DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

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Pawsitive Alliance’s Role and Vision

The animal welfare field, unfortunately, suffers from a noticeable lack of diversity, despite the fact that the beneficiaries of our work include individuals and families from a wide array of backgrounds, regularly serving people of color and the most vulnerable in our communities, which can often be a result of or exacerbated by racial discrimination. These individuals are the ones who often rely on and benefit from animals for companionship, support, and even their livelihoods. Recognizing this, we are deeply committed to fostering connections and actively engaging with these communities. By promoting inclusivity in our programs and working toward more diverse representation within our organization, we strive to bridge the gap and create a more equitable and empathetic animal welfare landscape that encompasses the needs and experiences of all.

DEI Statement

Pawsitive Alliance strives to ensure cats and dogs in Washington state a happy and healthy life by
focusing on empowering their caretakers, building a community of inclusion with our clients and
partners that is fueled by diverse viewpoints and ideas.

  • We are committed to removing barriers to keep or care for a pet, and as a result many of our
    programs are focused on serving under-resourced communities.
  • We are committed to fostering innovation and collaboration, and to create and customize
    strategies and solutions to approach challenges together.
  • We are committed to continuously improving our culture of inclusion, both at the
    organizational level and with the communities we serve.


Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that our work with partners across the state of Washington takes place on the occupied traditional lands of the region’s first people.

The bulk of our staff, board, and volunteers work on lands known today as the Puget Sound, in Washington State. This area is part of the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people, consisting of more than 60 recognized tribes including the Duwamish, Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Muckleshoot, and Tulalip tribes. We recognize with gratitude the land itself and the Coast Salish people as stewards of that land since time immemorial, and we acknowledge the disruption of this work by colonization.

We make this acknowledgement regularly at board meetings and community events, to share knowledge, and remind ourselves that the Coast Salish people continues their work today, to support their people, their culture, and the pets and animals in their region.