The Tailwaggers Foundation presents the Waggy Awards Thursday, February 8 at the Taglyan Cultural Complex on Vine Street.
“The Waggy Awards, our furry version of the Oscars, serves as both a celebration and a fundraising event,” said Todd Warner, Tailwaggers Owner and Founder.
“This year, we are excited to honor US Congressman Ted Lieu for his outstanding work in the animal welfare community, as well as Dr. Kwane Stewart, 2023 CNN hero honoree and Project Street Vets, who tirelessly provides veterinary services to individuals experiencing homelessness,” said Warner. “And our final honoree is actress and activist Lana Parrilla, from the TV show “Once Upon a Time” “Why Women Kill”, and presently on the Netflix show, “The Lincoln Lawyer.”
The Waggy Awards was organized by Warner as a way to honor all the people who are doing amazing saving the lives of so many dogs and cats.
“Over the past ten years, our all-volunteer 501c3 non-profit has been dedicated to assisting sick and injured rescue dogs and cats in finding their forever-loving homes,” said Warner. “We have successfully provided close to half a million dollars in funds to over 25 local pet rescue organizations, enabling them to administer life-saving medical treatments.”
Due to the urgent situation at the city shelters and the tremendous need to support their rescue partners, Warner decided to host the event again. The last event was seven years ago.
“This event will allow us to offer more support to the rescues who are doing the challenging work of saving numerous dogs and cats,” explained Warner.
Sponsors for this year’s Waggy Awards include Francis Ford Coppola and the Family Coppola Resorts, World of Wonder (producers of RuPaul’s Drag Race and Million Dollar Listing), House Of Love Cocktails and Mocktails, Lazy Acres Market, City National Bank, and many leaders in the pet food industry.
The Tailwaggers Foundation has donated tickets to several local rescues as part of the event. Rescues are invited to check out the newly updated website to submit a grant request. Typical grants range from $1000.00 to $2500.00.
