Wags for Hope Mission Statement

With a significant amount of help from our pets, our goal at Wags for Hope is to improve the quality of life of the people we visit, even if it's just for that one little moment.  The key is that that moment may be remembered over and over again.  We do this not from a sense of duty or obligation, but because it is what we wish to do.  There is no doubt about it, this is FUN!  We enjoy going out into the community and making someone's life a little brighter for that day.  When we leave our visits, we leave with a smile not only on their faces, but on ours as well.  If we do not enjoy these visits, chances are we will not last at it.  It is for this reason that I encourage our volunteers to go where they wish - to visit the types of people they would like to visit.

We like our volunteers to engage the residents of the facilities we visit.  For many their routine for the day, week, month and year are already set for them.  They quite frankly have little to look forward to.  As we approach some rooms before we are spotted we often times see sad or blank expressions on faces. But when they discover us and see the tail wagging, all of a sudden they light up like a Christmas tree.  This "electricity" is contagious because we light up right after they do.

When we speak to people about this activity we often get embarrassed looks on their faces as they explain they do not perform as much volunteer work as they should.  We see no reason for anyone to be regretful about the amount (or lack) of volunteer work they do.  We liken this activity to a hobby like playing golf.  Not all people play golf.  Some people started when they were children and others picked it up later in life.  People are not ashamed that they don't play golf, nor do they ask for applause when they do.  They do not apologize because they prefer playing one golf course to another.  It's simply something for which they have a passion.  To us there is no difference.  So if you have never tried it, pick up a golf club sometime and smack that little white ball.  You never know. You might love it...