The people at A Helping Paw Humane Society don’t just help pets — they help people, too — but now they’re asking for a little bit of support themselves.

The registered 501c3 nonprofit at 3086 Cranberry Highway in East Wareham, which currently combines a thrift shop with a “no-kill” animal shelter, is looking for a new home.

But in order to do that, they need a bit of help from the public.

Director Crissy Tomkiewicz, one of five directors at the shelter, said that they no longer can raise the funds necessary to keep the shelter running through the thrift shop because of competition in the area. They do have a newer, smaller location in mind, but need to raise $6,000 for rent in order to do so.

“There’s a huge need in the area, and we’re trying to fill that need not just to the pets but to the people who rely upon them,” said Tomkiewicz. “If they can provide care to a pet, it saves another pet’s life.”

For 15 years, A Helping Paw has provided support to both pets and people in the Buzzards Bay and Wareham area. Through programs like “Pet a Pet for Health,” which provides healthcare to people who can’t afford to treat pets with illnesses, and their “Pet Food Pantry,” which provides pet food to people struggling to keep up financially, the shelter has helped over 3,000 pets and people per year.

“We help in areas where there is a deficit,” said Tomkiewicz, "where people aren’t being helped or pets aren’t being helped.”

Tomkiewicz said that there is a huge need for homes for cats especially, and by housing and finding homes for the animals, they’re able to keep them out of other animal shelter, where animals, and cats especially, are often euthanized. She said they often end up with “high risk” pets, older pets, and cats with basic health issues and neurological issues.

"It’s very sad to see animals born just to become euthanized,” she said. “The cats suffer the greatest, so we focus our efforts on that.”

As of now, “A Helping Paw” will have to vacate their current location by the end of the month, and in the meantime, they will be downsizing on their adoption program.

“We’re urgently in need of a building,” said Tomkiewicz. “For the last 15 years, we’ve been giving to community. We need now for the community to support us. We’re pleading to the public to help us stay right here in Wareham.”

Those interested in helping A Helping Paw Humane Society can donate in a variety of ways. The thrift store is still accepting donations, and the shelter accepts financial donations through their GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/ahelpingpaw. For more information, visit http://www.ahelpingpaw.org/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Helping-Paw-Humane-Society/98365260052 or call (508) 291-PAWS.

“Our directors are not paid,” added Tomkiewicz. “It’s a grassroots effort. We just don’t want anyone sending their pets to the shelter. That’s the most important thing. Keeping pets home and out of shelters.”