Welcome to United WAG, Inc.

Improving animal welfare through education, advocacy and coordination of community efforts.

"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."  -Immanuel Kant We have all seen abandoned and abused animals at some point in our lives.  Some of us are compelled to rescue those animals and give them a better life.  For the individual animals lucky enough to come across our paths, we make a life altering difference.  Unfortunately, there are only so many animals we can rescue on a one-by-one basis and, while tremendously rewarding, the process can be time consuming and expensive.  United WAG’s founders began to realize that something had to be done to change the circumstances that were allowing so many animals to be abandoned and/or abused.  In order to effectuate the type of change that will positively affect the greatest number of needy animals, we must look at the root causes of animal abandonment and abuse and then try to work at a systemic level to address those root causes.  Thus was born United WAG, which consists of a group of professionals committed to seeing an end to animal abuse and abandonment. Mission: United WAG exists to improve the welfare of animals in Miami-Dade County through education, advocacy and coordination of community efforts.  Once United WAG develops a successful template through which to accomplish its goals in Miami-Dade County, it will expand to other counties and states.     Current Projects: United WAG is working on developing a spay/neuter program in conjunction with the Animal Services Department of Miami-Dade County ("ASD") and community activists to more fully utilize the County’s Mobile Animal Clinic and increase community education about the benefits of increased spay/neutering of animals to control animal over-population and decrease the incidence of animal abuse and abandonment. We have completed a comprehensive catalogue of existing animal welfare laws, rules and regulations in Miami-Dade County and Florida (see link to "Miami-Dade County Codes") and have worked with a legislative initiatives committee of ASD employees and community activists to prepare suggested revisions and updates to those Code provisions. The revised Code provisions will be presented for approval to the Miami-Dade County Commission. We have also developed, as part of this legislative committee, a proposed anti-tethering ordinance for consideration by the Miami-Dade County Commission. United WAG will also continue to advocate for the investigation, control and licensure of "mom and pop" breeders and puppy mills and strict control of the importation of animals. We have developed comprehensive elementary school animal welfare lesson plans and resources as part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Character Education curriculum for implementation in the 2006-2007 academic year. We will work on developing animal welfare curriculum for the middle and high school level and will work with local book stores and the Parent Academy to use the elementary school animal welfare curriculum for community events to raise awareness about animal abuse and abandonment. We will continue to work to establish cooperative relationships between public and private groups committed to improving animal welfare so that we can maximize available resources and effectiveness. Not-for-Profit Status:  United WAG, Inc. is a not-for-profit, tax exempt, charitable organization.  United WAG, Inc. has 501(c)(3) status so all donations will not only make you a part of the solution, but they are also tax deductible.   Board of Directors:  Our board of directors includes individuals from all walks of life and a variety of professions including education, law, veterinary medicine, finance and banking, marketing and business, among other things.  Contact Us:             United WAG, Inc.             PO Box 331073             Miami, Florida 33233             305-461-9960 / 305-461-9865 (Fax)             UnitedWAG@aol.com             www.unitedwag.org       Our Board of Directors: Sarah Wood Borak Stacey Bussel, Esquire Isabel Fernandez Cyndi Gonzalez Yvonne Grassie, Esquire, President and Chairman of the Board Debra Tyler, Treasurer Madelyn Valle, BSMT