The Tailwaggers Foundation provides funding to qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations who provide life-saving treatments to sick and injured animals as well as for animals with behavior issues.
Most animal rescue organizations spend between 40 and 50 percent of their budgets to medically treat sick and injured animals. Rescue organizations simply do not have the budget to treat all the animals that come through their doors. In many cases, bringing an injured dog or cat back to a state of health can mean the difference between being adopted and euthanasia.
The Tailwaggers Foundation is built to assist the rescue organizations in their efforts to help more animals get healthy and find Forever Homes.
Our Board of Directors
PRESIDENT & FOUNDER
Todd Warner
Todd Warner opened Tailwaggers Pet Food and Supplies in 2003. In 2006, he expanded his Hollywood business by opening…
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Tailwashers Grooming Salon, and by 2010 quickly grew to a second location in West Hollywood. Today, Tailwaggers Pet Food & Supplies spans three stores in the Los Angeles area, as well as their first store in Palm Springs. Because of his commitment to animal welfare, Todd has used his company as a resource to support many local dog and cat rescues. To this end, Tailwaggers & Tailwashers has helped place over 20,000 rescued dogs and cats.
BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Nicklaus Fox
Dr. Nicklaus Fox grew up on a large sheep and cattle ranch. He received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science…
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from Montana State University and was trained in veterinary medicine at Colorado State University, where he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. Dr. Fox has been practicing companion animal medicine in Los Angeles ever since. He has become known for his home visits, where he offers particularly compassionate care for pets and their loved ones. In 2013, he became certified in veterinary acupuncture, incorporating the natural principles of healing into his practice of integrative medicine. In his free time, Nick volunteers with two animal rescue organizations and is active with several LBGT organizations that promote HIV education and awareness. He loves coming home to his cats, Mavis and Leonard and dogs, Midgey and Fifi, all of whom were rescued and have such interesting stories to tell.
BOARD MEMBER
Emma Parker Bowles
Emma Parker Bowles has an unwavering commitment to creatures large and small, dedicating her time…
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on the front lines. She has been an ongoing volunteer for Dogs Without Borders and LA Animal Rescue.
BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Liz Friedman
Dr. Liz Friedman grew up in Seattle and received undergraduate degrees in biology and zoology…
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from Washington State University. She later attended the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine to become a veterinarian. She moved back to Seattle for three years, but soon moved with her 1 year old son, to Los Angeles, where she always wanted to live. Her interest in animals has been lifelong, but she focuses her practices on dogs and cats. She worked in a multi-doctor animal hospital in Seattle, and again in Los Angeles, until she finally started a house called practice. She integrates some Chinese medicine in her treatments but is primarily a Western medicine doctor. Dr. Liz Friedman has great compassion for those in need, whatever species they may be, and is so happy to be involved with the vision of Todd Warner and The Tailwaggers Foundation in helping animals in need.
BOARD MEMBER
Stephen Molinaro
BOARD MEMBER
Holly Riddel
Holly Riddel is a visionary entrepreneur who started her career in the diamond business. Her connection to pets…
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is long-standing, from her devotion to her own canine companions over the years to designing an innovative pet line that was carried in Target stores. Holly is also the creative mind behind unique lines of jewelry under the umbrella brand Love Is My Intention (LIMI®); a unisex fine fragrance called 0.2; a 0.2 canned cocktail; and most recently, a whimsical line of durable dog toys called Drag Dog. All of her ventures are rooted in love, acceptance, making connections, and creating joy.
BOARD MEMBER
Christian Garcia
Christian Garcia has an extensive background in non-profit management and compliance. He currently serves as the…
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Director of Ethics & Compliance for Men’s Health Foundation, a local healthcare non-profit. He volunteers at outreach events with Love at First Mutt Rescue. His skills in working within the non-profit sector has allowed him to use his experience towards his passion and love for rescue animals.
BOARD MEMBER
Erich Klein
Erich Klein is Senior Vice President and the Head of Branch Banking for City National Bank, overseeing 6 regions…
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and 61 branch offices across the United States. Erich’s team at City National provides clients with customized banking solutions delivered through dedicated relationship management and an expertise in a broad array of industries, including professional firms, service providers, manufacturers, and wholesalers. He is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington and has received numerous accolades and awards for his leadership and collaboration with others. Erich is a native of Los Angeles and is passionate about helping people and animals. He loves dogs in particular and has had 13 rescued dogs over the years. Erich resides in the Beachwood Canyon area of Hollywood with his deaf pittie, Snowy, and his mini pin mix, Chester.
BOARD MEMBER
Joel Chiod
The Tailwaggers Namesake
The Tailwaggers Foundation’s name pays homage to the Tailwaggers Club, a charity created in 1929. Its purpose was for the advancement of animal welfare. The club grew quickly, acting as both a pet registry and a philanthropic community. In 1929, Bette Davis put the organization on the map when she was elected as president of Southern California’s branch. Her dedication to animal welfare was a powerful force for raising awareness worldwide. LIFE magazine covered one of her fund raising events, which enlisted the support of generous donors like Howard Hughes and Walt Disney. By 1930, The Tailwaggers Club had almost a million members including people and their animal companions in the United States, England, Korea, New Zealand, Persia, and Iraq.
The Tailwaggers Club continued to expand and in 1960, Spiller’s Pet Food bought the club and registered it as a charitable trust (The Tailwaggers Club Trust) and began to administer funds to support animal welfare.
From its beginning to end (in 1972), The Tailwaggers Club provided a legacy that The Tailwaggers Foundation is proud to have picked-up and carried forward… read more about our history here: Tailwaggers Timeline
It all started in 1928...
The Tailwaggers Club is founded by Captain Horace Hobbs. Created as a charity in England, its purpose was the advancement of animal welfare. The club grew quickly acting as both a pet registry and a philanthropic community.
Dogs that became members of the Tailwaggers Club received a special collar medallion engraved with the motto ‘I Help My Pals.’
In just over a year, the club flourished and more than 200,000 dogs had been enrolled enabling £20,000 to be donated to help the work of the Royal Veterinary College.
A Time magazine article highlights the purpose and story of the Tailwaggers Club, also mentioning the Club members’ magazine: The Tail-Wagger.
Time states: ”The Club’s purpose is to insure happier tail-wagging in all U.S. dog homes. Careful records are kept of all dog members, including peculiarities, (such as a hoarse bark, a missing eye, discolored teeth.) Other advantages are free medical advice, six months’ subscription to The Tail-Wagger, the official house organ of the The Tailwaggers Club. The fee is $1 a year. Dogs have been entered from Korea, New Zealand, Persia, and Iraq.
The Tailwaggers Club members’ magazine, The Tail-Wagger is produced.
The Tail-Waggers Club Handbook is published in London.
The Tailwaggers Club is able to offer financial support to the newly-formed Guide Dogs for the Blind.
During the mid 30's, the club had almost a million dog members, many of them belonging to the royal family and famous celebrities.
A celebrity-driven fund-raising event to support the efforts of The Tailwaggers Society drew support of several of Bette Davis’s famous friends and grabbed some pages in Life magazine. The event held at the Beverly Hills Hotel was a smash success on the Hollywood party circuit that year.
400 place cards were drawn by Walt Disney including cards for guests Howard Hughes, Norma Shearer, James Stewart, and Henry Fonda.
Judy Garland graces the cover of The Tail-Wagger, a subscription magazine for members of The Tailwaggers Society.
Bette Davis founded The Tailwagger Guide Dog Institute which trained dogs free of charge, and established a free emergency hospital in Hollywood for injured animals.
Bette Davis put the organization on the map in the U.S. when she was elected as president of the Southern California branch.
Her dedication to animal welfare was a powerful force for raising awareness. Her immediate objective as president was to build a shelter for stray dogs and to create scholarships for the training of seeing eye dogs for the blind.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s little Scottish Terrier, Fala becomes the honorary president of Southern California branch of The Tailwaggers Club.
Naturally the Washington D.C. Tailwaggers Club reacted with outrage. Fala became such a well know celebrity that problems arose with the Secret Service: Anyone who recognized Fala knew that FDR must be close by.
On behalf of The Tailwaggers Club, Billie Burke (Glinda the Good Witch of the North in The Wizard of Oz, 1939) spoke in protest of the State Pound Bill, which would have given the state power over stray animals to be used in scientific experiments.
The Oscar for best cartoon short goes to Walt Disney’s Lend a Paw, starring Mickey Mouse and Pluto. This Disney classic was dedicated to The Tailwaggers Foundation in recognition of its work in lending a paw to animal friends.
In “The Marriage License” episode of I Love Lucy, Lucy calls City Hall to verify her marriage license. Confusion ensues: “Hello, City Hall? There’s a mistake on my license and I want to talk to someone about it. What do you mean call The Tailwaggers? It’s not a dog license — it’s a marriage license!”
12-year-old daughter of Vice President Nixon, Julie Nixon wins third place in the cat costume division of the annual Tailwaggers Club pet show with her kitten, Bitsy Blue.
Paying homage to the original 1928 Tailwaggers Club, and later 1938 Tailwaggers Society, The Tailwaggers Foundation provides funding to qualified non-profit animal rescue organizations for the treatment of sick and injured animals. The Tailwaggers Foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The Tailwaggers Foundation’s first grantees are Bonny, Gomez, Cleopatra, and Monte.
We launch our first event, The Waggy Awards, honoring individuals who have demonstrated remarkable spirit and conviction in the crusade to improve animal welfare in the local community and around the world. The event, held at the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard is a succcess raising over $20,000 for animal welfare.
The Tailwaggers Foundation partners with A Dog’s Life Rescue and Take Me Home to participate in Wig Out for Rescue, a 5k walk and 10k run fundraiser to save the lives of orphaned cats and dogs.
After the success of the 2014’s Waggy Awards, the annual event moves to the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood in order to accommodate the appearances of rescue animals outside in the complex’s grounds.
2015’s Waggy honorees are U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff and actress/activist Linda Blair. The fundraiser is hosted by actress/entertainer Cassandra Peterson (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark).
Our annual event honors innovators and leaders who have made a difference in animal welfare in the local community and around the world.
The 2017 Waggy Awards raised more money for the medical treatment of rescue pets than ever before.
The 2024 Waggy Awards raised more than $100,000 towards helping animals find their forever homes.
