Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesley Brog.
Hi Lesley, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am the daughter of a veterinarian and founded Wags & Walks in 2011. My goal was to help reduce the number of sweet and healthy dogs being euthanized due to overcrowding in LA shelters. Since then, I have grown Wags & Walks rescue from a one-person operation to an organization that has saved 7000 dogs from high kill shelters with the support of 16 employees, thousands of volunteers and our own 4000-square-foot adoption center. Our center hosts community and education events, often geared at children and families. Wags & Walks was founded with the goal of breaking the stigma that rescue dogs are damaged goods and to help decrease the number of dogs euthanized in local shelters by showing people that you can find wonderful dogs of all breeds and sizes through rescue. That value has remained consistent as the rescue has continued to grow.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Navigating and growing our nonprofit has not always been easy. As any successful, growing start-up/non profit will share, there are always bumps along the way. The challenges that come with growth and working with 1000’s of dogs and people are constant, however Wags and Walks look at the bumps as a learning and growth opportunity. With any challenge we face including the most recent year plus in a pandemic with limited abilities to adopt and fundraise, our team became a stronger unit, we built more partnerships with wonderful brand to support one another, took in dogs that needed us from further away and became more creative with fundraising strategies. Overall, how Wags and Walks handles the struggles along the way ultimately contributes to our growth.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I founded and am the CEO of Wags and Walks Adoption Center and Rescue. We specialize in saving family-friendly dogs from high kill shelters and placing them in loving homes. We accomplish our mission via education programs, prevention, adoptions and working with our community to dispel the myth that shelter dogs are damaged goods, in fact they are the most lovable, grateful, loyal family members in the world. I am so proud of the growth of Wags and Walks, we are celebrating our ten years anniversary. I can remember working out of my home and driving to the shelters saving a few dogs at a time. To date, Wags and Walks has saved over 7000 family-friendly dogs from high kill shelters and have found loving homes for all of them. I am inspired by our dog-loving community that enables us to continue our mission via volunteering, adopting, sharing and donating. What sets us apart is our ability to focus on the overall goal, dogs are in shelters and euthanized due to overcrowding. We strive to ensure anyone who wants to be a part of our community feels welcome and see everyone that joins our team as a bigger opportunity to save more dogs. Wags and Walks saves friendly dogs of all ages, sizes, breeds and we are accepting of all people who want to join our Wags family in accomplishing this goal.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is feeling good about what you are doing. I remember saving my first dog and the amount of joy in my heart was something I had never experienced. I felt and feel that I am making a difference in both dog’s and people’s lives for the better. To me, that’s success.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.wagsandwalks.org
- Instagram: wagsandwalks
- Facebook: wagsandwalks
- Twitter: wagsandwalks
- Youtube: wagsandwalks
Image Credits:
Charlie Nunn Photography
