NEW YORK CITY —The annual To the Rescue! gala supporting the work of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, which took place on Nov. 1, at Cipriani 42nd Street, raised $2 million to benefit the organizations’ work to protect animals.
International film and television actor and passionate dog advocate Daniel Henney served as the evening’s host, which also featured a special appearance by actress, author, producer and rabbit lover Amy Sedaris and a performance by Grammy and SAG Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, actress, vegan and philanthropist, Mýa. Henney was joined by Juliette, his beloved rescue dog who was saved from a Korean meat farm by Humane Society International.
Guests were treated to a gourmet plant-based dinner curated by acclaimed vegan Chef Eddie Garza-Buchting. Celebrities, influencers and animal lovers including Brittany Moore, Nashville singer-songwriter; Nick Kosir, The Dancing Weatherman; Amir Arison, actor; Orfeh, Broadway actress and singer; TV host Jennifer Coffey; and more gathered to celebrate the work of Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States to end the dog and cat meat trades, a cruel practice that continues in various parts of the world, including South Korea, China, Indonesia, India and Viet Nam.
Humane Society International has been at the forefront of this fight, working to close dog meat farms, rescue animals and advocate for stronger animal protection laws. In January 2024, South Korea’s National Assembly passed legislation to ban the dog meat industry. This historic vote followed years of campaigning by HSI’s global and South Korea country teams and many allies and was the final hurdle to make such a ban official. By 2027, the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs and dog meat for human consumption will be phased out and made illegal in South Korea.
“Tonight’s gala was a testament to the power of collective compassion. I’m inspired by the generosity of everyone who participated and proud of the funds we raised for Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States,” said Henney. “Together, we’re creating a more compassionate world and making a real difference for animals everywhere.”
“This is one of my favorite nights of the year, coming together to help animals. I’m honored to be a part of the To the Rescue! gala again and support the amazing work of the Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States,” said Sedaris. “All animals deserve to live long and happy lives and with the help of all the generous donations raised this evening, these organizations can continue their vital work in ending the dog and cat meat trade globally. Girl Scout promise number 6 was to be a friend to animals when I was a member. This is where I learned to be kind to animals.”
Retiring Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Debbie Stabenow received Lifetime Achievement Awards for their leadership of federal animal protection issues. Rep. Blumenauer led efforts to combat animal cruelty as co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus. He fought to end the scourge of animal fighting, ensuring the U.S. Department of Agriculture had funding to enforce the Animal Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act, sponsoring legislation to end private ownership of primates, and leading the efforts to uphold state laws providing more space for farmed animals. As the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Stabenow twice defeated the odious “King Amendment” in the Farm Bill, which could have nullified 1,000 state laws to protect animals, and is opposing the EATS Act or anything like it in this version of the Farm Bill. She also led efforts to help domestic violence survivors and their pets, crack down on spectators and children at animal fighting ventures, and ensure the dog and cat meat trade didn’t take hold in the U.S.
“We have so many outstanding allies in our work, and tonight highlighted the strength of our collective effort to protect animals both in the U.S. and globally,” said Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and CEO of Humane Society International. “A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful hosts, generous sponsors, and dedicated supporters for making this evening a success. The funds raised are vital for our ongoing mission to safeguard all animals.”
In addition to celebrating the life-saving efforts for animals, the organizations announced joint plans to change their names to Humane World for Animals. With their ambitious mission to tackle the root causes of animal cruelty and suffering and create permanent change, the organizations have simply outgrown the “humane society” term, which is more associated with local animal shelters. An official announcement of the new brand, developed with support from brand consultancy Lippincott, will be made in February 2025.
The signature gala benefitted from the generous support of sponsors Moroccanoil, TJX Companies, Liberty Mutual Insurance, MissionWired, Avalon, RWT Production, Printcinch, Data Axle, GiveBridge, Threshold, FlyteVu, Harvey Traveler, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Kent Pet Group, Lippincott, Lockton and ROI. The after-party is sponsored by Stray Dog Capital.
Georgina Bloomberg, Brad Jakeman, Chuck Laue and Suzy Welch served as gala chairs. The leadership committee included Susan Atherton, Tessa Benson Tooley, Wendy and Howard Berk, Yolanda Berkowitz, Leslie Durso, Wayne S. Flick, Cathy Kangas, Jennifer Laue, Terry Rakolta, Courtney Stroum Meagher and Nathan Turner.
Aprimo visuals library. To download these visuals, email eehrhorn@humanesociety.org.