Waco, Temple, Austin Areas
Michelle Wolff, Co-President & C.J. Johnson, Co-President
[email protected] or [email protected]
Michelle moved to Texas in 2015 and has been involved in animal welfare ever since. After coordinating volunteers and fostering kittens for her local shelter, Michelle realized Texas' laws protecting animals needed lots of improvement. Her work with shelter professionals and animal control officers allowed her to see the consequences of weak, unenforceable laws. With that realization, Michelle began working with THLN to tackle animal welfare issues from a legislative perspective. Michelle's work with elected officials, stakeholders, and the THLN Central Texas Chapter is helping make positive changes and improve animals’ lives throughout our state.
Michelle has two resident cats and one resident dog, with a rotating crew of foster kittens.
C.J. is the founder of Righteous Paws Grooming and Director of Righteous Paws Rescue, based in ATX. Her meaningful rite of passage into adulthood came in 2002 when turning 18 fortified her voice with the right to vote and officiated her signature with the privilege to adopt three high-risk L.A. county shelter dogs. Upon realizing her passion for animal care, she attended a pet grooming academy in 2005.
Her experience with humane handling techniques grew as a shelter volunteer groomer. Relieving distressed and neglected pets from their painfully matted fur, embedded nails, the infestation of fleas/ticks gifted C.J. a sense of fulfillment, healing pets through the intimate art of grooming. As a member of The Association of Holistic Pet Professionals and International Professional Groomers, C.J. practices a fear-free holistic approach when building relationships with pet clients of Righteous Paws Grooming.
C.J. acted on the rescue animal communities call to action during Hurricane Harvey with boots on the ground volunteers, medically treating and grooming flood water rescued pets within emergency intake shelters. This experience seeded Righteous Paws Rescue, expanding her awareness surrounding animal welfare and rescue needs in Texas. Righteous Paws Rescue formed in 2017 and since strives to treat, spay/neuter, and adopt Texan pets from high-risk circumstances.
C.J.’s best time spent with our medical sanctuary paws is on the bike trails and swimming at the wakeboard cable park.