Who’s ready to PAWTY for the PETS?!  And I mean, PETCO style! It’s going to be a ball!

The Petco Foundation announced details for its annual Awards Gala taking place on Friday, May 19 and I’m thrilled to be in attendance for the fourth year in a row!  I deeply admire animal charities, so it’s a privilege to have been invited back to the Petco Foundation Gala Award Gala the aka Gala of all animal welfare galas in San Diego.  “A Celebration of Love” is this years theme as celebrities and pet lovers unite in San Diego to shine a spotlight on organizations and individuals whose dedication and actions create a life-saving impact for pets in need. I cannot emphasize enough how fortunate the city of San Diego is to be home of the Petco brand and the Petco Foundation Gala. It’s great to see all the partnerships Petco and its foundation continue to grow throughout the San Diego communities. For starters no ballpark hosts a Dog Days of Summer like a Petco Park Dog Days of summer!  And that makes sense- after all it is PET-co (where the pets go) park!  We are so fortunate to have this pet company and its foundation headquartered here in San Diego. Have you seen the revealing of the new San Diego Petco headquarters 2 million dollar renovation?  Did you know Petco recently reigned in a new CEO?  With the new changes and excitement I can only imagine this years Petco Foundation Gala being extra special.

To kick off the beautiful and paw-some evening, each guest is greeted with champagne (bottomless!) at check-in as they each make their way towards the gala’s silent auction cocktail hour. There guests will find a beautiful layout of auction items by retails greatest brands! One thing I really enjoy about this particular benefit is it really “shows up and shows out” with great quality auction items. Other even more extravagant items include dinning experiences, spa packages, and paradise destination vacations! Each item is unique and a great deal in itself, everyone is sure to make some bids! Following the auction fun, the excitement continues as guests make their way to the grand ball-room where they each will find a Petco Foundation goodie-gift bag valued at $250 sitting at their seat as the serving of their delectable 3 course meal awaits! Around the time guests are polishing off their dinner courses and had opportunities to mingling with others in attendance, the lights finally dim low and the award show begins! And in true Petco Foundation fashion, you can expect to see a Hollywood A-list celebrity featured in the program as a guest, honoree or even an MC!

From Academy Award Winner Hilary Swank and Golden Globe Winner Kathryn Heigl (both who were Petco Gala Award honorees in the most recent years, click Swank or Heigl to read gala blogposts) the stars are always sure to show-out for the Petco Foundation Gala and it makes the event all the more GLAMOROUS!  When I learned this years Petco Foundation Gala MC, I was overwhelmed with GLEE! (hint, hint). Nowadays most know her from her national prime-time Emmy Award winning FOX Show “Glee”, however I’ve been a fan of hers since her debut in the 2001 comedy mockumentary “Best in Show”, a hilarious show depicting a colorful array of characters competing at a national dog show.

If you guessed Jane Lynch then you too have felt her presence strongly felt not just in comedy and television, but also in her love for animals. For as far back as I can remember I have always known Lynch to spread awareness about the fight against animal cruelty.  She always sets out to inspire compassion for animals in any opportunity she can so it’s only appropriate we got so lucky to have such a amazing person as our host. Not to mention she’s an award winning comedian so I’m positive she’s going to put on a great show.

( fun fact: Lynch also hosts the annual Thanksgiving night FOX Cause for Paws television event benefiting Southern California rescue shelters. of which Barking Beasts attends as well! )

This year the Petco Foundation will be honoring Dog Behaviorist and Pet Lifestyle Expert Victoria Stilwell with the special “Unsung Hero Award” while Brian Devine, former Petco CEO and Chairman is being honored at this years event for his creation of and commitment to the Petco Foundation. Adding to the entertainment the event will also feature the first-ever “Innovation Showdown”, a competition between animal welfare finalists – Brandywine Valley SPCA and Animal Care Centers of NYC – who will present their unique ideas to save more lives. The celebrity and expert panel of judges include:

• Daymond John (“Shark Tank” panelist, author, Founder/CEO of FUBU, and entrepreneur)
• Jackson Galaxy (Cat behaviorist, author, entrepreneur, founder of the Jackson Galaxy Foundation, and host of “My Cat from Hell”)
• Susanne Kogut (Executive Director of the Petco Foundation)

And of course- it’s not a Petco Foundation Gala without adoptable pets in attendance. This year the event will host a red paw-printed carpet with arrivals of animal-loving celebrities and photo-booth selfies with adoptable puppies and kittens!

It’s going to be purrrrfectly paawwwsome!

Stay tuned for my 2017 Petco Foundation Gala re-cap featuring my interview with Petco Foundation Executive Director Susanne Kogut straight from the gala, along with my highlights of the evening!

If you’re interested in attending, tickets are still available at www.petcofoundation.org/2017-gala/ or contact foundationevents@petco.com. Live event broadcasts on social media via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram or via hashtags #CelebrateLove and #InnovationShowdown.  All proceeds benefit the Petco Foundation.

Hope to see you there! Let’s party for the pets!

About The Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we’ve invested more than $185 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we’ve helped more than 5.3 million pets find their new loving families, and we’re just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved. Petco Foundation President and CEO Charlie Pisctiello (a proud dad two two golden retrievers) serves as the foundations leader in preserving the Petco philosophy to connect people with their pets and additionally to pet lovers-alike!