Wag It Forward

wag It Forward:
a nonprofit festival for pets

Champlain Valley Exposition on
Saturday, September 23, 2023
10am to 4pm

The Event

Thank you to everyone who joined Pet Food Warehouse to celebrate our 40th anniversary with the biggest and baddest 80’s themed Wag It Forward: A Nonprofit Festival for Pets at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, VT, with the aim of drawing attention to the many animal welfare groups we have in Vermont, and to provide a fundraising opportunity for these groups and the animals they benefit. We raised over $16,000 for the 32 participating nonprofits (our most groups, yet!) That is over $500 for each nonprofit!
This year we had the perfect weather, and we were joined by 1,200 humans, 450 dogs, a cat, and a rabbit (and 2 goats at the Ghost Dog Dairy booth!).
Wag It Forward 2023 kicked off again with the Chase Away Canine Cancer 5K fun run; Dock Dogs was hopping with competition waves and practice dives; our local 99.9 The Buzz Bash crew and we cut the rug to Pontoon's live sets of 80's tunes; 80's costume contest a fantastic array of creative costumes on pets and people; and dozens of dogs were able to run off some energy on the lure course from 802 K9 training. We had two informational demonstrations from dog experts Laurie Lawless and Emily Lewis; scarfed up sweet nourishment from the Sausage Shack and El Gato food truck; we made tie-dye a bandanas in the PFW Fun Zone; marvelled at the agility demonstrations by NOMAD Agility; visited the 32 local animal nonprofit groups attending as beneficiaries; and chatted with the 30+ pet-loving vendors and sponsors throughout the grounds!

T-SHIRTS

Wag It Forward 2023 Tshirts are now available in stores and online for $22! All profits go directly to the participating animal nonprofit groups. Grab yours today before they sell out!

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY by
Gone to the Dogs Photography
Vermont's Pet Photographer
Jilian Turner

Click image below and use password PFW2023 to view gallery, access social media sized images, and to buy $10 full-sized images:

PFW staff google photos

2023 Sponsors

WAG IT FORWARD IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THESE BENEFACTORS:

MOST TRIUMPHANT (MAIN SPONSORs)

Wellness Pet Brands: Wellness, Whimzees, Old Mother Hubbard, Sojos

Pets Global Family of Brands: Zignature, Fussie Cat, Essence, Inception

tubular sponsors

Andy's Dandys, The Honest Kitchen, Pronature

bodacious sponsors

American Natural Premium, Identity Pet Food, The Pour House, Rock Star Real Estate, Vital Essentials

righteous sponsors

Bellcate School Dog Treats, Beco Pets from Only an Ocean, Caru, Darford Baked Dog Treats, Dominion Tech, Fera Pet Organics, Fetch the Leash, Ghost Dog Dairy, Healthy Hemp Pet, Hemp Vet, Island Memorial, Koha, M&T Bank, OC Raw, PetSafe, The Richards Group, Tickled Pet, Vetriscience

wicked sponsors

Andy & Audie, Charlee Bear, Fido Biotics, Goodness Gracious, Grandma Lucy's, Hugglehounds, Lennox, Nature's Own Dog Chews, Northfield Savings Bank, Simply B Vermont, Under the Weather, Waggle Woof & Wander

Excellent sponsors

4 Legs & A Tail, Adecco , Drs Marko Family Chiropractors, Ice House Farm, Invisible Fence of Northern Vermont, Kelly's K9 Cookies, Rawz Natural Pet Food

Totally Rad sponsors

Best Western Plus Windjammer Inn, Myers Container Service, The Wild Bone Co.

additional support from...

Artvark Pet Products (manufacturer of select WIF brand products); Mammoth Pet; Naturally Fresh Cat Litter; Ruffwear; Sticky Brand; Vanness Pet Products; Zippy Paws