Mary Ellen she/her
Owner & official pack leader
My name is Mary Ellen Hobbs and I'm the proud founder and owner of Pet Waggin' Pet Care here in Long Beach!
Believe it or not, I didn’t start out in the pet industry. Before 2006, I had a 20-year career working as a sales professional and eventually found myself representing brands I wasn’t even emotionally invested in.
During this time and within a six-month timespan, I lost my fiancé to heart disease and all three of my pets. We had a German Shepherd named Annie (a.k.a) “the big pretty,” a feisty little Cattle dog named Jingo Jones VGB (very good boy), and a cat named Zuma. My fondest memories were of us taking walks together with Annie leading the way and us pulling Jingo in his little red wagon, sporting his uniform ‘red paisley bandana.”
Moving forward, I knew I needed to find my passion.
So, what did I already know?
I loved pets and pets loved me. So, Pet Waggin’ was born and as a tribute to my fondest memories with my family, the name of my business was inspired by Jingo’s red wagon and the western theme is a nod to his red bandanas.
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After founding Pet Waggin’, a pit bull mix puppy named Scout worked his charm on me and became a part of my family. He was handsome, even tempered, and solid enough for me to give big bear hugs to - just what every girl needs! A couple years later, Pancho entered our life after a friend saved him from the streets in East L.A. Pancho has a sense of humor and he was just what Scout and I needed. He’s wicked smart, funny and affectionate – the total package!
You can read about the special pups, here: Scout & Pancho!
Throughout my 12 year journey of owning Pet Waggin’, I’ve learned that “just loving pets” isn’t enough. Loving pets is the easy part! We must be trustworthy, have integrity, be responsible, have a strong work ethic, be committed, and have a desire to go above and beyond. We provide peace of mind to our clients because they know we will not only love their pets, but we can also be counted on to show up, have the experience to make decisions in emergencies, and love their pets as our own. I’m fortunate because so many people go into this business thinking “I like animals much more than I like people.” But, for me, I LOVE that my business lets me interact with people too. I truly enjoy the time I spend on the phone discussing our services with new clients and listening to what is important to them. I’m lucky because every pet has their very own person.