Wags 4 Wishes a Tail-Wagging Success
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The Taylor Crossing Animal Hospital is using their fundraiser to do a little more than just raise money. The first Wags 4 Wishes Day was not only a fun time for everyone, but also a great education tool.
The veterinarians are giving kids a chance to learn more about their jobsm while having fun.
“Top five professions that kids say they want to be when they grow up is a veterinarian,” says associate veterinarian Jessica Loch. “And it’s really, they get to learn that it’s more than just petting dogs and kitties. It goes way beyond that.”
Kids get a chance to “operate” on stuffed animals, see live ultrasounds and get exposure to animals they would never see in their backyards, all while giving back to the animals. All the proceeds of the Wags 4 Wishes day are going to help the Bullock County Animal Shelter.
“That community has had a break in recently,” Loch says about why the Hospital chose the Bullock Shelter. “But not just for that reason. But they’re really underfunded. So we saw the need.”
“We are blown away to a greater degree, by the generosity, by the compassion, by the love,” says Bullock County Humane Society Animal Shelter Manager Jennifer Gallagher. “So this is a visual symbol of all that is good in human kind.”
Both the shelter and hospital are incredibly thankful for the kindness from the community.
Montgomery police, The Montgomery Zoo and businesses from both the Bullock and Montgomery communities donated their time. Even Alabama News Network got a chance to help out, with anchor Olivia Deas and Meteorologist Ryan Stinett joining in on the fun.
Dogs ran agility courses while kids enjoyed pony rides and petting zoos, all in an effort to give back.
“In this job, as a shelter manager, we are constantly bombarded with the evil and the ugly,” Gallagher says. “And the non-compassionate. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s apathy. And every day, we are bombarded with the apathy and just about the time you’re about to lose it, and think ‘you know, I don’t know if I can handle this anymore’, the other side of the scale comes in.”
“It’s just an amazing outpouring of support from both of those counties,” Loch adds. “Obviously, there’s a lot of dog and cat lovers out there.”
This was only the first Wags 4 Wishes, and Loch says she plans on hosting many more. She and her coworkers are always looking for volunteers, throughout the whole year, and say you can get in touch with the Taylor Crossing Animal Hospital if you want to help.
