THE BIDEAWEE BALL: RED CARPET MEETS

RESCUES, WHERE EDUCATION IS THE KEY

By Jody on June 10, 2014
Bideawee means stay a while in Scottish and the 360 pet care they
offer, unusual for a not-for-profit animal rescue organization, makes you
want to do just that. I covered their big annual fundraiser last night the
Bideawee Ball capturing some glitz, some glam dahlink!, and some
angels for animals.

Bideawee President, Nancy Taylor, on the carpet
Bideawee is one of the nations oldest animal welfare and pet adoption
organizations, clocking in at an impressive 111 years old. It was founded
in 1903 by Mrs. Flora DAuby Jenkins Kibbe. While on a trip abroad, she
was touched by the, at that time, unique work of the Barrone dHerpents
Dog Refuge in Paris. This organization would send an ambulance all over
the city to pick up stray and unwanted animals. Instead of being
destroyed, this dog refuge would care for them until they could find them
loving homes. Upon returning to her home in New York City, she promptly
decided to set up her own animal refuge organization, calling it the Bide-
A-Wee Home Association. In 1906, Bideawee was incorporated as a
(501(c)3). Since the beginning, it has been Bideawees policy never to
euthanize an animal unless it is incurably ill or suffering. Today, Bideawee
has facilities in New York City, and two on Long Island, in Wantagh and in
Westhampton, and has more than 700 employees and 96 employees.
And, it still remains true to Flora Kibbes vision as a safe haven for
animals.
I arrived at the Ball, which had a masquerade theme, at the perfect time.
Bideawee President,Nancy Taylor, was on the carpet. I wanted to talk
with her about a new program they recently launched, called LOVI NG
LEGACY. I was especially interested in this because my husband and I
struggle to decide who to name as Sophies caregiver, in the event that
something happens to us. My daughter works long hours and has her
own big dog, Mackey. My husbands children both live overseas and have
very busy lives. What LOVI NG LEGACY does for people like me and
maybe like you, is takes the fear and worry out of making sure your pets
are properly cared and provided for in that circumstance.
We know its becoming standard for people to do advanced planning for
themselves, but many people who have pets, who may or may not have
children or extended family, worry what will become of their pet if they
become incapacitated and no longer take care for them, Taylor
explained. So, we created this program which we hope will give people
peace of mind. If you can no longer care for their pet, Bideawee will step
in, take on all the arrangements, retain legal ownership of the pet
throughout the pets entire life and pre-select a home for that pet to live,
where we can be assured it will gets lots of love, lots of socialization.
Well provide medical care throughout its life, check on them periodically
and, at the end of its life, well memorialize the pet as the owner would
have hoped we would do. Bideawee has the owner fill out a very
extensive questionnaire, so they know everything about your pet,
including what they like to eat. Its also updated annually. I think this
program is amazing and, because its expensive to care for a pet
throughout its life, as we know, Bideawee

London Jewelers President and Rescue Paws Founder, Candy
Udell, with The Hope Collar
appreciates donations. You can donate to Bideawee here.
Being honored this year were London Jewelers and Rescue Paw
Foundation founder, Candy Udell, and Royal Pet Club and Animal AID
USA founder, Prince Lorenzo Borghese, whose amazing work Ive
covered before on Bark and Swagger. You can read more about what
Lorenzo and his partner, Karen Talbot do for animals here. The evening
was emceed by the very cool Cat Greenleaf, host of NBCs three time
Emmy Award-winning series, Talk Stoop, which she does with her co-
host, the very adorable Gracie the Bulldog.
Candy Udell is a very warm lady doing wonderful things for animals. And,
as the President of the prestigious London Jewelers, her Long Island-
based, family run business, shes been able to create some wonderful
pieces to raise much-needed funds for both her rescue organization and
others. For the Bideawee Balls auction, she donated a seriously stunning
diamond-encrusted dog collar called The Hope Collar, which took 130
hours to make by hand, features 205 diamonds equaling 15.20cts, and
would retail for $55,000! The center is removable, becoming a brooch for
humans. The bidding began last night at $30,000. Who knows what this
incredible, one-of-a-kind piece will fetch.
One of Rescue Paws newest initiatives, in conjunction with HEART, an
organization focused on humane education, is a program for children that
is becoming part of their school curriculum. Beginning with grades 4-6,
the program will focus on shelters, spay/neuter programs, animal fighting,
kindness, compassion, care and safety. It was launched this year in
Lawrence County, Alabama. Alabama doesnt have spay and neuter
laws, and is a high at risk area for animal abuse and abandonment. So
far, its off to a great start, so much so, that the program will be launched
this month in schools in Nassau County, New York. I asked Udell about it.
Ive been rescuing animals in Lawrence County for five years, and Ive
seen the effects of neglect, of not having spay and neuter programs, she
emphasized. Weve been working with the poorest county in Alabama. I
believe you have to get to the root of the

Royal Pet Club founder and Animal AID USA co-founder, Prince
Lorenzo Borghese & Georgina Bloomberg, board member and
animal activist
problem, and that is education in the importance of spaying and
neutering, and thats exactly what Im doing. Weve been through
hurricanes, floods, you name it. And, were able to get dogs out to safety,
transport them and find homes for them. But, my goal now is not only to
save their lives, but to teach people, as well, about the importance of
humanity. What better way to do that then through our children. Candy,
via London Jewelers, has created beautiful paw and dog tag jewelry
specifically for the purpose of raising money. Every piece sold saves a
life. And, because Rescue Paws is my organization, I know where every
penny is going. I asked Candy if shes ever designed matching dog and
human jewelry. Ill do anything anyone asks me to do, she said. We
designed tonights Hope Collar, weve done two Victoria Secret Fantasy
Bras. After youve done that, you can do anything, she responds, with a
smile. Nuff said!
Prince Lorenzo Borghese, founder of the Royal Pet Club brand, which
makes gorgeous shampoos and conditioners under the Royal Treatment
name, is a committed animal activist, educator and co-founder, with
Karen Talbot, of Animal AID USA. Animal AID rescues about 200 dogs
from kill shelters in Georgia every month, transports them north, makes
sure they have the proper medical care and finds them homes. Borghese,
like Candy Udell, believes that educating people, especially children, is
paramount to slowly ridding the planet of animal abandonment and
abuse. In a partnership with the American Humane Association, Animal
AID provides a curriculum for school children to teach them about
compassion for animals and about the importance of adopting. I asked
him about how the program, called Animal AID Club, was going. Its
going great!, he enthused. If you just think about how children are the
next generation of leaders, and how they are more passionate than
adults, you can see the power in getting both engaged to help animals.
Animals as pets teach children how to care for and love something. We
believe that if children want to find a home for a dog, it will happen. If you
have 20 children going home with a picture of a dog up for adoption and it
becomes a project, the chances are increased even more. And, the
parents will want to become involved. Our program does just that it
teaches the children responsibility and gets parents involved, too.
We also have a play one of our board members wrote called ANI MAL
AI D, which encourages people to choose adoption. The children portray
dogs in the play. Theres a Bully breed, and the Pitbull cant find any
love. Then, all the other dogs end up loving him, so it teaches that not all
Pitbulls are bad; not all Bully breeds are bad. Two schools currently have
the pilot program, prior to a national roll out, but already the results are
impressive. Both schools have a 100% adoption rate for the dogs.

Karen Biehl, fiance Joseph Lento & Eli the Celebrity Chihuahua
A great evening and cause and Im so happy Bark and Swagger could be
there to share it with you!
Do you have a favorite animal charity or cause? Tell me about it in the
Comments below.

Stacy McCosky & Sadie in an Anthony Rubio creation

Via: http://barkandswagger.com/the-bideawee-ball-red-carpet-meets-
rescues-education-key