. Croix Dolphins swimmer Kaeden for being our June model! He's photographed at Sand Castle on the Beach Hotel -- St. Croix, US Virgin Islands with SCAWC alumni Dubai (now Cera). 🐾. We so appreciate this month’s sponsor, Umami Sushi.

Thanks to John Eastman of Eastman Photography for photographing 📷 BOTH these months! We also appreciate you sponsoring June 10th for Lucy & Chaney!

Halfway through 2026... our calendars are now on fire 🔥 sale! One for $15 or two for $25. Pick them up at our 5 Corners or flea market locations and make the second half of your year a little spicier!