With the roar of the motor and the crescendo of happy barking, you know it has arrived! The PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’ has rolled into town with a wagonload of love. Ready and waiting anxiously for their new families to come and adopt them, dozens of dogs—30-60 in each trip—have gotten a new leash on life. Narrowly evading an unhappy fate, these canines settle into their new shelter as far as 600 miles from where they started…in a community where they are more likely to be matched to just the right companion and a forever home.
More than 6,000 dogs per year will take a ride in the PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’, thanks to an innovative and unique program designed to move dogs and puppies from areas of high pet overpopulation (where they face almost certain euthanasia) to shelters in other regions where adoptable dogs are in demand and can readily find a loving family. The program has saved more than 17,000 dogs’ lives since its launch in 2004.
PetSmart Charities’ Rescue Waggin’ is the nation’s largest pet transport program covering 19 states. The program launched in the Midwest in 2004, and currently serves the states of Tennessee, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin. The Northeast Waggin’ began operations in September, 2006, serving the states of Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia. The newest addition to the program, the Great Plains Waggin’, began operating in April 2007. This route serves the states of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.
Custom-designed trucks humanely and comfortably transport dogs with every consideration for the health and safety of the passengers inside. The dogs ride in temperature-controlled comfort with plenty of water, toys and lullaby music to help keep them relaxed. Drivers trained in pet care and animal first aid are carefully selected and trained to ensure the highest quality of care. It’s no surprise that the truck commands a lot of interest at rest stops with fellow road-weary travelers. The drivers can check on their charges with closed-circuit video to make sure they are resting peacefully on the long trips to their new home towns.
“We spent more than a year researching small, existing pet transport programs before launching our own state-of-the-art program. Our guidelines have been reviewed by veterinarians and national humane organizations and are considered the gold standard for pet transport,” said Susana Della Maddalena, PetSmart Charities executive director. “PetSmart Charities is in the unique position of having the expertise, strong animal welfare partnerships and the funds to bring a large-scale, organized and sophisticated program like the Rescue Waggin’ to life.”
PetSmart Charities is committed to solving pet overpopulation problems in the cities served by the Rescue Waggin’. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding and professional consultation for corresponding spay/neuter and capacity-building programs at participating shelters with support from its generous program sponsor PEDIGREE®.
To learn more or to make a donation to Rescue Waggin’ or PetSmart Charities, visit www.petsmartcharities.org or call 1-800-423-PETS.
