About Us
Our Story
Something that started as simple as having to almost cancel a weekend vacation turned into a whirlwind year of learning about dogs and the best way to keep them safe, happy, and loved. Let’s rewind a bit to share our story.
In 2021, Frankie and Robert had a vacation planned – flights and hotel room all booked! Days before the trip, the planned pet sitter fell through. With 3 dogs, 1 tortoise, and 3 chickens, their pack is not the easiest to care for and finding the right help was a hard task. Fast forward to the flight home after a trip that almost didn’t happen, Frankie decided she would find a way to solve the problem, which is how Working For Wags was born.
Working for Wags is a pet-sitting and dog-walking service that provides all care where pets are most comfortable– at home. Over the first 10 months, Working for Wags has been able to care for 136 animals, completing 107 stays, with an additional 77 future stays booked!
Frankie also founded an online Facebook community (Dog Lovers/ISO Dog Services & Products) connecting dog lovers in Tucson, AZ. Currently, the private group has brought together over 200 members.
When Macy, the youngest part of Frankie and Robert’s pack, had to spend two nights in the doggy ER due to being attacked by another dog, Frankie became inspired to create a safe place for dogs to play. This is where the idea of Dogs of Tucson came to life. Dogs of Tucson is creating The Bark Park, which will be a spacious, clean, and inviting space dedicated to dogs. The park will have both indoor and outdoor space to safely play and socialize with your off-leash dog, providing a paw-sitive experience.
While dogs have always been a part of Frankie’s life, Working for Wags and Dogs of Tucson drove her passion even further. Almost daily, organizations and people needing help caring for dogs began to reach out and ask for help. Since Frankie and Robert had a shared dream to create a sanctuary for dogs, they decided it was time to move forward with that vision. They share experience running multiple successful businesses, many hours of being trained by dogs, as well as a long history of being animal lovers– so they were ready to put their dedication to the test.
The Mission
To provide education about the joys of caring for dogs while building a community where humans value dogs and treat them with love and kindness, preventing abandonment and keeping more dogs in loving homes for the duration of their lives.
We offer free classes to all new families of rescued, adopted, or purchased dogs throughout Pima County, discounted training resources, and access to a community of dog lovers to continue the education on how to properly share your life with your dog(s).
We have expanded this focus to include developing a hotline for those that want to ask questions about dog ownership. Currently, dog owners are being shamed online by passionate people when they are asking for advice or help. While we understand the passion behind these replies, we must also remember that the paw-rent of that dog is reaching out for help. This hotline will provide answers to questions and advice to the novice dog owners in need.
Meet the Humans
Executive Board
Frankie, President
TBD, Vice President
Jackie, Secretary
Tylene, Treasurer
Committee Chairs
Terry, Gifting
We are looking for a vice president and committee chair for volunteers!
Our board meets the first Thursday of every month at 6 pm. We are looking to add additional board members to serve as committee members, as well as volunteers that are interested in improving the lives of dogs. Board member meetings will be held monthly. 8 of the 12 yearly board meetings will be held virtually.
Our Supporters 
