Trisha Yearwood, Michelle Williams, Antoni Porowski and More Join Best Friends Animal Society for Annual Benefit Supporting Dogs and Cats in Shelters
On Monday, October 19, national nonprofit, Best Friends Animal Society, hosted its seventh annual Benefit to Save Them All. For the second consecutive year, the event raised nearly $1.5 million to support the organization’s work to save the lives of dogs and cats in shelters. The funds will support Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, as well as its pet adoption centers in Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Northwest Arkansas and Salt Lake City. Proceeds will also benefit the organization’s network of more than 6,000 shelter and rescue organizations working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters.
Hosted by Sara Haines, co-host of ABC's The View, the evening highlighted the momentum being made to save pets in shelters and recognized the people working to make that progress possible. The program featured a musical performance of “True Colors” by Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and actress Michelle Williams.
Benefit co-chairs Ivy Getty, Andrew Lauren, and Natascha Schuetz joined Best Friends Animal Society in celebrating the organization's work to save more pets in shelters and move the country toward a time when there are no more homeless pets.
Country music star Trisha Yearwood made a special guest appearance to honor this year’s animal welfare changemakers. The recognition spotlighted four honorees whose work is helping pets in shelters and communities across the country:
Bryan Reisberg (@madmax_fluffyroad), a content creator whose viral adoption ride videos raise awareness of dogs in shelters and encourage adoption
Gloria Yip, a dedicated Best Friends Animal Society volunteer since 2017
Heidi Marston, of Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, Maine
Elaine Brown and Rini Lambrinos, of Southwest Airlines’ Animal Transport Team
Additional attendees included: Alicia Crowder, Tell Me Lies; Alison Pill, The Newsroom; Antoni Porowski, Queer Eye; Barton Cowperthwaite, Tiny Pretty Things; David Mazouz, Gotham; Famke Janssen, X-Men; Georgina Pazcoguin, New York City Ballet; Kelli Giddish, Law & Order: SVU, Susie Abromeit, Jessica Jones, as well as Dylan Lauren and Lauren Bush Lauren.
(L-R) Natascha Schuetz, Andrew Lauren, Lauren Bush Lauren and Dylan Lauren attend Best Friends Animal Society’s Benefit to Save Them All on October 19, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Best Friends Animal Society)
(L-R) Trisha Yearwood and Michelle Williams attend Best Friends Animal Society’s Benefit to Save Them All on October 19, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Best Friends Animal Society)
Bryan Reisberg attends Best Friends Animal Society’s Benefit to Save Them All on October 19, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Best Friends Animal Society)
Jill Rappaport attends Best Friends Animal Society’s Benefit to Save Them All on October 19, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Best Friends Animal Society)
(L-R) Famke Janssen and Susie Abromeit attend Best Friends Animal Society’s Benefit to Save Them All on October 19, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Best Friends Animal Society)
The evening also featured Empress, Best Friends Animal Society’s first-ever Benefit to Save them All spokesdog, who attended with her family. Empress’s story reflects the challenges many pets face before finding safety and care. She was found alone, tied to a park bench, with an untreated neurological condition. On Monday evening, she arrived with her family dressed for the occasion. Her journey is a reminder of what’s possible when pets in need receive the care and support they deserve.
Empress attends Best Friends Animal Society’s Benefit to Save Them All on October 19, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Best Friends Animal Society)
Special thank you to Bar Dog Wine, the presenting sponsor of Best Friends Animal Society’s Benefit to Save Them All.
To learn more about Best Friends Animal Society and the work to make the country no-kill*, which means saving every healthy or treatable pet in shelters, visit bestfriends.org.
*No-kill is generally defined as a save rate of 90% or higher for dogs and cats entering a shelter, a widely recognized benchmark for measuring lifesaving success. The 90% threshold reflects the reality that a small percentage of animals enter shelters with severe medical or behavioral conditions that prevent rehoming. However, no-kill is not a one-size-fits-all standard. Some shelters may reach no-kill at save rates above 90%, while others that provide specialized services, such as neonatal kitten care or compassionate end-of-life support, may fall slightly below that benchmark. Ultimately, reaching and sustaining no-kill requires collaboration among shelters, rescue groups, local governments, and community members, all working together to save lives while protecting public safety and animal welfare.