Best Friend NYC celebrates dogs and introduces the “Artist Spotlight”- a non-for-profit online rotating showcase of
dog-themed art. Launching today “Artist Spotlight” features unique dog-inspired artwork in a variety of genres and media: from period portraits and countryside landscapes to digitally generated art and inspiring photography.

On April 1st  2009 “Artist Spotlight” will unveil its virtual doors and welcome visitors to browse through galleries of such diverse artists as Ann Hamilton (San Francisco, CA), Noel Hoffmann (Charleston, SC), Marie Mason (Kansas City, MO), Diane Mellendick (Orlando, FL), Shasta Molnar (Jackson Hole, WY), Daniela Ria (Atlanta, GA / Milan, Italy), Faye Rose (Eagleville, PA), Rebecca Rumbley (Bardstown, KY), Ellen Silverberg (East Hampton, NY), Debbie Stonebraker (Foley, MO), David Trowbridge (Brooklyn, NY), and Barbara Van Vliet (Weston, VT).

You now also able to order custom paintings and commission artists' artwork through our ever-growing shopping portal devoted to custom art. Best Friend NYC will donate 20% of all proceeds generated through the “Artist Spotlight” initiative to ASPCA.


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This Friday March 6th The Luxury Pet Pavilion, a red carpet-inspired luxury pet trade show in Los Angeles, will present an exclusive fundraising event: “Barking Boutique Bid-N-Buy Auction” to benefit newly-founded L.A.-based "Ruff Houzen No-Kill" animal rescue shelter. 

Best Friend NYC joins Ashely Paige, a celebrity swimsuit designer and a TLC show host in supporting the cause, and raising awareness and funding for the new shelter in Los Angeles.

The celebrity fundraising event “Barking Boutique Bid-N-Buy” will feature a silent auction, which in addition to Best Friend NYC Dog Grooming Products will also feature over 50 of the latest pet fashions, home accessories, art and other pet products on the market today. On the night of the event, Ashley Paige, who is the Honorary Chair and the founder of Ruff Houzen, will unveil a custom swimsuit for the live auction and give an overview of plans for the new shelter.

Guests will enjoy specialty cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, delectable desserts and posh pet-product swag bags as they raise money for a great cause. Best Friend NYC will be in attendance and will report live from Beverly Hills. Stay posted for photos and videos from the event.



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By Bob Keefer

Every show has at least one star who just might run off with the audience’s heart.In the Oregon Festival of American Music production of “The Wizard of Oz,” which opens Friday at the Hult Center, that actor’s name is Gracie.Gracie is the 4½-year-old Jack Russell terrier/poodle mix who’s been cast as Toto, the dog that accompanies Dorothy from Kansas to Oz.

Her career took off, almost in spite of the Langs, when they took her to a trainer to help contain her outgoing energy and, quite separately, noticed that strangers often stopped them on the street to comment on how cute she was.Now Gracie, who performs about 40 different tricks — one is opening a Gail Lang’s purse, removing a wallet and taking a dollar bill from it — has not only become a star of stage and television (she’s done several commercials and has been on local TV news) but also makes numerous live charity appearances in and around Eugene.

With the help of former Elmira dog trainer Chris Denning, Gracie — and the Langs — began making appearances around town, helping out with fundraisers for everything from the Rotary Club to the Eugene Symphony. 

She’s raised more than $6,000 for charity, Lang said. Gracie’s work also led her to be inducted into the Oregon Animal Hall of Fame earlier this year. Full story...

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Forget haute couture, this is hound couture. There's going to be a doggie fashion show in New York tonight. The Paws for Style event raises money for the Humane Society. Co-host Wendy Diamond is Animal Fair magazine's editorial director and a judge on CBS' "Greatest American Dog." She says she usually doesn't go for dogs dressing up, but she makes an exception for the charity event. Celebrities and designers in attendance will include Marc Jacobs, Lauren Conrad, Nanette Lepore, Robert Verdi and Nigel Baker. Celebs and their oh-so-fashionable pooches will be wearing matching outfits. The doggie-duds and human clothes will be auctioned on eBay.




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