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Connecting Tails and Tech: Network Update at a Non-Profit Animal Rescue [Case Study]

September 2025


A black dog with white markings sits on a concrete floor beside stacked TRENDnet networking equipment boxes and cable ties, suggesting a network upgrade. Adjacent is a close-up of a network rack with organized patch panels and switches, where white Ethernet cables are neatly bundled and labeled, highlighting a professional installation.

Aging networking infrastructure is something all organizations will have to deal with eventually, and it’s no different for Paw Works, a non-profit animal shelter based in Southern California. Organizations can reduce and minimize both time and cost spent on infrastructure upgrades by using the latest networking technology to futureproof and extend the use of networking equipment.
The Challenge
Paw Works Animal Rescue is a nonprofit rescue organization that partners with local county and city animal shelters to give abandoned animals another chance at finding their forever home. In addition to pet adoptions, they run and support community programs that address animal overpopulation and abandonment, and focus on responsible pet ownership.
Upgrading the rescue’s existing networking infrastructure was far overdue. Not only had technology advanced significantly since their last upgrade, but some of their aged equipment needed to be replaced. For example, their existing patch panels had broken punch-down tabs or failing ports which required constant movement of cabling to ports that were still functional. There are also plans to add an onsite spay and neuter clinic that would require additional networking support. Several more data points were needed to meet their current and future needs, as well as PoE cameras for better onsite surveillance.

Three photos show cats and dogs in different care settings. The first features cats lounging on cloud-shaped shelves in a purple-walled playroom. The second shows dogs of various breeds behind a chain-link fence in an outdoor kennel. The third captures a group of kittens resting closely together on a soft surface indoors.

The Solution
All existing patch panels were immediately replaced by TRENDnet® blank keystone patch panels and keystone jacks. TRENDnet’s keystone patch panels and jacks give Paw Works a modular networking solution, providing greater installation flexibility, and flexibility for future upgrades and expansions. Plus, with the addition of the new spay and neuter clinic, delivering a stable connection for medical equipment and additional computers was a high priority.
A network rack setup displays a switch and two patch panels with numbered ports, all connected by neatly bundled Ethernet cables routed through cable management bars, illustrating a structured and professional cabling system.
Most of the patch panels were installed on server racks in their main server room. However, some were added to other parts of the buildings, including the 19-inch Hinged Wall Mount Brackets (TC-WP6U), which were placed in attics where most of the Cat6A data cables and the Cat5e camera cables were terminated.
The previous network infrastructure utilized unmanaged switches exclusively, but with adding 40 new data points and 16 PoE cameras, a managed network was required, particularly for VLAN support to be used with the new phone system. The new phone system supported PoE; with the new phone system and PoE cameras, the animal rescue needed a minimum PoE budget of 200W. Paw Works chose the 28-Port Gigabit Web Smart PoE+ Switch (TPE-5028WS) for its PoE support and budget, switch management features, and remote management support. TRENDnet’s 52-Port Gigabit Web Smart Switch (TEG-524WS), also with support for remote management, was utilized for general networking needs, such as connecting computers, servers, and the router.
The Paw Works IT team does not work onsite at the shelter every day. Remote network management support with TRENDnet Hive™ allowed the team to work on network issues as if they were onsite at the rescue. TRENDnet Hive allows users to manage their networks remotely from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. While no major network issues have occurred so far, remote management has made it easier and faster to react, even for minor issues and usage disruptions.
Part of this network upgrade included switching to a different ISP. The new ISP required Paw Works to source their own router. With TRENDnet’s AX1800 Dual-Band WiFi 6 Gigabit Dual-WAN VPN SMB Router (TEW-929DRU), the animal rescue achieved faster wireless speeds than it had ever before, and with the 2.5G LAN port, it’s futureproofed for multi-gigabit connectivity.
Two network server racks are shown side by side, each containing patch panels, switches, and neatly arranged Ethernet cables. The left rack uses black cables and the right uses white, both organized with cable management rings and labeled ports, indicating a structured IT setup.
The Result
“Running a small-to-medium-sized non-profit comes with a multitude of challenges, but having a dependable network infrastructure makes a world of difference. Thanks to TRENDnet's reliable hardware and ongoing support, our installation process has been significantly smoother compared to other installs. We're especially impressed with their toolless keystone jacks; they are by far the easiest and most efficient I've used throughout my career.
“No other brands were considered as I have consistently used, and seen the quality of, TRENDnet patch panels throughout my career. Based on past experiences and now with this Paw Works network upgrade, I have not encountered any issues with TRENDnet products. TRENDnet has earned a customer for life—not just in me personally, but through the many referrals I've shared with friends, family, and fellow professionals seeking better and more dependable networking solutions.”

Dennis Koopman
Paw Works, Operations Manager

A brown dog with upright ears stands on gravel holding a tennis ball in its mouth, looking directly at the camera with an alert and playful expression. A black and white cat is curled up asleep on a red and blue plaid blanket with its front paws covering its face, resting peacefully against a white brick wall indoors. A light-colored dog with blue eyes lies on a white sheet inside a metal wire enclosure, looking toward the camera with a calm expression against a white indoor wall. A light brown dog with a black snout sits calmly in front of a metal crate on a concrete floor, looking directly at the camera in an indoor setting. A small black and brown dog stands indoors on a smooth floor in a playful pose with front legs stretched forward and ears perked, looking directly at the camera near a green mat and white walls. A young tabby cat with white paws and a pink nose playfully peeks upside down from a soft gray tunnel, with its head and front paws emerging onto a brown carpeted floor.
Click here to download a PDF version of this TRENDnet case study.