If you’re looking for an excuse to don your dazzling cocktail dress or dashing tuxedo–while doing something charitable for animals–there are two fund raising galas on the spring calendar this year.
Although technically not in Baristaville, both of these organizations are well known to pet lovers in these parts–Pet ResQ Inc. and St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center.
A Fur Ball Dinner Dance, slated for Saturday, March 20, at 7 p.m. at the Clinton Inn in Tenafly, benefits the work of Pet ResQ Inc., a not-for-profit, 501c3 organization dedicated to saving the lives on unwanted pets. Most rescues are special needs pets, often badly abused, older or handicapped. Pet ResQ Inc., according to its literature, exists solely on donations and volunteer efforts.
Animal lover Lori Stokes of ABC Eyewitness News will attend as a special guest. Entertainment will be provided by the David Christopher Orchestra, with an appearance by Kenny Jeremiah of Soul Survivors, performing his hit song, Expressway to Your Heart.
Tickets are $150 and include cocktails and dinner.
If your dog is looking for a ball–other than the tennis variety–there’s the Canine Cotillion charity gala, set for Saturday, April 10, at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone. Both dogs and dog lovers are invited to attend this “fun and furry affair.” A cocktail reception begins at 6 PM, followed by a seated, gourmet dinner for two-legged guests served alongside their canine companions who will dine on doggie delicacies. Both silent and live auctions will take place.
Ties and “tails” are optional and guests are welcome with or without their pooches. Guests will also have the opportunity to have their portraits taken by award-winner photographers from The Image Maker, and purchase “Rescue Ropes,” which can be redeemed for prizes of equal or greater value with the proceeds benefiting the homeless animals at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center. Founded in 1939 by Geraldine R. Dodge, St. Hubert’s offers animal welfare services, plus dog training and humane education.
Seating is limited. Tickets are $275 per person, which includes admission for one dog.
This picture is phenomenal.
that dog is totally playing Burt Bacharach.
You’re wrong. It’s Burt Barkarach.
“Thank you folks! Don’t forget to tip your barktender!”
It wouldn’t have been Johann Sebastian Bark -
they only had barkpsichords in his day – pianos came later, I learned recently.
I am gratified to see that some Homo sapiens are at last beginning to treat Canis lupus familiaris as equals. After exploiting and enslaving dogs for millennia, it is time to stop treating them like dogs, and to recognize that these marvelous creatures are capable of actualizing their potential. Why shouldn’t a dog be allowed to express itself at the keyboard? I hope that everybody who sees this posting attends the concert.
Mathilda…who and or what the heck are you?
She’s your next door neighbor.
I encourage everyone who has a heart for animals to share the gala info. and info. about the rescue group on their Facebook, twitter, etc. pages. Good cause that needs us to spread the word!
The dog looks better in his tux than I do in mine. Time to join the gym again…
MM – thanks for posting such items! Great news to spread! (and purrfect match up… Barkarach :])
READERS – be certain to research the group to benefit from these and other fundraisers.
No doubt there is good being done – however, there are organizations – particularly non-profit and even more prevalent in Animal Rescue, where the money goes to administrative costs, marketing, $5000 for logo and branding, etc.
It’s a sticky area – having a name is important, but the purpose cannot suffer or get lost.
St Hubert’s, for example, is a private, non-profit organization, and is a private shelter. That means that you cannot ‘surrender’ an animal to them unless they are evaluated. They have the right to determine if the dog/cat is adoptable, and if not they reserve the right to euthanize once you have turned the animal over to them.
As I posted a few weeks ago, the question of adoptability is raised because of very real space and resourcing issues. However, to be fair, what should be done is invest in ‘evaluating’ the adoptees and finding a proper match. Adoption rates are often reflective of one animal being adopted multiple times as they are returned over and over again when they are not placed in a matching home.
Not good for anyone – including the animal. If there are behavioral issues, this magnifies them, and makes the animal less of a candidate for any home.
It’s a delicate balance, and does require resources (space and money), so the question becomes: Does the group you choose to support (and there are thousands), work with this mission or is their primary concern legal protection from adopting ‘the wrong dog/cat’?
Shop around – as you would for anything else.
If only I could pull off a tux as well as this pooch.