Our Team


We’re cool. We promise. Come visit us.

Caroline stands outside her store with a welcoming smile wearing a navy blue cardigan over a floral top.
My work operating a pet store is a lifestyle, not a job.
— Wag! Owner & Founder Caroline Gunther

Caroline Gunther, Owner

Born and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains and with a background in the equestrian industry, Caroline has been a lifelong pet lover and owner as well as an animal welfare advocate. She’s also a respected community leader in Hendersonville. She serves as Secretary on the Community Foundation of Henderson County Board of Directors and chairs the Downtown Advisory Board and the Animal Advisory Board for the city. She’s also been very involved with The Blue Ridge Humane Society, serving as a nine-year board member as well as President of the Board of Directors.

Caroline and her partner, John, live in Hendersonville with their fur babies: canine Poquita Jones and felines Mortimer and Joni Mitchell. When Caroline’s not running the shop, dashing between board meetings, or caring for her menagerie of pets, she’s often out supporting local establishments with friends, most of whom work in animal advocacy services or the nonprofit sector. “Put your money where your house is,” is a saying she lives by. Gardening, cooking, local food, and tending to her out-of-control hoard of house plants keep her calm, cool, and happy.

Small Blonde dog wearing pearls

Poquita Jones

Poquita, aka Baby Poda, Hot Rod, and Poquita No Pants, hails from the Henderson County Animal Services Center. A Chihuahua mix—and true to form—she’s utterly disgruntled by harnesses and modeling clothes. Poquita enjoys hunting possums and the occasional indiscretion behind the living room sofa, and her daddy is the “Cheeto of her eye.” But don’t be fooled, this fancy little stinker is indeed a “working” dog; she thoroughly loves her job as a greeter for Wag! She resides with Mama Caroline and visits Wag! sporadically.

Dusti wears a blue and purple shirt, a necklace with round pendant, she has brown hair fading into blonde at the ends. She is smiling.

Dusti Gray

Dusti comes to us from Idaho. She worked at a similar store prior to moving east to our beautiful North Carolina. She likes to garden, hike, and just generally loves to be outside.  She has a beautiful kitty named Circe. She’ll be one of the first to greet the pups in the store!

Creator of the store playlist, Rayna has worked at Wag! since May of 2024. She has five cats and a dog, but her cat Luke is her best friend. He is pictured below. You may see her golden retriever “Big Boy” sporting our newest accessories on our social media as well!

Rayna Culberson

Ask Huxley about bugs! Not only do they enjoy Dogs and Cats, Huxley is a big bug enthusiast, and has the knowledge of the worlds best entomologist. Huxley is also the artist behind our hallway mural! Come check it out.

Huxley Bailey

Lane is a Hendersonville native and a huge fan of cats! They’ve been shopping at Wag! as long as they can remember so joining the team was a dream come true. Lane has two kitties, Cypherus (a 3-legged ball of spunk,) and Franklin (the most handsome man to ever exist.)

Lane Estes

Sam is one of our friendliest faces, always ready to help you out with whatever you need. Harness trouble? Treat recommendations? She’s got it! Pictured to the left is Sam and her beloved girl Poppy. Here at wag we pride ourselves in loving every animal, but Sam here is definitely our number one golden retriever enthusiast.

Sam Butterworth

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