by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Just because we already passed tumbleweed Tuesday (the day after Labor Day), and there is a distinct chill in the air doesn’t mean there is nothing happening on the East End. There are some really fantastic pet events happening that are perfect for your autumn outings with your four legged friends.

The first of which happens to be taking place this Sunday, September 23, 2012 at Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead, NY. The 3rd Annual Wines & Canines 5k Dog Walk/Run to benefit Kent Animal Shelter. The event starts at 11am and participants will enjoy walking or running through 200-acres of scenic vineyards during peak harvest season on the North Fork at Martha Clara Vineyards. This is a non-competitive run or walk where guests can bring their pooch along with them for this special leisurely dog walk/run to benefit homeless animals at Kent Animal Shelter. Wine tasting, food vendors, pet vendors, auctions, prizes, K-9 Frisbee demonstration and more! What’s better than a day out on the East End with your pup to help homeless animals and drink some fabulous wine? I am in! To get more info and download a registration form www.KentAnimalShelter.com/winesandcanines/ or register in person at the event. The cost for the event is a $25 minimum donation per person and children 12 and under are free. Registration begins at 11AM, walkers and runners may start the course anytime between 11AM and 1PM as it is not a timed race. For questions please call (631) 727-5731. Well behaved and leashed dogs please! (No retractable leashes).

Another east end event, but on the South Fork is the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF) Annual Stroll to Sea Dog Walk on Saturday, October 6th at Mulford Farm in East Hampton, NY. And stick around for the next event…TV and movie pet celebrity to be at the next event!

If you are more inclined to go to Montauk, we have the event for you! On Monday, October 8th, 2012 (Columbus Day) from 12:30pm-5:00pm there will be a Pet Celebration and Luncheon Event at the Oceanside Beach Resort in Montauk (626 Montauk Highway, Montauk, NY 11954). The Pet Celebration and Luncheon Event will have: music; pet vendors; raffles; pet costume contests; adoptable pets; goody bags; yummy food for humans and dogs alike; dog festivities and much more! This event is being held to celebrate the completion of A Journey Four Paws – in which Irene Rabinowitz and her 10-year old dog Sydney will be walking the last 10-miles of their 70-mile, four day journey into Montauk! A special guest appearance by Bocker the Labradoodle, TV & Movie Pet Celebrity will be at the event signing pawtographs!

Guests can bring their dogs dressed in their best most creative Montauk Monster, Surfer Dog, or original costume! Humans can dress up to if they wish as it is close to Howl-o-ween! Come and join us to cheer Irene and Sydney as they complete the ‘tail end’ of this amazing journey all while raising funds and awareness for the Long Island chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and for Central Suffolk Paws – an division under LI-Dog that helps get much needed dog parks in our towns on Long Island. Tickets to the luncheon are $35 per person and dogs attend for free! To purchase tickets or find out more information about this event go to www.barksnbubblesli.com/2445.html.

And for more events happening across the East End and Long Island, sign up for the weekly FREE Pet Events Newsletter and don’t miss another event!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

On Saturday night, August 18th I was invited to The Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF) annual Beach Ball, with this years theme the ‘Jewels of Summer’ appropriately so for who the evening honored.  A lovely event held at the Bridgehampton Tennis & Surf Club, you can’t go wrong when you are literally over looking the beach, surrounded by pets up for adoption and of course some Hamptons and NYC celebrities.

Everyone there had the same mindset, that it’s about rescuing and caring for the animals.  The affair was emceed by NBC’s Chuck Scarborough – who you may not know that he and his wife Ellen are ardent supporters of various rescue organizations, including ARF, but they are also proud parents of their own adopted pets.  Chuck did a great job and he was also pretty funny when describing his pets and how he and Ellen recently just adopted another dog.  (Way to go!)

There was a cocktail hour with a lot of hors d’oeurves being passed around a raw bar and a lot of picture taking and laughter happening – everywhere you went people were talking about their own pets or a pet they were thinking of adopting.  So while to the rest of LI – it might seem like just another ‘Hamptons’ event with celebrities, it wasn’t just about that, it’s all about the animals, and ok and maybe a little about what some of the guests were wearing.

This year’s Beach Ball honored Candy Udell the President of London Jewelers and Founder of Rescue Paw Foundation.  ARF recognized Candy with the ARF Champion of Animals Award  for her tireless efforts, generosity and dedication to animal welfare.  Candy has a jewelry line called, ‘Our Cause For Paws‘ and the sale of the jewelry helps provide grants to qualified Not-for-Profit organizations that operate facilities to provide care and shelter for animals who have been rescued; seek qualified adoptive owners for saved animals; promote, foster and advance the adoption of rescued animals; stimulate interest and concern in the prevention of abuse and neglect of animals; and promote the prevention of animal overpopulation through spay and neuter programs.

l to r: Kathleen Rice Nassau County District Attorney; Candy Udell President London Jewelers; and Chuck Scarborough NBC News Anchor

Candy was introduced and given the award by Nassau County District Attorney, Kathleen Rice.  Who is also an animal lover and has her own adopted dog too.    Kathleen has also recently really started taking big initiative with the Nassau County SPCA, and proposing bills that strengthen the laws of  people who are animal abusers.

“All of us at ARF were delighted with the success of the 2012 Beach Ball—Jewels of Summer.  You can’t have a better honoree than Candy Udell, President of London Jewelers and Kathleen Rice and Chuck Scarborough as presenter and Emcee were top notch.  $250,000 was raised to help cats and dogs in need at ARF,” said  Sara Davison, Executive Director of ARF.

ARF Board Member, Lisa McCarthy; Francis Hayward of Be Kind to Animals; and Sara Davison, Executive Director at ARF

There was also a silent auction at the event and adorable dogs, puppies, cats and kittens on hand for adoption in the new ARF adoption van. 

For more information on how you can get involved with ARF go to www.ARFHamptons.org.  See the slide show of pictures below!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

About six weeks ago I hosted a networking event for pet professionals with the topic, “Think outside the box,” because so many of us get stuck in a rut with the same pet events, marketing plans, etc.  It can be challenging to think of something new to do to promote your pet business or rescue group.  One rescue group that often thinks outside the box in a very creative way is the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons.  ARF has many different events that are not your norm, and they wisely use the location in which they are situated in to host such unique events.  All which help the animals in which they rescue and care for.

Over the Memorial Day weekend I was at the 2nd Annual Designer ShowHouse at the ARF in Sagaponack, NY.  ARF transformed their thrift and treasure shop into a designer showhouse for the weekend to raise funds for ARF to help the organization continue to find homes for the animals in need.

Talk about thinking outside the box, most people wouldn’t think of interior design and pets as a hand-in-hand event, but ARF and the designers pulled it off flawlessly.  Ten rooms were beautifully styled by some of New York’s most illustrious interior decorators in which some of the rooms had whimsical pet themes.  Over 200 people attended the kick-off cocktail party fundraiser held on Saturday, May 26th from 5 – 8pm with 5pm being the exclusive preview hour at $300 per person and $150 per person for general admission at 6pm.  The showhouse was open to the public for a suggested $10 donation Sunday & Monday, May 27th & May 28th as well.

The Thrift and Treasure shop itself is a priority for the organization’s long term strategic planning as almost 20% of ARF’s annual operating budget comes from funds raised there. Last year, the Thrift Shop, a charming Dutch colonial building was renovated and expanded allowing ARF to accept more donations and continue to successfully fund the organization’s animal Adoption Center.

Sara Davidson, Executive Director of ARF with one of the ARF dogs up for adoption

“Last year’s first designer showhouse and grand re-opening was such a success that we decided to make the designer showhouse an annual event for ARF. The funds raised by the designer showhouse and Thrift & Treasure Shop are vital to the organization and its mission to provide for the health and welfare of dogs and cats on the East End of Long Island.  We are in awe of the designers’ creativity who will transform the shop.” said Sara Davison, Executive Director of ARF.

The line up of top designers, who created rooms for the second annual showhouse, included: Jeffery Howard Brodersen, Nancy Corzine, Gary Crain and James Alan Smith, Michael Grim, Gigi Mahon, Jeff Pfeifle, Scott Salvator, Rob Southern, and Tony Urrutia.  All the designers are animal lovers who are donating their time and expertise to help the ARF cats and dogs, who are less fortunate than their own beloved pets.  Each room will feature Thrift Shop items and pieces donated from the designers’ own collections.  Unlike traditional showhouses, every item in the ARF designer showhouse was for sale. There were also many adoptable pets on hand in ARF’s brand new adoption truck in which they rolled out for display for the evening’s event. 

So regardless of your location, think outside the box of something different you can do for your rescue group or pet business.  What is in your local community that might be different than others?  Start thinking more creatively and look around in your own backyard to see what you can come up with!

More Pictures below of the ARF Designer ShowHouse!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Every year Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF)  has a fundraising garden tour of six luxurious homes scattered throughout the south fork of Long Island.  You kind feel like you’re on a scavenger hunt, but without collecting any stuff, just taking pictures of beautiful gardens and some very unique homes.  This year was no different while ARF celebrated the 25th Anniversary of hosting the garden tour on Saturday, June 18th, 2011.

The tour cost $75 per ticket to attend and all the proceeds raised go to help the pets and helps ARF to continue to their amazing work to help the homeless pets their.

We started the tour somewhat backwards-at the 6th house – but that is part of the fun of the tour – it’s self guided and you are not rushed through.  The tour starts at 10am and ends at 4pm.  While you do need a car to get to each locale, the houses are not walking distance from each other, it is worth the trip.  As someone who is probably now considered a “local” (living on the East End for nearly 6 years), I am still amazed at some of the areas I have yet to see.  The ARF garden tour brings you down streets and gravel roads – you might not have otherwise gone down before – so it’s a little adventure too.

While on the tour we were greeted by Pearl, who I met two years before on the tour.  I recognized this beautiful sweetheart of a pit bull.  This tour however is really for people – Pearl was just a greeter with her volunteer Mom & Dad at one of the houses.  We met many people along the way on the tour, and I can tell you most were not even from the East End!  We met people from Islip, East Islip, Connecticut, West Babylon and more.  So if you want to be somewhat of a voyeur and see some beautiful homes, and be able to give back at the same time – be sure to plan for next year’s ARF Garden Tour!  And of course if you are looking to adopt a cat or dog, head to their wonderful shelter in Wainscott (that’s between Southampton and East Hampton!).

Pearl Girl!

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Celebrities & Their Dogs Unconditional Love

Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF) has some very unique events to raise funds to continue to help homeless animals…and last night was no exception. At Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY, ARF hosted a movie premiere of ‘My Dog, An Unconditional Love Story,’ by Daryl Roth (http://www.darylrothproductions.com/) and Mark St. Germain, which is a movie about stars celebrating their best four-legged friends.

Featuring celebrities like Edie Falco, who was also there to give an introduction to the packed audience, the film also featured Richard Gere, Glenn Close, Lynn Redgrave, Cindy Adams and many others who spoke unconditionally of their dogs, past and present.

(L to R): On Stage: Sara Davison Executive Director of ARF,
Edie Falco, Actress; Daryl Roth, Film’s Producer

An endearing, humorous and touching film, anyone who has owned or owns a dog, will absolutely love this movie. There was a lot of laughter and the audience stayed until the very end credit, with tons of applause. Whether you are a famous actor, musician, poet or author, the fact is that dogs bring all people the same joy, love, companionship and laughter – this movie shines a light on that.

Proceeds from the evening screening went to ARF and many audience members also moved on to the cocktail reception at the Maidstone after the screening, also benefiting the non-for-profit animal rescue. Local pet celebrities Jill Rappaport of the Today Show and Beth Stern were also in attendance.

Jill Rappaport Pet Contributor Today Show,
Beth Stern; and me! Nancy Hassel, Founder Long Island Pet Professionals

For more information on upcoming ARF events and how you can participate go to: www.arfhamptons.org