About Us
Our People
WAGS is a nonprofit 501c(3) all volunteer organization with close to 300 volunteers. There are a variety of ways to get involved whether you have a pet or not. Your volunteer commitment can be flexible as you need, depending on your lifestyle. Our membership offers a supportive network of experience in pet therapy and dog training.
Our Pet Therapy Teams
A Pet Therapy Team, also called an Ambassador Team, consists of a pet and their handler who have completed the evaluation process. WAGS has approximately 90 therapy dog teams, and yet we still have facilities waiting for teams!
Our Team Evaluation Process
WAGS takes special pride in the amount of time that we invest into each Pet Therapy Team (human handler and pet). First and foremost, there must be a bond between the handler and the pet. We offer education for the handler and training advice for the pet. It is not uncommon for it to take 6 to 18 months to get your team evaluation completed. But after completion, you and your pet are ready to help our community confidently and safely!
Places We Visit
Wags visits well over 100 facilities including schools, hospitals, senior care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, the airport, hosparus, special events in the community, and more! We do over 200 visits in the Kentuckiana area each month serving the greater Louisville area and southern Indiana. Our therapy dog teams support the JCPS Crisis Response Team and CASA in the River Region. We proudly clocked in over 4000 visiting hours last year.
Videos of Pet Therapy
WAGS History
WAGS was founded in 1998 by Sharon Gretsinger and Linda Laun. They first organized under the guidelines of the Delta Society. In 1999 Trudy Gatenbee with Charlie and Susan Sack wrote our by-laws, and helped WAGS incorporate as WAGS Pet Therapy of Kentucky, Inc. At the same time WAGS filed for 501(c) 3, non-profit status.
In November 2009 WAGS voted to separate from Delta Society (Pet Partners). We became a stronger and more independent animal therapy group serving others over a quarter of a century. This success can be attributed to the many volunteers who continued to believe in our mission. That mission is to provide human to pet bonding resulting in both mental health and physical health benefits, especially in those who are compromised or suffering stresses from loss.
