Meet San Francisco’s ‘Patron Saint’ of Homeless Pets

Armed with compassion and a wagon full of kibble, toys, and treats, Paul Crowell is changing the lives of homeless pets, one paw at a time.

It was a typical overcast San Francisco day in March when I joined Paul Crowell, founder and sole savior of Project Open Paw, on one of his runs through the Bayview. I’d been following his Instagram feed for years, inspired by his dedication, and was excited to witness his work firsthand.

When I arrived at his residence—a boarding kennel where he cares for the dogs of housed clients alongside his rescue animals—Paul was already outside with his signature cart. It was piled high with dog food, treats, toys, bones, and vaccines he administers to puppies. Despite how full it looked, Paul told me this was a “light” load since we were only doing a short (read: three-plus hour) run. On longer days, he says the cart often overflows and weighs nearly 200 pounds.

With Paul pulling the cart, we walked to the train to head into the Bayview. He’s been coming to this area and nearby Candlestick for about a decade now. He knows the people and their pets by name, and they know and trust him.

As heartbreaking as it is to see unhoused people and their pets living in such harsh conditions, it was just as touching to witness how much the dogs on Paul’s route love him and how their owners revere him. Dogs came running, tails wagging, and their people lit up when we approached. And Paul was clearly in his element. One man approached me with his sweet German Shepherd mix and said, “This guy’s a saint with everything he does for us.” Paul’s often compared to Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals—and it’s easy to see why.

Paul’s been showing up for a decade, giving most of his time and money to the animals that need it most because no one else will. For him, it’s a labor of love. 

I had a lot of questions for him after that day, and Paul was gracious enough to spare me the little time he had to answer them.

Kellie Hanna: “Hi Paul! How are you?”

Paul Crowell: “I am all right. I’m here trying to clean with a bunch of dogs here, so it’s a bit chaotic!”

Kellie: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? 

Paul: I’ve lived in San Francisco for 30 years, but I’m originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I grew up on Cape Cod. Small Town, America. I moved here to San Francisco in about ’90, ’94, and there’s nowhere else that will have me. I’ve tried to move away a few times, and I always just get back here for some reason. Once St. Francis has got you, he’s got you.

Kellie: Yes, indeed! Did you grow up around animals or did you make a connection with animals later?

Paul: I always loved animals. When I was a little kid, I had a lot of problems with other people and children, and people were just really mean to me. I was an abused child and stuff, so my escape was always just to run to the woods and hang out with the animals all the time. So I kind of came to like animals more than people and would just spend my time out in the woods and with other people’s dogs whenever I could. I think it’s a pretty common thing. A lot of people turn to animals because they’re much more understanding and loving than people. 

Kellie: I agree! Do you consider yourself an activist or more of a caregiver?

Paul: Well, I started just being—well, my card used to say provider, rescuer, advocate. And I have become an advocate in many ways for kind of a bridge between the homeless folks and the people at the pound and the vet and stuff. So—yeah, I work a lot with SFACC. Yeah. I end up working on a lot of cases with them and helping them out and we help each other out a lot. So I kind of—yeah—become an advocate. And because the people kind of trust me, I’m very much more approachable to them than—than most folks.

Kellie: You mean unhoused people?

Paul: Yeah. You know, I’m really—I’m known for being non-judgmental and not coming with any kind of agenda. I just go out and help without asking questions.

Kellie: I noticed that when I was on that run with you. You carry yourself without any sort of judgment or preconceived notions. You’re just out there doing your work.

Paul: Yeah. Now I’m legendary. So as you saw, people just—people just come to me. I’m known all around, even with people I don’t know. I’ve been called a myth. Some people were shocked that I existed when they finally met me because I have my small circle of the routes I work in, but I’m well known, though not seen very often, you know?

Kellie: Just like Santa Claus—that’s one of your nicknames, right?

Paul: Yeah. It started with St. Francis from all the media stories. And so I had to try to live up to it. That’s why my documentary is named Meet St. Paul, because I have that reputation. I’ve always thought that’s a lot to live up to.

Kellie: Well, I think you do a pretty good job.

Paul: A saint with a temper and cusses a lot (laughs).

Kellie: What inspired you to start Project Open Paw?

Paul: Well, I got kind of lucky when I started. It started as a kind of angry, rebellious thing, I was working in a dog care facility like I do now and when dogs are boarded, they’re sometimes nervous, uncomfortable, and whatnot. They don’t eat their food, and it gets tossed. And so I started collecting it up because I was drawn like a magnet to all of these homeless encampments with the pit bulls everywhere. I started giving to the people, and that’s how I got started. Then, a new company came in and was taking over that company. And that was one of their first policies—I couldn’t rescue that food from being thrown away anymore. So I got really mad, and it lit a fire in me, and I was like, oh yeah? Watch me now. Now I’m gonna feed them all. And here I am 10 years later, still doing it. 

Kellie: So you just gave out the food anyway?

Paul: Yeah. Well, I kind of, you know—social media was kind of a new thing, and all the young kids I was working with were starting GoFundMe, which was a very new thing at the time. So I just came up with a little plan to set up something on social media, make a lot of friends that way, set up a GoFundMe much like I do now, and just share the pics and photos like you saw I do on my runs. That’s how I’ve always done it. It’s the simplest thing. A professional beggar, basically. (laughs).

 I was blessed. I got media attention right away. I got some big stories on the news and I decided to latch onto that and grab this opportunity to keep going. Here I am 10 years later, still going. I started with five or ten dogs, and now I feed about 70 animals. It just kind of took over my life. I ended up giving up everything of my own life, like having any kind of life of my own and dedicating myself to doing this.

Kellie: That gives you saint status because it’s not something most people would do.

Paul: Yeah, most people couldn’t do it. But I kind of just had the dream and desire and kind of manifested it. Now I get to live in this cage-free boarding facility, so I have a place to work out of and keep all my animals. 

Kellie: Yeah. And how did it grow on its own? Was it just word of mouth on the street that you were this saint guy that was going around feeding their pets, or—

Paul:  I just became known in the unhoused community in the Bayview and got to be trusted because I started taking dogs to the vet. People would just trust me and give me their dogs, which most people would not do. I was trusted because I returned people’s dogs in one piece and intact and not getting them fixed like most folks would.

Kellie: On that topic, I remember you telling me that a lot of unhoused people don’t want their animals spayed or neutered. Why?

Paul: It’s always been a big issue within the [unhoused] community. They’re very against it. They kind of like to breed their own animals, I guess, because otherwise, they would have to steal them or tame strays or something. But it’s always been a big issue. But I’m very proud to have fixed many now. It’s kind of even—it’s kind of a taboo to even talk about it. You know what I mean?

Kellie: How did you manage to get some of them fixed?

Paul: Well, most of our dogs are pit bulls—and it’s illegal to have an unfixed pit bull in San Francisco at all, of any age. So I would always be secretly hoping that they would end up in the pound—at least there they get fixed for free. I had a few willing people have me fix their dogs, and I think people just kind of saw that it was not the worst thing in the world and their dogs survived fine. And so I have several under my belt, and I’ll often get them done for free. I’ve always used the SFSPCA as our vet for all of these dogs, so they will often do them for free for me because it is a kind of public service. I’m stopping more puppies from being out on the streets.

Kellie: Do you remember the very first dog or cat you ever fed on the street? 

Paul: Mami was the first dog I fed on the street, and it became a love affair of the grandest scale imaginable. She was a small classic gray seal blue nose pit, and we were obsessed with each other from the get-go. She just wanted to kiss my face for hours. Her family became my family. She helped my mission so much by being featured on social media, along with her pups. Sadly, she was euthanized in 2020 after defending her human mom on the street. That was the end of an era—Project Open Paw’s Camelot. I still care for her grandchildren and great-grandchild. They were the first family we visited on the day you came on the run with me.

Kellie: You’ve built long-term relationships with people living on the streets. Can you share a story about one person who struck a chord with you?

Paul: So many families, honestly. But one who stands out is my friend Damian. He’s an equal dog freak to me—he’s got “DOGS” tattooed across his knuckles! I started helping him with his Dogo Argentino, Albus, eight years ago when he was just a year old. Damian is a rolling rescue—always helping someone else’s dog, especially when folks end up in jail or rehab. He’s the kind of person who would grab my heavy cart without me even asking. I’ve dedicated myself to helping his three dogs—Albus, Schnitzle, and Winston—who he rescued as a puppy after being electrocuted and left for dead. Damian truly lives for his dogs, and I’m so proud to be his friend.

Kellie: What’s a typical day like for you?

Paul: I have a 5 p.m. curfew every day of the week. I have to close this place [the boarding kennel] and be here for these dogs because it’s a cage-free boarding situation. So someone has to be here for them. I work a full day, all day, and all night, which I enjoy because none of my coworkers are here and I get the place and all the dogs to myself. Other than that, I usually work one hour in the morning and open the place. So I’m working 11 hours or so paid for myself, just enough to eat, but everything else goes to Project Open Paw.

Kellie: Wow! How many hours a week do you devote to Project Open Paw?

Paul: Every day I’m not working. I do all the shopping for Project Open Paw, which is a lot. I have to do that—I put the orders together. That’s a couple-hour task itself. And then I have to hustle out by train out to the Bayview. It’s several hours there, too. So it’s pretty hectic.. But the hours I’m out there are heaven. To me, it’s the best. It’s my therapy, my happy place. 

Kellie: Do you have any help for Project Open Paw?

Paul: It’s hard to get good volunteers. People will come and do it once, but that’s not enough. I need people all the time. Yeah, I need a crew. As you saw, I run the whole time I’m out there. Usually I have to spend time working with the people, and I’ll just keep track of what’s going on with whom. So shorter runs usually will take three hours or so and longer ones about 5. I’m always hustling to make it to Petco for the next day’s food supplies. Back in the day, I would be out there all day, all night. But my life has changed, and my schedule has changed a lot. I used to live much closer, but now I’m a slave to the clock pretty bad. I have to hustle. I used to be out all hours of the day and night on the streets much more.

I help more now and have less time. I used to be way more involved out on the streets with the people all the time and taking in dogs to stay with me from surgeries, or when the owner was in jail. I used to have a lot of dogs stay with me. I love it when they stay with me.

Kellie: Do you primarily help in the Bayview?

Paul: Yes, and I have the other community near Candlestick, an RV park for people transitioning into housing, where they bring in services and showers. But that just closed down and now I’m dealing with the aftermath while I can before they get scattered too far. That program suddenly shut down and people just got kicked out. And I’m doing my best to keep up with them now. And when it’s time for me to go back to two runs a week, it’s exhausting physically and very expensive.

That other route is expensive.  And then there was a cat explosion there. All the cats there just started breeding like crazy. So suddenly, it was a ton of cat food. And providing cat food is expensive. It’s a miracle to come up with so much food sometimes.  I used to get it all back when I was more popular—back in the day, when I was getting featured much more. I would not have to purchase food very often. It would come in. But it has waned.

Kellie: How much does it cost to feed the animals you support?

Paul: It’s five or six hundred dollars every week for food. I get a lot of medications and stuff donated. But the puppy shots are expensive. I used to get them for $5 when I first started doing it a few years ago. But then over the pandemic, they got jacked up to over $35 a piece. I can’t regularly keep up that little service anymore, but I’ve saved a lot of puppies from Parvo, so I’m glad for that. 

Kellie: What keeps you going on the hard days, when it’s cold, when resources are low, or when things feel overwhelming?

Paul: I believe deeply in the purpose of this mission. Many have tried to do what I do but couldn’t stick with it. I have no team, no grants, just a camera phone, and a pen—but I persist. When it’s cold or storming, I remind myself that my people live in those elements every day. I won’t let the weather stop me. This dream is everything to me—I’ve sacrificed everything else for it, so I hold on with my heart and soul.

Kellie: Some people say unhoused individuals shouldn’t have pets. What would you say to them?

Paul: It’s a tough topic, and honestly, I’m split on it. I’ve seen the worst cases of neglect, but also people who would give everything for their pets. Many times, those animals are their only reason for living. Should unhoused people have pets? Maybe not. But they do. These animals exist, and they need help. That’s what matters. I choose to be that help, that light in the darkness.

Kellie: Some people believe in “callings”—a strong inner urge or sense of purpose that guides them toward a certain type of work or life path. Do you believe Project Open Paw is your calling?

Paul: Project Open Paw is most definitely my calling. It healed my life immediately—my alcohol and drug problems disappeared almost organically as soon as I began this work. It filled the void those substances never could. I honestly believe this is a god-given path for me. I bet I’m one of the workers for Saint Francis, channeling that energy and spirit to bless the animals of our city. It’s become something of a religion for me. I’ve sacrificed nearly every other part of my life to do this work—hobbies, social life, art, time in nature—and I have no regrets.

Kellie: Since many of the animals you support aren’t spayed or neutered, the need for food, vaccinations, and medical care must be enormous and constantly growing. Without volunteers, it seems unsustainable for just one person. How do you see maintaining Project Open Paw in the next few years?

Paul: I can only provide vaccines when we get a windfall of donations. I refer the folks I help to free resources and push for spay/neuter when I can, especially with cats. But honestly, Project Open Paw isn’t sustainable—not by one person. It runs on love, faith, and miracles. Many people dabble, but very few are willing to sacrifice what I have. The love I receive in return is what keeps me going, even when it’s overwhelming.

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Want to help Paul’s mission and support Project Open Paw?

Volunteer: Reach out to Paul on Facebook or Instagram.

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