On January 15, 1945, a group of animal lovers led by Frances Weil filed a charter to form the Gulf Coast Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. On March 22, 1947, the Society filed a charter amendment changing the name to Gulf Coast Humane Society, its corporate name until 1976, when it was amended to PAWS-Gulf Coast Humane Society.

From its beginning, the men and women of the Society acted as humane officers for Nueces and the surrounding counties. In Corpus Christi, the Society members worked closely with the police officers assigned to humane duties and the City Pound. In 1947, the Society acquired a permanent home. They purchased 3.2 acres of land on Navigation Boulevard. It was through annual fund drives, rummage sales, charity balls, and similar efforts that the Society was able to pay off the land purchases and build a very fine kennel building.

In 1997, the board of directors decided to revert back to the previous name of Gulf Coast Humane Society. In April 1998, the Society began operating from a new facility. The facility was made possible by the generous donation of Tom and Cora Keeler. The new facility is double the size of the Society's old home, allowing the organization to help more animals and offer expanded education and services to the public.