Celebrating 20 years of memories

When our founder Mary Ellen started caring for pets two decades ago, she couldn’t have predicted that it would one day grow into a full pet care company serving so many furry (and feathered and finned) friends across the Long Beach area. Back then, it was just her and canine companion Scout by her side.

Now here we are, celebrating Pet Waggin’ Pet Care’s milestone anniversary! We’ve been taking a walk down memory lane this month, reminiscing about two decades of caring for your pets and the incredible community that made it all possible. 

And so, in no particular order, we present…

20 years of Pet Waggin’ Pet Care

20. Pet Waggin’ is born

Pet Waggin’ was established in 2006, when Mary Ellen decided to bring together two lifelong passions: working with people and spending time with animals. Her pup Scout was right there beside her through those early days, and what started as a one-person effort quickly grew through word of mouth and trust in the Long Beach community. 

19. From solopreneur to team 

By 2010, demand picked up and Pet Waggin’ grew from a solo venture into a small team effort. Mary Ellen brought on independent contractors, which meant more helping hands as she continued to grow the company.

18. First employee handbook

As the years went on, the care behind the scenes grew too. About a decade in, we created our first employee handbook to help guide the team as it expanded. Over time, it evolved into even more orientation and training materials, including operations and safety manuals. It may sound formal, but at its heart, Pet Waggin’ has always been about the same simple concept: making sure every pet is well cared for.

17. Another big transition

Remember those independent contractors? A few years later, they officially became employees, and Pet Waggin’ settled into a more structured business, now employing around a dozen staff at any given time. That means more familiar faces for Long Beach pets, who continue to show their excitement when they see our team members walking up to the door!

16. Rebrand #1

After more than a decade in business, it felt like the time to reflect not just on what we were offering but how we felt doing it. And so, we gave our brand its first big refresh and updated our logo and overall look. (Cue the super fun western vibes that were guaranteed to put a smile on your face!) 

15. Extra, extra!

In 2018, we began sharing more of our world through monthly newsletters. What started as an easy way to stay connected has grown into a list of nearly 700 subscribers. (If you’re not already subscribed, sign up now!) 

Also in 2018, we launched the Pet Waggin’ blog, where we share tips on how to help your pets live their healthiest lives and highlight local topics like pet-friendly spots in Long Beach. 

14. Our first Long Beach Post award…

In 2019, we had the absolute joy of being named the Long Beach Post’s “Best of Long Beach” for pet sitting and dog walking! It felt like a heartfelt high-five from the amazing people (and pets!) who trust us every day. 

13. …and many other awards. 

Around that time and in the years that followed, we were also honored by the Press-Telegram Reader’s Choice Awards for dog walking and pet sitting. It’s the kind of recognition that makes our tails wag, because it comes straight from the people who trust us with their beloved furry family members.

12. Enhancing our staff training

Education has always been a cornerstone of our company. In 2020, we expanded our training program by adding online learning through Fetchfind, giving our team even more tools to grow their skills and confidence while caring for your pets.

11. Chance’s ‘gotcha’ day

That same year brought a very special addition to Mary Ellen’s life: her new furry sidekick, Chance. Chance came into her life after experiencing significant trauma prior to being rescued. His journey became a turning point for Pet Waggin’, sparking Mary Ellen’s passion for learning more about how dogs learn and communicate.

10. Chance’s impact continues

Under the guidance of the amazing Jill at Underdogs Long Beach, Mary Elleen learned new skills and incorporated them into our business structure. She gave us the foundation to build a business with a deeper understanding of positive reinforcement and enrichment-based care. Those lessons found their way into how we work with every pet who comes into our care!

9. A new client portal

That year also brought a major behind-the-scenes upgrade with the adoption of Time to Pet as our client portal, making scheduling and communication easier for everyone involved.

8. Defining our ‘why’

We always knew the values that were important to us as a company, but 2021 marked the first time we formalized them! By 2021, we took the time to sit down and define our mission and core values. They had always been there in practice, but writing them down helped clarify what we stood for. 

7. Annual workshops

We’re always committed to staying on top of the latest training techniques and best practices in pet care. That’s why we began hosting annual staff workshops in 2021, which blend learning with a bit of team bonding (and a lot of fun and laughter).

6. New service alert

After a lot of hard work, our wonderful team member Melissa earned her dog training certification, focusing on positive reinforcement. That milestone opened the door for Pet Waggin’ to officially add dog training to our service roster in 2025, a natural extension of what we already believed in: helping the dogs of Long Beach learn and grow in an encouraging, engaging way.

5. Rebrand: the sequel

Last year, we decided to refresh our brand once again, leaning into a bright, SoCal-inspired identity developed with Visual Sugar Creative. Over a year later, we’re still in love with our new look, which includes a new logo, color palette and website that better reflects the energy our team has always carried. It perfectly captures our sunny dispositions, don’t ya think?

4. Continuing our growth on Yelp

As of May 2026, we’ve reached 130+ reviews on Yelp. It means the world to us when clients leave us a review, whether they’re letting us know how a team member went above and beyond or how they can relax knowing their pets are in caring hands. Those stories mean more to us than any number ever could!

3. New position

This year brought another shift behind the scenes. With the company continuing to grow, and Mary Ellen wearing all of the hats, we needed an extra set of hands when it came to office and admin duties. Long-time team member Sadie jumped in as Pet Waggin’s new office coordinator to help make sure everything runs smoothly, which is especially important now that Mary Ellen has relocated away from Long Beach (with regular visits back to the community that started it all!).

2. A look at the numbers

From 2020 to May 2026, since adopting Time to Pet, we’ve logged 35,951 dog walks and 14,429 cat sits, and visited 982 households across Long Beach. Behind those numbers are countless moments of trust shared with the pets and families we’re so lucky to know! 

We’ve also been proud to collect hundreds of pet supply items in support of Long Beach Animal Care Services during our ‘Tricks and Treats’ Halloween donation drive and during kitten season. Helping the critters in their care always puts a smile on our faces!

1. And our top memory is…

OK, we’re kind of cheating. Our top memory isn’t a single memory at all, because it’s impossible to narrow it down to one! Instead, our fave memory is a culmination of all of the adorable animal encounters we’ve had with your pets over the last 20 years. Every muddy paw, every snuggle, every nose-boop… we’re grateful for it all. 

And most importantly, thank YOU for being a part of the Pet Waggin’ journey. Here’s to the past 20 years and to all of the tail-wags still to come!