December is finally here, and Pet Waggin’ has had quite the year! If you know anything about Pet Waggin’, then you know that we’re more than a team of dedicated pet professionals. We consider ourselves a part of the larger Long Beach family (that includes you!), and we are passionate about staying connected.
So this holiday season, the Pet Waggin’ family is gathering around the fireplace, roasting our chestnuts, and reflecting on the amazing year we’ve had. From the human connections we’ve made to all the moments of joy shared with furry friends, we’ve got quite a few stories to tell!
Here’s our 2019 year in review:
The 2019 Paws FUR Pink Walk
At Irvine Regional Park this February, Pet Waggin’ participated in the annual Paws FUR Pink Walk! Based out of Orange County and San Diego, the Paws FUR Pink Run/Walk Series raises awareness (and money!) for breast and canine cancers. There was so much PAWS-itive energy that day among our two and four-legged friends that we’re already looking forward to the next one we attend! Since Paws FUR Pink started organizing this event in 2013, they’ve managed to raise over $111,000 to charity partners. It’s just amazing what our Long Beach community of people and pups can achieve!
The 2019 Long Beach Post & Press-Telegram Readers’ Choice Awards
Every year, the Long Beach Post and the Long Beach Press-Telegram Readers’ Choice poll their readers to identify the best of the best in the Long Beach community, whether it’s people, places, or things. This year, Pet Waggin’ had the incredible honor of being awarded the Press-Telegram Readers’ Choice Award for Best Pet Sitter in Long Beach, which we are very proud of! We were also awarded Best Dog Walker & Best Pet Sitter by the Long Beach Post! This was an especially important accolade for us because we care so deeply about our Long Beach community. Thank you, Long Beach!
The Grand Opening of Feline Cafe
Remember, we at Pet Waggin’ ain’t just here to take care of dogs—we LOVE the cats of Long Beach and cats everywhere! That’s why we were so excited when we caught wind of Long Beach’s first ever cat cafe, Feline Good Social Club. In November, our Team stopped by for a visit and got to learn more about the cafe, which sources stray cats from their non-profit, Long Beach Felines. Patrons of the cafe can come to play with rescue cats, who so desperately need loving homes. We had a great time, and highly recommend coming out to visit with the kitties of Long Beach Felines!
Benny’s Birthday Party
Just one of the reasons why we love doing what we do is because it puts us in touch with inspiring people like Beverly and her kitty, Benny! When Benny was just 7 months old, he was found with multiple injuries consistent with abuse. Long Beach Animal Care Services investigated, and Benny was sponsored by Helen Sanders CatPAWS which is how Bev came to meet Benny, little did she know she was about to fall in love! She decided to give Benny a fur-ever home, and together they run Justice for Benny the Cat, raising awareness of domestic and animal abuse.
Recently, Benny celebrated his birthday with a fundraiser for Helen Sanders CatPAWS and Long Beach Animal Care Services, featuring a kitten adoption event. We’re so grateful to aid in such important missions—yet another great reminder of why we’re here!
Welcoming our New Trainer: Noah!
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that this year we’ve hired a new trainer to join the team: Noah! Noah is coming to us with over 6 years of dog training experience and is excited to help the Long Beach community learn more about how we can relate to our four-legged friends. It’s important to us here at Pet Waggin’ Pet Care that we not only offer pet-sittin’ services for your furry companions but expert training services so you can strengthen and deepen your relationships with your pets.
Pet Waggin’s Tricks & Treats For Shelter Paws
We can’t believe we got to hold our own donation event for Long Beach Animal Care Service shelter animals this year, but boy-oh-boy are we glad we did! Our donation drive was a hit all across town and because of YOU, we were able to fill three large bins with treats and toys for cats and dogs. We also collected three cases of food from Red Barn, and received hundreds of dollars in monetary donations!
We’re not only incredibly grateful for the support of our Long Beach friends, but we’re so proud to be part of a community that cares. We at Pet Waggin’ are fortunate to be able to enhance the lives of Long Beach’s shelter pets, and we’re already thinking of ways to keep giving back next year!
As this year comes to a close, we know that the work is never over—and we’re glad for it! This holiday, our hearts (and bellies) will be full as we take only a momentary rest. Then, it’s onward to 2020, with even more fun to be had with our two and four-legged partners of Long Beach. Follow us @petwagginpetcare to keep in touch and follow us on all our furry adventures!