Friday, August 16, 2019. A comfortable, mainly sunny yesterday in New York with temperatures reaching to the low 80s with very little humidity. Maybe some rain tomorrow sez the weatherman after a mild week in August.
Today’s space is given over to news on the dogs and cats and other pets many of whom can use a boost (all the time) from us by-peds. So this is the news just past, as well as the news tomorrow, in helping our loyal and courageous four legged friends whom we need maybe even more than they need us, like poor little Cinnamon below —
Last Sunday in Southampton, an all-American dog party was held at a private resident in support of American Humane’s Pups4Patriots program. The nonprofit organization works to provide veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injusry with trained service dogs, at no cost to the veteran.
Veterans and their service dogs attended the outdoor soiree and guests were encouraged to bring their own dogs. Rear Admiral (Retired) Tom Kearney provided the crowd with an emotionally charged message in support of our nation’s veterans.
Party hosts included Kristen, Michael, and Winnie Swenson, Susan, Hunter, and Raffles Cushing, Meghan, David, and Sadie Rainey, Marion, Phil, and Chutney Piro, and Suzanne, Michael, and Dunkin Ainslie.
The Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation hosted their 10th Annual Unconditional Love Gala last month on Saturday, July 20th. The event took place under the tents at Wickapogue and Old Town Roads in Southampton. The event started with a cocktail hour, followed by the staff’s parade of animals cared for by the Shelter, and then a live auction, and dinner and dancing.
Proceeds from the event directly support the more than 5,000 animals who enter the shelter’s doors annually for caring and finding homes for stray and abandoned animals, providing low cost veterinary care and dog training so that animals can remain in their home.
Event Chair was Jean Shafiroff. Aimee Sadler, Founder and CEO of Dogs Playing for Life was the honoree. Gregory D’Elia emceed. The 2019 Gala’s Host Committee included Randi Schatz, Amy Cosman, Antonella Bertello, Missy Hargreaves, and Sharon Kerr. Entertainment was provided by Elan Artists’ Nation with dinner catered by Stone Creek Inn.
Among those attending: Greg Dryer, Clifton and Raya Knight, Rory Diamond, Martin Shafiroff, Kim Renk, Talen Hurd, Beth Ostrosky Stern, Mayor Jesse Warren, Ava Roosevelt, Candy and Mark Udell, Pamela O’Connor, Lisa and Philip Crawford, Peter Brant Jr. and Morgan O’Connor; Beau Hulse and Pat Hulse, Jerry Turco and Tracy Stern, Dr. Marcy MacMillan, Dede and Terry Moan.
A live auction included fund raising for the shelter’s training program with Dogs Playing for Life; and opportunities to match shelter dogs to veterans to become service dogs through programs K9s For Warriors, and Paws of War.
Guests were also raising their paddles to sponsor feeding a dog or a cat for a year; group golf outings at the East End’s most prestigious golf courses including Shinnecock Hills and Atlantic, skiing in Sun Valley; a week at a private resort and an auction for a classic British motorcar, a beautifully restored 1952 MG TD.
Southampton Animal Shelter is the true “community” shelter on the East End. It is unique to the area, taking in animals from all 7 villages and 18 hamlets in the Township. Its accepts all animals – no matter the breed, physical or medical condition, special needs, or age. It also takes in animals from neighboring towns and beyond; helping and saving animals from natural disasters such as hurricanes, and overcrowded shelters.
Shelter services are broad-based, providing low-cost, mobile veterinary services throughout the region. It also conducts educational classes in local schools on humane animal care. Hurricane, disaster & over crowded shelters.
The shelter’s Medical Services and the Behavior & Training program are unsurpassed. These, along with the professionalism and “match-making skills” of the Adoption Department, are the key to the shelter’s extraordinary adoption rate of 96%. Shelter staff, and its fabulous volunteers, make sure that no animal is left behind.
More Good News For the Doggies and the Kitties. The 5th annual Clear the Shelters event, a nationwide pet adoption initiative, will be held tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 17th.
NBC and Telemundo stations are teaming up with shelters nationwide this Saturday for the 5th annual animal adoption drive, with more than 1400 shelters and rescues having registered to participate in this year’s campaign.
Every year, millions of companion animals end up in shelters across the country. And while shelter adoption rates have been steadily rising since 2011, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately 1.5 million animals — 860,000 cats and about 670,000 dogs — are still euthanized each year due to overcrowding.
Since 2015, Clear the Shelters has helped 256,688 pets find forever homes. The number of euthanized animals could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them. And, by adopting a shelter animal, you actually save two lives. Last year, more than 100,000 pets were adopted from over 1,200 shelters across the country.
So if you’re thinking about taking home a new furry friend, please, please, please consider heading to a local animal shelter to adopt during Clear the Shelters on Saturday.
Hundreds of shelters will waive or discount fees as part of the one-day adoption drive.
Photographs by Annie Watt (Humane Society) & Patrick McMullan & Rob Rich (SH Animal Shelter)
