Alliance News - 2004: An Event-full Year in Review - January 2005 - Out of the Cage!, the E-Newsletter of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals

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Alliance News

2004: An Event-full Year in Review

One of the many wonderful dogs who welcomed adopters at the Prospect Park adoption event.

Dog and cat adoption extravaganzas. Educational events. Networking forums. Fundraisers. 2004 marked a year of significant strides for the Mayor's Alliance in helping its member shelters and rescue groups make important connections, both with the "adopting" public and with other Alliance member groups.

Bringing together the different constituencies that ultimately will have the greatest impact on our success in transforming NYC into a no-kill community is a key component of the Alliance's ten-year plan. We invite you to take a look at some of the special events in 2004 that helped to make these connections among adopters, Alliance Participating Organizations, and the remarkable animals in their care.

A boy cuddles one of 100 adorable cats and kittens who found new homes at AdoptaCat Day in October.

Mayor's Alliance Pet Adoption Festival in Prospect Park

Nearly a dozen Alliance Participating Organizations were on hand on Sunday, September 24, for a collaborative pet adoption event in Brooklyn's largest and most popular outdoor venue. Visitors to the event enjoyed an invigorating afternoon in the park and the opportunity to meet many adoptable cats and dogs of all kinds. Last year the Mayor's Alliance orchestrated several such group adoption events throughout New York City as part of its strategy to "bring the animals to the people."

AdoptaCat Day at Madison Square Garden

Approximately 100 furry felines found their new forever homes at this adoption extravaganza on October 9. Running in tandem with the ever-popular annual Cat Fanciers' Association/Iams Cat Show New York, the AdoptaCat Day adoption event attracted dozens of would-be adopters, and raised awareness among cat-lovers of the numerous sources of wonderful cats and kittens of all kinds available for adoption.

Sandra DeFeo, Co-Executive Director of Humane Society of New York, and Anne Watkins, watercolor artist and Board Member of Art for Animals, share photos at The National Feral Cat Summit in October.

The National Feral Cat Summit

National Feral Cat Day — Saturday, October 16, 2004 — held special significance in NYC when Neighborhood Cats, in partnership with In Defense of Animals (IDA) and the ASPCA, presented The National Feral Cat Summit, a day-long educational and networking event at the SWLC Conference Center in Manhattan. The conference featured a meet-and-greet reception, and workshops and roundtable discussions on TNR, feral cat care, organizational fundraising and PR, and other topics of interest to those who care for feral cats. Among the event's sponsors were PetSmart Charities, PETCO, Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, Animal Care & Control of New York City, and the Humane Society of New York.

Painter Peter Max, event producer Valerie Scigniano, and Fred Schneider of the B52's contributed their talents to the "Cats & the City" Art Exhibit in November.

Cats & the City

Fred Schneider, lead singer of the B52's, hosted the "Cats & the City" Art Exhibit on Monday, November 1, at the historic National Arts Club on Gramercy Park South, to benefit Neighborhood Cats and the Humane Society of New York. The multi-media exhibit featured artwork by painters Peter Max and Martha Szabo, photographers Valerie Shaff and Kim Levin, and cartoonists Patrick McDonnell (Mutts) and Dan Piraro (Bizarro). A Silent Auction included cat dishes hand-painted by Fred Schneider, actress Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Dan Piraro, and other celebrities.

A "Feral Friends" Awards Ceremony honored individuals and organizations that have made a difference for NYC felines, including Mayor's Alliance founder Jane Hoffman, Animal Mukti Free Spay/Neuter Clinic founders Sharon Gannon, David Life, and Jivamukti Yoga Center, Humane Society of NY veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Higgins, and Humane Achievement Honorees, who included animal activist Mary Max, cat therapist Carole Wilbourn, NY Correction Department Commissioner Martin Horn, and volunteers Joseph Pastore and Carol Zelman.

Hooch from Animal Haven enjoys a snack at the kick-off of the Home 4 the Holidays campaign in November.

Home 4 the Holidays

The month-long pet adoption campaign, Home 4 the Holidays, got off to an celebratory start on Friday, November 19, when Animal Haven and the Mayor's Alliance joined with Mike Arms, the campaign's founder, and others at Fetch Bar & Grill on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The Iams Have a Heart: Home 4 the Holidays campaign is a worldwide pet adoption drive involving more than 1,300 animal shelters, with the goal of encouraging prospective pet adopters to adopt from local shelters.

Chef Toni Dickinson puts the finishing touches on her gingerbread "Canary Cathedral" in December.

Gingerbread Homes for Animals

Central Park's Dana Discovery Center was the setting for an unusual humane education and fundraising event presented by Rational Animal, the all-volunteer media organization that works on behalf of at-risk animals. Gingerbread Homes for Animals, the five-day event that premiered on December 1, featured fanciful, edible gingerbread creations donated by some of NYC's master pastry chefs, free animal care workshops, and other activities that captured the imagination of children and adults. Half of the proceeds from the event were donated to the Picasso Veterinary Fund, and half to Rational Animal to fund future exciting animal events.

Charlemagne and Clarissa charm cat-lovers at the Cat Adoption Festival at St. Paul the Apostle Church in December. Click here for more information on adopting this adorable duo.

Cat Adoption Festival at St. Paul the Apostle Church

Cat-lovers swarmed the spacious great hall of this Upper West Side landmark on Saturday, December 11, where more than a few met their newest family member of the feline variety. One lucky raffle contestant, Matthew Gelnie, walked away with the coveted cat stroller that was offered as a raffle prize.