Paws4Life

Once Lost, But Now Found.

The righteous care for the needs of their animals

Proverbs 12:10

Paws4Life is a Louisiana nonprofit corporation organized for the purpose of saving the many thousands of homeless and abandoned dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens that perennially populate North Louisiana and East Texas.

We have been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code since our founding in 2016. Donations to Paws4Life are therefore eligible for the charitable contribution deduction provided under Section 170 of the Code.

We fulfill our mission through our foster and transport programs and a variety of correlated initiatives.

Foster and Transport Programs

We routinely save more than a thousand puppies and dogs every year through our foster and transport programs by:

Developing a base of committed foster families who provide interim homes for pets awaiting transport to rescue organizations for their ultimate adoption.
Assisting fosters in obtaining veterinary care, pet food, and necessary supplies.
Maintaining close working relationships with leading adoption facilities that exemplify the highest standards of excellence and professionalism.
Transporting foster pets to adoption facilities in sections of the United States where there is a shortage of adoptable pets and a surplus of loving families willing to bring them into their homes.

These core components of our operations enable us to facilitate the adoption of homeless and abandoned pets from our region that otherwise might die on the streets or be euthanized in a public animal control facility.

Supplementary Initiatives

We supplement our core foster and transport programs by:

Obtaining grants to maintain a pet pantry that contains dog and cat food, as well as many of the supplies necessary to assist needy pet owners in caring for their pets rather than surrendering them for either adoption or euthanasia.
Conducting "Operation Healthy Paws" to educate pet owners about essential veterinary care and the importance of spay-neuter procedures as the most effective and humane way to reduce the number of homeless pets in our region.
Sponsoring low-cost spay-neuter procedures.
Advising governmental officials in Louisiana and Texas concerning best-practice standards for public animal shelters.
Assisting state law enforcement authorities in identifying cases of animal hoarding and cruelty, and in arranging for rescue organizations to take custody of the affected animals pending their ultimate adoption.
Assisting pet owners and governmental agencies in caring for animals in the wake of hurricanes and other natural disasters.

About Paws4Life

Meet the Team

Paws4Life is powered by a team of dedicated volunteers who share the ultimate goal of giving dogs and cats a second chance at life. From coordinating the rescue of homeless and abandoned animals, arranging for any necessary veterinary care, developing a network of dedicated foster homes, and coordinating their ultimate transportation to responsible adoption facilities, to sponsoring and conducting community educational events, each member of our team works tirelessly to fulfill our mission. Together, we ensure that every pet has the opportunity to find a safe, loving home.

Tanya Parker — President & Board Chair

Tanya has served as President and Board Chair of Paws4Life since its founding in 2016. A retired registered nurse, Family Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and longtime nursing professor, Tanya brings decades of healthcare experience to her work in animal rescue. During her professional career, she also served as an expert witness and provided professional opinions in more than 1,000 nursing malpractice cases throughout the United States on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants.

After more than 20 years of volunteering with rescue organizations located in Louisiana and Texas, Tanya founded Paws4Life to address the challenges facing homeless and abandoned animals in our region. Her extensive medical background, combined with her passion for animal welfare, continues to guide Paws4Life's mission and approach to our rescue work.

Tanya lives in Shreveport with her husband, Rick, and their three dogs, Rosey, Henry, and Wadsworth.

In addition to saving homeless pets, she enjoys heirloom sewing and teaching young girls to sew, tending her cottage flower garden, and spending time with Rick in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Laura Alvis — Secretary and Board Member

Laura serves as Secretary of Paws4Life and is honored to be part of an organization dedicated to helping animals in need. She has worked with Lamar Outdoor Advertising for more than 22 years and, along with her husband of 20 years, David, owns Silver Star restaurants.

Laura has a lifelong passion for animals and believes that sharing life with a beloved pet makes our time on earth even more meaningful. Her own dogs, Jax and Charlie, bring tremendous love and joy to her life and are her loyal companions.

Laura and David have a daughter, Ava, who is a high school senior. When she isn't working or volunteering with Paws4Life, Laura loves spending time with family and friends, especially at the beach or lake—her family's happy places.

She is proud to play a part in Paws4Life's mission and to help give a voice to animals who cannot speak for themselves.

Rita Cooks — Treasurer and Board Member

Rita serves as the Treasurer of Paws4Life and is honored to support the organization’s mission of helping animals in need. Coming from a strong Christian and military family, Rita has a heart for service and recently returned to a career in public service.

Her involvement with Paws4Life goes beyond her role as Treasurer—she has joined Tanya on rescue transports and enjoys volunteering wherever she can make a difference for the animals Paws4Life serves.

Rita is married to the love of her life and has two daughters. In her free time, she enjoys reading, sewing, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is also a proud pet parent to Elle and LiLu, two three-year-old Texas pups who bring plenty of joy and personality to the family.

Anna Grace Pierce — Marketing Director and Board Member

Anna Grace serves as the Marketing Director for Paws4Life. A graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Marketing, Anna Grace uses her background to help share Paws4Life’s mission with the community through social media, website development, digital content, fundraising campaigns, and community outreach.

With a passion for animals that began in childhood, she enjoys using her creativity and marketing experience to raise awareness, connect with supporters, and highlight the animals, volunteers, fosters, and partners who make Paws4Life’s work possible.

Anna Grace is also a proud dog mom to Maple, her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who makes her love for animals even stronger.