Join Us for the 2025 Howl-O-Wine Fundraiser
Join Us for the 2025 Howl-O-Wine Fundraiser
Providing pet therapy to the Frederick County MD area
Wags for Hope (WFH) is a non-profit organization that provides volunteers with their pets to bring joy to the lives of others. We visit Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Hospitals, Hospice, and much more. In addition, we supply local libraries and schools with certified R.E.A.D.® teams, who are using their animals as a conduit to help improve the literacy skills of the children in our community. We aspire to be the leading organization supplying animal visitations for therapy purposes needed in Frederick, MD, and the surrounding areas.
Animal-assisted therapy offers holistic benefits, from a host of mental health benefits caused by the release of hormones that regulate mood and anxiety, and pain relief to enhanced social engagement, making it a versatile tool in mental and physical health interventions. The simple act of petting animals releases an automatic relaxation response. Studies have shown the animal-assisted therapy has mental and physical health benefits.
Would your organization or facility like to request a visit from our Wags for Hope teams? Please click on the button to fill out the request form. Wags for Hope visits in Frederick County only. If you are outside Frederick County, please check in your area. A reference that can be used is petpartners.org
We are a 501(c)(3) organization so donations are tax deductible within federal and state laws. Please consult your own tax advisors if you require tax advice. We do not charge fees for our services so we depend on the community to keep us serving. You can donate online
Wags for Hope offers heartwarming pet therapy programs designed to bring joy, comfort, and learning to people of all ages. From seniors in care homes to children in libraries, our volunteers and their pets make a lasting impact in the community.
Saturday, October 18, 2025 • 12 – 5pm
Enjoy some dog & family friendly Fall Fun at our annual HOWL-O-WINE fundraiser. Your generosity will fund the majority of our operating costs and pay the required insurance for our pet therapy visits and the Reading Program.
HOWL-O-WINE will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 12 – 5pm at Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. EVENT WILL BE HELD RAIN OR SHINE!
Tickets are $20 in advance (or $25 at the gate). Ticket includes entry to the event, a souvenir wine glass, and a complimentary tasting of Sugarloaf wines. Kids are free. Must be 21+ to consume alcohol.
Pack up the pups and bring the whole family to enjoy an afternoon of Fall fun while supporting a great cause!
Don’t miss the famous Doggie Costume Contest – Enjoy Sugarloaf Wine – Shop with our Vendors – Donate and Dash Area – SOUTHWEST AIRLINE VOUCHER RAFFLE & much more!
All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Wags for Hope. Advanced ticket sales will end on October 17, 2025.
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We’re always looking for compassionate individuals to join our volunteer team. Whether you have a few hours to spare or can commit more time, your contribution makes a meaningful impact.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Pet Therapy Teams: Share the joy of your registered therapy animal with those in need. Engaging in pet therapy can strengthen the bond between you and your pet while bringing smiles to others
Administrative Support: Assist with essential behind-the-scenes tasks such as event planning, fundraising, and office duties. Your organizational skills help keep our programs running smoothly and expand our reach within the community .
Volunteering with us is flexible and tailored to your availability. Whether you’re participating with your pet or offering administrative assistance, you’ll be part of a team dedicated to making a positive difference.
Join us in sharing the love of animals and enriching lives throughout our community.
To get more information or to join Wags for Hope, please fill out this form. A Wags for Hope Volunteer will contact you soon.
General
Volunteers must read and sign our Volunteer Agreement.
The onetime membership fee to join WFH is $40 and includes a WFH polo shirt (for one pet and one handler). An additional pet is $20 and an additional family member is $20.
We have many programs in Frederick, MD and surrounding areas. Please fill out the Membership Form below.
Pet
If your pet has basic obedience, is calm and good natured, you are on your way to becoming a pet therapy team. Your pet must be at least 1 year of age and have lived with you for at least 6 months.
Pets must be at least 1 year old.
You must provide and be current with your pet’s health records and rabies vaccination. Failure to provide this documentation to WFH and the facility you visit may result in the immediate loss of membership and liability insurance.
Each prospective pet therapy handler must attend an 1. Orientation, 2. Education Seminar, 3. Evaluation 4. Shadowing 1 and 2 before being allowed to visit with your pet. (You may not be evaluated with your pet unless you have taken classes 1 & 2 in that order (If you cannot attend a class we have other dates located on the calendar of events.
If you do not pass the Evaluation the first time you may try again at no extra cost. We will share tips and provide you with a list of local trainers.
If you do not pass shadowing with your pet you will be asked to review the skills your FC suggests and shadow again at a later time. If you still do not pass you will be asked to pass another evaluation. There is no fee to re-evaluate.
If you have not visited in one year or more you must take the evaluation again before volunteering with any WFH programs. There is no fee for the reevaluation.
Pets who are pregnant, in season or injured will not be evaluated.
Minors
Therapy pet handlers 10-17 years of age must be accompanied by an adult at all times while volunteering with WFH and a parent-child waiver must be signed prior to any volunteering.
While visiting with your pet , children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a non pet handler adult.
Visiting
Be attentive to your pet’s signals and make it a point to end your visit when either of you become fatigued, overly warm, or fearful in any way.
You may only visit with One Pet Per Certified Handler.
Take your pet far away from landscaping and residents’ view to potty. Please clean up after your pet and take it home with you.
An Incident report must be filled out and given to your Facility Coordinator immediately following any incident. An incident is an abnormal event involving you, your pet, resident and or facility.
Contact your WFH Facility Coordinator by phone following any incident (i.e. an accidental scratch from a pets nails).
Pets must be clean and brushed before each visit. Nails should be clipped regularly, please not the night before visiting.
Remain with your pet leash always in hand.
You must be in control of your pet at all times.
Volunteers must keep a clean and neat appearance while representing Wags for Hope.
If you have a change in visiting schedule contact your WFH Facility Coordinator as soon as you can.
If you, your pet or any family member or other pet is ill please postpone the visit until all are healthy.
WFH ID Badge must be worn while volunteering with WFH.
There is to be NO CONTACT with clients outside of Wags for Hope Please see exclusive HIPPA Rules at each facility (your relatives excluded).
Volunteers shall not give individual gifts to clients. General gifts to facilities are acceptable (your relatives are excluded).
Any rule violation will be reviewed by the board on a case by case basis and can result in removal from the organization.
Provide your facility with a copy of your pets up to date, usually yearly veterinary health records. Including a fecal exam.
Do not visit while under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or mood altering prescription drugs.
While we are primarily comprised of canine teams, we love to see pets of all kinds joining our program! We will evaluate these on a case-by-case basis as we have to ensure our liability insurance fully covers your pet and we may have to customize the evaluation for your pet.
As volunteers with Wags for Hope we believe in sharing our pets for the benefit of others.
We know how special each one is. They are more than a pet, they are a member of the family.
Please let us know if you would like to feature your special friend here!
