Hi everybody! My name is Matt. I’ve been running this account since its inception in 2015. I wanted to type up something formal to say thank you, as well as provide a pupdate on where we’re planning to take WeRateDogs from here. So first, thank you. This account has become way bigger, way more fun, and way more powerful than I could’ve ever imagined. I started it to make a few people laugh, and it has transformed into an absolute behemoth for good (while hopefully still making a few of you laugh). That would not have been possible without an audience of empathetic, passionate people who love dogs more than anything. You all have helped steer this ship, and I appreciate you so, so much. Now for the pupdate! We have introduced a mission statement, which, admittedly, feels very silly coming from a dog rating Twitter account, but as I mentioned, you all are powerful, and this is a wonderful way to make sure we’re wielding that power responsibly. The WeRateDogs community is on a mission to celebrate good dogs (they’re all good dogs) by sharing their stories, improving their lives, and helping the ones who need us most. It’s fairly simple, but I’ll elaborate a bit. We will always exist to celebrate dogs. They are perfect angels who represent a simplicity we are all jealous of. As we look toward this account’s future, we plan to continue celebrating them in three (hopefully familiar) ways:. The first we’ve been doing forever: sharing their stories. Nothing about that is changing. We will still be professionally rating dogs based on our incredibly scientific scale. Please expect many more smiles and occasionally a tear or two. The second: improving their lives. We’ve chosen to accomplish this by partnering with companies who share our values, such as Trupanion. Their goal is to ensure all pets receive the best medical care, and we hope to become an educational resource for all things pet health and safety with their help. Next week, we’re announcing another new partner—one that is also committed to giving your dog the longest, healthiest life possible. The third: continuing to help the ones who need us most. You all have raised over $1.5 million through our Friday fundraisers, and we think this is just the beginning. We don’t plan on stopping until every pup is in a happy, loving environment. Again, I know this is a lot compared to our usual h*ckin 12/10 content, but I feel it’s easier for the community to get on board with pupcoming initiatives if you’re aware of the values that drive them. Thank you for taking the time to read, and please tell your dog I said hi. ...Oh! And Doug is the CEO now, so like, feel free to email any questions for him to doug@weratedogs.com . ~Matt