WAG

WAG provides the best quality of life and offers the best outcome for every animal in our care. We are a resource for the Whistler region, providing education, advocacy, and animal care.

WAG is the safety net for lost, abandoned, and harmed animals in the region. From Whistler to Lillooet, WAG offers hope to all animals in need. WAG has exceptional knowledge, experience, and expertise.

WAG Matchmaker Program has 100% success rate: all animals in our program are placed in permanent homes. To prepare an animal for its forever home, WAG provides medical care, behavioral training, and socialization. Then, our Matchmaker Program allows us to match the lifestyle, needs, and experience of adopters with the animals we’ve become so familiar with.

Our Second Chances program serves animals with special needs who might otherwise not receive essential medical and rehabilitation services.

WAG’s promise to the animals: We will use our expertise and experience to offer hope and promise for all the animals in our care, whatever their issues, history, and circumstances. Through veterinary care, spaying and neutering, diverse social experiences, attentive training, exercise and mental stimulation, volunteers and staff will provide a high quality of life for the animals.

WAG dogs spend their days walking, playing, training, and lounging outside of their kennels. WAG cats enjoy the perches, scratching posts, cubby holes and windows of the common cat room.

Mission Statement

To protect and enhance the lives of lost, unwanted, and homeless animals.

Vision

To bring about a time in our communities when all animals are treated humanely and with respect, and when every cat or dog ever born is guaranteed a loving home for the duration of its life.

Values

Respect       All animals should be treated with respect, as one would treat another person.

Accountability    WAG holds itself accountable to its donors as well as to the animals for which we care, for the duration of their lifetime. Similarly, all members of our community should be held accountable for their actions towards animals.

Quality of Life    Our daily mission is to ensure that we do all in our power to ensure a high quality of life for the animals in our care, including quality medical care, training, socialization, basic care, and exercise.

WAG is operated by a volunteer Board of Directors and currently has two full time and two-part time employees. WAG began in 1982 as a volunteer-based organization with no shelter facility. WAG has been incorporated as a non-profit society under the BC Society Act since 1992. In 2000, WAG entered into a contract with the Resort Municipality of Whistler for the operation of the dog impound facility. Under this contract WAG cares for animals impounded by the Resort Municipality of Whistler and in exchange, is permitted to occupy the municipal impound. Shortly after this development, WAG was granted status as a registered charity by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

WAG is committed to ethical fundraising and financial accountability. We respect donor's rights to truthful information and privacy and commit to managing funds responsibly.

The WAG WAY

The WAG Way is to embrace the human-animal relationship. Our adoption screening program ensures that each animal is adopted into a home that meets all of the animal's needs. Every animal that comes into WAG’s care is vaccinated, treated for parasites, and neutered. Animals are assessed for behavioral problems and retrained to ensure that they find a loving, lifelong home. The WAG Way is all about stepping in for our voiceless friends during their time of need.

Photo by H. Wirsching "Daffodil"

The 2007 WAG Annual Report is now available

Click here to download the .pdf file.