The Waggle Foundation Is Helping Pet Owners Give Their Furry Friends A New Lease On Life

Essex, Connecticut -

The Waggle Foundation is on a mission to help pet owners who are on the verge of losing their best furry friends to health problems due to a lack of funds to afford the necessary medical treatments.

Founded by Steven Mornelli, the organization has a board composed of top minds in veterinary medicine, pet care, and charity. It accepts donations from individuals, corporations, and other foundations and uses the donated funds toward its mission to eradicate the economic euthanasia of pets. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Connecticut has instituted several programs that act as a safety net for pet owners who have dogs or cats in emergency medical crisis.

Steven Mornelli talks in depth about why the pet-dedicated crowdfunding platform embarked on this cause, saying, “Every year, over 500,000 pets are put down across the United States because their owners can’t afford the veterinary fees required to pull them through the tough times. This is economic euthanasia, and it is a heavy cross to bear for pet owners who are forever tinged with the guilt that maybe their best friend could have lived just a little bit longer if they could have somehow arranged the needed funds. Here at The Waggle Foundation, we feel deeply for the predicament that every one of those pet owners was put in. It is difficult to imagine how painful it must be to say goodbye. It is even more heart-wrenching to think how our pets might feel about the decision if they had some sort of agency to express themselves. I established Waggle to spur a change and to give pet owners an avenue to save their closest friends who have forever loved them unconditionally and without judgment.”

The Waggle Foundation’s website allows an easy mechanism for interested donors, whom it calls venture philanthropists, to sign up and set up recurring payments. It sends donors periodic updates, showing them just how their pledged monthly contribution has made a significant difference in specific animals’ lives. The update lets them read about real pets who were spared a tragic end because of donors’ generous contributions. All donations to The Waggle Foundation are tax-deductible.

One of the most notable differences between The Waggle Foundation and other crowdfunding platforms is that the former is a nonprofit and is dedicated solely to helping pets. Waggle operates on a philosophy of making barely enough money to “keep the lights on” so that it can help as many animals as possible avoid an unfortunate fate. This means that 100% of donations raised for a particular animal are sent directly to the veterinary clinic, providing total transparency to how the organization uses donated funds.

Waggle also taps into the professional networks of its board members to set up partnerships with corporate donors and foundations who provide matching funds for many campaigns, effectively doubling them. Currently, The Waggle Foundation has established partnerships with nearly three dozen charities and foundations, including Miranda Lambert's MuttNation Foundation, Mayim Bialik, Lil BUB, Maddie's Fund, Eli's Fund, Greater Good Charities, The Riedel & Cody Fund (specifically for cancer care), and World of Labs.

Waggle also bills itself as a trusted platform, with built-in assurances that safeguard against fraudulent campaigns. It has established a secure protocol for dispensing financial assistance for emergency veterinary care. Waggle relies on a network of vetted veterinary partners who send the foundation the invoice for the pet’s treatment, allowing the organization to pay them directly. If the pet owner’s veterinary services provider is not a part of Waggle’s network, the clinic can submit its contact information to be added.

Readers can head over to The Waggle Foundation’s website to sign up for an automatic recurring monthly donation that will help save the lives of hundreds of sick and injured animals. The organization’s website also has a dedicated section where donors can browse through pictures of hundreds of pets for whom it is currently raising life-saving funds.