A nationwide movement bringing people inside animal shelters
to advocate for homeless pets
How the Pawty Works
The Shelter Slumber Pawty is a collaborative fundraising event
that brings together animal welfare organizations to raise funds
and awareness.
Each year, hundreds of animal lovers from across the globe spend ONE ENTIRE DAY living side-by-side with shelter animals. That’s right! Participants spend 24 hours eating, sleeping, and “pawting” with shelter pets! Participants share their experience on social media while asking for donations from friends and family.
While fundraising is an important aspect of the event, showcasing animal shelters and the animals in their care may be even more impactful. For 24 hours, animals participating in the pawty have
an advocate while the shelter increases its visibility throughout
the community.
Why Staying Matters
Animal shelters are often loud, busy, and overwhelming environments.
During the Shelter Slumber Pawty, something remarkable happens: when every kennel and animal space has a human present, the environment shifts.
Animals settle.
Stress behaviors decrease.
Connection increases.
Participants consistently report seeing animals relax and engage
in ways they had not observed before. The experience changes
how people understand shelter life and transforms them into long-
term advocates.
How the Pawty Started
In 2017, Gateway Pet Guardians (GPG), located near St. Louis, Missouri, hosted the first Shelter Slumber Pawty. GPG asked staff and volunteers to spend 24 hours in kennels living side-by-side with shelter dogs while asking for donations. The entire event was live-streamed on social media, giving the public a glimpse into the lives of shelter animals. By the time the 24-hour Pawty was over, the team had raised over $30,000! The Shelter Slumber Pawty expanded in 2019 when 17 St. Louis area organizations came together to raise much-needed funds for the community.
In 2023, the first-ever International Shelter Slumber Pawty brought together over 40 shelters from four countries who collectively raised over $600,000! Highlights from the 2023 Pawty can be seen in the video below. The 2025 Pawty hit a new milestone. 56 agencies across the United States, South America and Africa raised over $1 million!
“As soon as the Pawty began and every kennel had a person, the shelter got quiet. The dogs settled almost immediately.”
- Slumber Pawty Participant
“The Shelter Slumber Pawty brought in donors we never would have reached otherwise. It gave our supporters a meaningful way to advocate directly for our animals.”
— Participating shelter
A Collaborative Model
The Shelter Slumber Pawty was designed to support shelters without adding burden to already stretched staff.
Shelters lead their own Pawty locally, while the national movement provides structure, tools, and visibility. Participants fundraise through their own networks, bringing new donors and attention to each organization.
This collaborative approach allows shelters of all sizes and resources to participate while amplifying their reach through a unified national effort.
More than a fundraiser
At its core, the Shelter Slumber Pawty is about changing perspective.
When people spend time inside shelters — not as visitors, but as witnesses — they begin to understand the lived experience of homeless animals. That understanding drives deeper compassion, stronger advocacy, and sustained community support.
Every Pawty creates new ambassadors for shelter animals and strengthens the connection between shelters and communities they serve.
Join the Movement
The Shelter Slumber Pawty takes place annually each spring at participating shelters across the World.
Individuals - You can be part of it by:
Participating at a local shelter - reach out to your local shelter to find out more
Supporting a participant or shelter through donation
Sharing the stories of shelter animals - follow the Pawty on our social channels: Facebook | Instagram
Partnering or sponsoring the event - contact jamie@projectbella.org for sponsorship opportunities
Together, we can expand visibility, advocacy, and care for homeless pets nationwide.
Shelters and other nonprofits - You can be part of it by:
Joining the International Event - fill out the Interest Form to participate in the next Pawty
Leadership
The Shelter Slumber Pawty was founded by animal welfare advocates committed to expanding community engagement and support for shelters through innovative, low-barrier fundraising and storytelling. Project Bella is the nonprofit created to launch and support the Shelter Slumber Pawty. The foundation focuses on empowering animal welfare organizations to raise funds and awareness for lifesaving and community programs.
Jamie Case
From the start of her career in animal welfare, she knew that shelters were not the place for animals. She saw families surrendering pets while crying out for help. She also saw local shelters filled with adoptable dogs and cats that were being euthanized. As someone who thrives on impactful results and implementing true community change, Jamie went to work to build infrastructure to close the gap between those two things.
Building a community and industry-leading organization from the ground up at Gateway Pet Guardians has been her greatest professional accomplishment. She was fortunate to take that experience to the national level and work with thousands of shelters that wanted to make impactful change in their communities. During her time at American Pets Alive!, Jamie honed her problem-solving and project management skills to operationalize the strategy of the Human Animal Support Services project.
Currently in her role as a Director for the Northern Tier Shelter Initiative with the ASPCA, she can support shelters as they navigate the uncertainties of animal welfare. She is fortunate to have the ability to not only provide consultations but also best practice resources and grant funds for shelters in seven northern states.
As a passion project, The Shelter Slumber Pawty is an outlet to further assist shelters. Cofounded in 2023, Project Bella Foundation was created to support the expansion of the Shelter Slumber Pawty that originated at Gateway Pet Guardians in 2017.
Laura Nelson
Currently as the Senior Manager for the ASPCA's Northern Tier Shelter Initiative, Laura oversees program integration, grant management and data systems, while also driving efforts to expand the program’s reach across the broader animal welfare field. Before joining the ASPCA, Laura served as Program Director for Gateway Pet Guardians in East St. Louis, IL, where she managed shelter operations and led both the adoption and foster teams.
Laura co-founded the Shelter Slumber Pawty with Jamie in 2017 when both were leading Gateway Pet Guardians. To take this project International in 2023, Laura co-founded Project Bella to inspire and support shelters across the globe.