This week on Community Corner, Brother Love hosts Abby Smyers from Wags and Walks. A nonprofit organization and a dedicated community of dog lovers working to reduce euthanasia in local shelters and increase awareness of rescue dogs being wonderful pets. (From the Wags and Walks website)
Wags and Walks started in Los Angeles in 2011 as a response to the overcrowding of animal shelters and the demand for more help with the stray dog population. In July 2023, the organization started the Nashville branch. There is a crisis of stray dogs in the South as a whole and Nashville is no exception. The staff at government funded shelters do all they can, but there is only so much they can do with what they are given. Wags and Walks works alongside these shelters to find homes for rescue animals, pushing to break the stigma against adopting dogs. The non-profit has an adoption center in Donelson, along with a medical clinic that provides lower cost veterinary care.
Vet care in Nashville is too expensive for many owners, so Wags and Walks started their clinic for not only in-house veterinary care, but also for the community as a whole. They also offer spay and neuter clinics 2 days a week. Find more information on the Wags and Walks website here.
Abby Smyers is married to Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay. Wags and Walks brought out the rescue puppies for the road crew to decompress with before a concert that the country duo did at Bridgestone Arena. Instances like this are evidence of the non-profit’s work with the community of people and animals alike that make up the great music city. This joining of forces between music and Wags and Walks will be on full display this week at the 2nd annual benefit concert. October 7th is the date for this fun community event that serves as their biggest fundraiser of the year. This year’s lineup at Skydeck on Broadway features Tucker Wetmore, Chris Lane, American Authors, Tiera Kennedy, Ashland Craft, Bellah Mae and more! Get your tickets and donate to this great cause. Check out Brother Love’s full episode of Community Corner below!
