DOG DAY AFTERNOONS IN THE HAMPTONS

Marshall Heyman at Summer Fundraisers for Pet-Rescue Organizations

By MARSHALL HEYMAN Aug. 19, 2014 10:26 p.m. ET

Georgina and Michael Bloomberg with Jean Shafiroff at the Southampton Animal
Shelter fundraiserNicholas Hunt//Patrick McMullan

Lisa McCarthy with Bruce the dog at the Bow Wow Meow Ball Jonathon
Ziegler/Patrick McMullan

Ellen and Chuck Scarborough, who hosted the Gimme Shelter event Suzy Sinnenberg

Michelle Neufeld Montak and Marisa Perkins at the Gimme Shelter event Kristin
Gray

Kathy Rayner and Peter Marino at the Bow Wow Meow Ball Jonathon
Ziegler/Patrick McMullan
Occasionally, during low-key afternoons at the beach in the Hamptons, the dogs
outnumber the humans. On the East End, as their owners race around in their
Mercedes wagons paying for overpriced breakfast wraps and adhering to social
obligations, pets get the freedom of wide-open spaces: the ocean, backyards and
McMansions.
So it shouldn't come as a surprise that many of the area's pet-rescue fundraisers
take place on the East End in the two main summer months.
"We live in an amazing community of people who love animals," said Michelle
Neufeld Montak of Bridgehampton, who founded Gimme Shelter Animal Rescue in
2011.
"We all have to capitalize on the fact that there are a lot of people out there in
those months," added Lisa McCarthy, president of the board of directors for the
Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons.
In the last few weeks, Georgina Bloomberg was honored at the fifth annual
Unconditional Love Gala, which benefited the Southampton Animal Shelter
Foundation and was chaired by Jean Shafiroff. Amanda Hearst hosted a young
people's party at Finale in East Hampton for Friends of Finn, a committee of next-
generation supporters of the Humane Society, complete with a vegan menu.
Chuck and Ellen Scarborough threw the third annual summer benefit for Gimme
Shelter at their Southampton home. This past Saturday marked the Bow Wow
Meow Ball supporting the Animal Rescue Fund, or ARF.
And to cap it off, this coming weekend, Ms. Hearst, Ms. Bloomberg, Ms. Shafiroff
and Prince Lorenzo Borghese will all be honored at the Pet Hero Awards, to benefit
the Pet Philanthropy Circle at the Water Mill home of Jewel and Robert Morris.
It's enough to make you want to roll over and play dead, right? Here is a look at
three of the recent barktastic affairs.
Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation's Unconditional Love Gala
Doghouse: A private waterfront home on Gin Lane.
Top dogs attending: Ms. Bloomberg, her father Michael Bloomberg, Sharon Bush,
Beth Stern and John and Margo Catsimatidis.
For the piggy bank: Around $550,000.
Pets present: Dogs could be adopted on-site at one of the shelter's vans. Ms.
Shafiroff's husband, meanwhile, brought over their pit bulls, Daisy and Bella, during
dessert and dancing. "At the end of the day, though, it's not about our pets," she
said. "It's about the ones that need homes."
Cute pet touches: "I know the ASPCA sometimes serves dessert in the shape of a
dog bone," said Ms. Shafiroff, "But we didn't serve meat. We served fish. We don't
go too crazy with the pet theme." Instead, the evening was inspired by James Bond,
with flowers in huge martini glasses and, as MC, Rachel Grant, who played a Bond
Girl named Peaceful Fountains of Desire in 2002's "Die Another Day."
Gimme Shelter Animal Rescue's Third Annual Summer Benefit
Doghouse: The Southampton home of Chuck and Ellen Scarborough.
Top dogs attending: The Scarboroughs, Ms. Stern, Chris and Christina Cuomo, rock
'n' roll photographer Steve Joester, and Dylan Lauren.
For the piggy bank: Around $100,000.
Pets present: Besides three rescue dogs up for adoption, 10 or so previous adopters
brought their pets. "The point was to keep it more laid-back," said Ms. Neufeld
Montak.
Cute pet touches: Loudon Wainwright sang a song about his family's dog.
Meanwhile, Leo, a therapy dog, was available for kisses and hugs in a "Smooch the
Pooch" kissing booth built by Ms. Neufeld Montak's husband. The stand brought in
at least $350 for the organization. Leo's "got this very scrunchy, kissable face," she
said.
ARF's Bow Wow Meow Ball
Doghouse: A tent in ARF's parking lot on Daniels Hole Road
Top dogs attending: Peter Marino, Alina Cho, Darryl and Steven Roth, Mai Hallingby
Harrison, Harry and Laura Slatkin, and Kathy and Billy Rayner.
For the piggy bank: More than $600,000.
Pets present: Twenty dogs were available for adoption from ARF's mobile unit;
three were adopted. Selected by the staff as "dogs that will do well in a party
setting," said Ms. McCarthy, they also participated in a dog parade. Guests tend not
to bring their animals, "probably because it's a long evening," she added.
Cute pet touches: The name of the evening, of course. "It's whimsical. It says what
we're about," said Ms. McCarthy. But no fancy gala food for the dogs who attend.
"That's a cute idea, though," she said. "We should set a table for them next year."

Via: http://online.wsj.com/articles/dog-day-afternoons-in-the-hamptons-
1408501615