Some Help from Wag! for New York City Dogs

By Jill Nash, executive vice president, Wag! corporate affairs  

 New York is home to some 425,000 dogs according to the NY Economic Development Corporation. No doubt, most of those dogs are loved and cared for by families across the five boroughs. In return, the pets provide joy and unconditional love as only dogs can.

But there are many dogs in New York that are dependent upon the city’s animal-welfare organizations until they find their forever homes. It’s a big task for those nonprofits, and their endeavors are ones that we are proud to support.

In July, Wag! launched a community-impact grants program to benefit nonprofits in three dog-focused categories — rescue organizations, shelters, and dog parks and runs.

Now, Wag! has chosen the first five grant recipients. The company has awarded a $5,000 community impact grant to each of five New York City animal-welfare organizations — to help these groups that share our mission of creating joyful and healthier lives for dogs.

Our initial grants went to:

• Animal Care Centers of NYC is one of the largest welfare organizations in the country. ACC plans to use the additional funding to purchase high-quality toys and treats to improve the lives of canine residents as the animals wait for their forever homes.
  

• Bideawee was one of America’s first no-kill animal rescues. It plans to use its grant to support “Second Start,” a program in which they rescue animals from municipal shelters where they are at high risk of euthanasia.
  

• Muddy Paws Rescue, a foster-based rescue group that will use the grant to provide more resources to foster families, in turn lowering the financial burden on these families and allowing for the expansion of its network of foster homes.
  

• Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) serves New York City residents at risk of losing their animal companions due to physical and financial obstacles. These people include low-income seniors and those with an illness or disability. The Wag! grant will be used to bring the services to an increased number of pets in need, to help keep them out of shelters.
  

• Washington Square Park Dog Run Association was created by the community 10 years ago. While not an animal-welfare organization, the group maintains the dog run at Washington Square Park, providing a safe place for dogs and their owners to interact and socialize. The association will use the grant to replenish dog run surfaces, maintain fences and infrastructure, and cement coverage of exposed metal surfaces.

We’re proud to help these dog-friendly groups with the contributions they make to the pets and people of New York City.