There are many nonprofit organizations in Bradenton and the surrounding area. Each one is doing incredible work to support our community by helping those less fortunate, promoting the arts, providing education, and more.
During our nonprofit spotlight series, we’ll highlight information about a different local nonprofit each week. This week, we were thrilled to chat with Whiskers and Wags Foundation Inc. to learn more about their mission and how we can help. Here’s what they had to say.
Can you tell us a little bit about your mission and how you help to support our community?
Whiskers and Wags Foundation Inc. provides financial assistance to pets in need of emergency medical treatment. We work with local veterinary hospitals to step in when pet parents aren’t able to afford the care their pet needs.
Our goal is to decrease the amount of “economic euthanasia,” which describes when a pet is euthanized solely due to finances. We are completely volunteer-run and solely funded through grants, donations, and fundraisers. All funds raised by WWF go directly towards the care of pets in need.
Who do you serve and why?
Whiskers and Wags Foundation Inc. serves low-income families, individuals on disability, single parents, individuals living on social security, and anyone who is in danger of euthanizing their pet solely because they cannot afford the cost of care.
Emergency veterinary visits can cost anywhere from $2,000-$10,000, depending on the severity of the injury or illness. We understand that the average person may not have the means to come up with these amounts all at once.
We have an application process for owners who have been denied credit-based payment options such as Care Credit and Scratch Pay.
When someone receives financial assistance from WWF, they have the option of becoming a monthly donor in an effort to “pay it forward” and contribute to the care of the next pet in need!
Can you describe a few of your key programs?
We recently started the PAWs Project which stands for Partners For Animal Welfare. We partnered with another local nonprofit organization that shares our mission of providing help, hope, and love to pets in need.
Our partner organization runs the local 941 Lost and Found Pets Facebook group that has helped unite over 20,000 pets with their families and made sure strays that are reported find a safe place to go.
People can sign up to be a PAWs Partner, and agree to a monthly donation (amount of their choice), to contribute to the care for the net pet in need. This program has allowed us to help save over 15 pets since January 1st, 2024, by providing financial assistance to cover the cost of the medical treatment they needed.
What’s the best way our community can help?
We are solely funded through grants, donations, fundraisers, and sponsors. We are always in need of monetary donations and would love to secure a sponsorship from a local business. We also help the local ER vet find fosters or forever homes for strays and pets that have been surrendered, so we are always looking for new fosters to help us keep strays out of the shelter if at all possible.
We are still a fairly new organization and we are planning future fundraisers which will need volunteers as well!
Most Needed:
-One-Time Donation
-PAWs Partner/Monthly Donations
-Corporate/Business Sponsors
-Fosters
-Fundraising Event Volunteers
-Donated/Discounted services (i.e. branded t-shirts, bandanas, etc.)
-Raffle/Silent Auction Items
-Sharing our story and mission with friends and family
Visit https://whiskersandwagsinc.org/ to learn more or make a one-time donation!
Visit https://www.paws-project.org/become-a-paws-partner to become a PAWs Partner, and contact Kara O’Brien by call/text @ 704-995-2813.
What else do you want us to know?
We are grateful for your interest and invite you to contact us at whiskersandwagsfound@gmail.com. To learn more about WWF, visit our website or follow us on Facebook.
At Discover Bradenton, we love supporting our local nonprofits! Explore more incredible charitable organizations in our Nonprofit Directory.
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