Who We Are
Wiggles Way Rescue was founded in 2025 to fill a gap in the DMV rescue community by focusing on middle-aged & senior Pit-Bull-type dogs at the Prince George's County Animal Shelter - one of the last localities across the United States with an active Pit Bull ban.
Wiggles Way operates based on 5 guiding principles: Fiscal Responsibility, Transparency, Communication, Appreciation, & Quality over Quantity. We believe in a rescue that supports & appreciates their invaluable volunteers while also maintaining realistic expectations for our operating capacity. This ensures that we can provide high-quality care to all of our volunteers & animals in the Wiggles Way family.
Why Wiggles?
This rescue was founded in honor of Wiggles, our founder’s first bully breed foster who showed her the loving personality that bully breeds so often embody. He left a big impression on her & her husband - leading her to create a rescue built on trust, love, & respect, in his name.
Wiggles is now happily living in his forever home but his imprint remains as it helped to start Rachel’s rescue journey. Wiggles Way Rescue will operate as a reflection of his personality, where we love hard, play hard, & rescue hard.
Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Mission Statement Mission Statement Mission Statement Mission Statement Mission Statement Mission Statement Mission Statement
At Wiggles Way Rescue, we provide compassionate care & second chances for animals from overcrowded shelters. Through thoughtful matchmaking, education, & ongoing support, we ensure every animal finds a loving home & every adopter feels empowered to create a lifelong bond.
Meet The Team
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Founder/Director of Programs
Rachel has been involved with animal rescue since January 2020 starting out as a foster parent. Her first foster was named Jenny. Rachel cried in a Petco parking lot after Jenny was adopted after less than 24 hours in her care.
That was all it took for Rachel to jump head first into animal rescue. She quickly decided to become an Adoption Counselor & eventually became an Adoption Counselor Team Lead helping to get over 300 animals adopted through one rescue organization. She then moved on to serving as Program Manager for Adoptions at a rescue focused on behavioral &/or medically challenged animals. After being on the operations side & the foster side, Rachel decided to start her own rescue, Wiggles Way, focusing on middle-aged & senior Pit-bull type dogs at the Prince George’s County, Maryland animal shelter.
Rachel has three dogs & one cat all from Aruba - island animals are another passion! In addition to the four legged creatures that she cares for, she also is married to her high school sweetheart & together they have a toddler who can be frequently seen attending adoption events.
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Program Manager of Adoptions - Cats
Anna has been an animal person her whole life and proudly considers herself a true “cat person.” She believes that whichever animal needs her most is exactly who she’s meant to foster next. Her journey into animal rescue began during her college years, when she took on the challenge of fostering and socializing feral kittens—a life-changing experience that turned a college side project into a lifelong passion.
Since then, Anna has continued to foster a wide mix of dogs and cats, from kittens/puppies to seniors, medical cases to shy and overlooked animals. She loves working closely with adopters to help them find their perfect match and believes deeply in thoughtful, ethical placements that set both people and pets up for long-term success.
At home, Anna shares her life with her dog, Nala, and three cats: Teddy, Lovey, and her senior boy, Hunter. Having a senior cat of her own has only deepened her love for older and special-needs animals and strengthened her commitment to giving them the second chances they deserve.
Volunteering with Wiggles Way has been an incredibly meaningful experience for Anna—not just because of the animals, but because of the amazing people and supportive community behind the mission. She believes that with patience, compassion, and the right match, every cat can thrive.
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Program Manager of Adoptions - Dogs
Melissa has been involved in animal rescue since her college years when she would convince her friends to come with her to volunteer as a dog handler at adoption events with the local rescue. Here, she found her passion for rescue & over the past 6 years has continued on to volunteer in various roles, including training several new adoption counselors & building a puppy adoption program with another rescue.
Her chill Hawaiian mutt, Lilo, & her Lab mix, Arlo (the “problem child”), are her motivation to join the Wiggles Way team, so that she can advance their mission of giving middle-aged dogs a second chance at the life that they deserve. She loves working with adopters to find the perfect match for their home & lifestyle & believes there is a rescue out there for everyone, & a home for every rescue!
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Medical Coordinator
A life long animal lover, Megan has spent the majority of her life helping animals. From her childhood days of 4-H, to working in vet clinics through high school into her 20's, & now volunteering with animal rescues, she's a fierce advocate for all animals. Megan has worn many hats during her years of volunteering including dog walker, transportation assistant, foster, foster assistant, and vet care assistant.
During her time as a foster, Megan developed a passion for fostering seniors & hospice cases. Eventually, her home became known as the "retirement village." Her love for seniors led her to Wiggles Way Rescue as a medical coordinator. Her favorite part is seeing the "glow up" which frequently happens once a pet gets placed in a stable foster home with good nutrition, quality medical care, & tons of love. Megan uses her vast experience to help all of our animals get the care needed so they can live happy, healthy lives.
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Marketing Coordinator
Ali’s rescue journey began in 2021 when she and her husband, Ian, decided to open their home to a foster dog. What started as a way to help one animal in need quickly became a passion, and they haven’t looked back since.
Since then, Ali has been involved in countless rescue efforts, from fostering and fundraising to community outreach and advocacy. As Marketing Manager for Wiggles Way Rescue, she helps share the stories of dogs and cats searching for their forever homes, believing that every animal has a story worth telling and a family waiting to find them.
Ali is especially passionate about senior and long-stay pets and loves seeing overlooked animals get the second chances they deserve. At home, she and Ian share their lives with three rescue dogs—Hallie, Hondo, and Cash—who are constant reminders of the life-changing impact of rescue.
Her favorite part of rescue is simple: watching an animal’s story change from uncertainty to belonging, and helping ensure that every tail finds a home.
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Event Coordinator
Ella's love for animals began at a young age when her parents bought a farm and rescued many strays, fosters, and long-term stays. While growing up Ella remained passionate about animals and adopted her first dog, Zeus in 2017. Since then Ella rescued two cats from the animal shelter and adopted her second rescue dog making her days full of zoomies, churus, and lots of snuggles.
Ella (with the inspiration of her now senior dog Zeus) joined Wiggles Way Rescue in 2025. All it took was seeing an organization working to assist senior dogs in the community - the dogs often overlooked, left behind, and needing the most love. Ella has experience working in animal rescue since 2024 and in her free time volunteers at the local shelter for "doggy day out." You may see her taking shelter dogs on day long adventures with her husband and infant son who had no choice other than to be introduced to animal rescue from the day he came home.
Board Members
Cory Bryant - President
Georgia Wood - Treasurer
Nina Lewis - Secretary
Nora Belansen
Jo Brecher
Regina Youngblood