Tickets going fast! Don't miss Gimme Shelter Rock & Rescue at the Highline Ballroom Oct 6th

Time's running out! Get your tickets NOW to the star-studded 2008 Gimme Shelter Rock & Rescue benefit concert at the Highline Ballroom on October 6th. Doors 6pm, Show 7pm.

Purchase tickets via TicketWeb here.

Our online auction via CharityFolks.org has launched and will be live through October 13th. See the full list and photos of our amazing rock & roll one-of-a-kind items and get your bidding on here.

The concert not only includes legends like Debbie Harry and talent like Moby, Bloody Social, Lissie Trullie, Earl Greyhound, and more, but there will be a fabulous raffle with over 30 prizes, as well as a VIP section for VIP ticket holders.

Don't miss this event! Buy your tickets TODAY!

GQ's "Dig the New Breeds" Buries Reality and Sense, Should Offend Readers

In the August 2008 issue of GQ, there was a section titled "Dig the New Breeds". Pretty ridiculous- they were touting 3 breeds of dogs, which I presume people had "created" by cross breeding, i.e. the labradoodle, their dogs. That's ridiculous enough in itself, but GQ, perhaps catering to its mimbo readers, seemed to convey that hot new breeds were like the new style of shoes.

I wrote a letter to them, and I am too lazy and dont have time to edit it for Blog-ish content so read below and see images I scanned from that issue here (they're all pixelly within a blog post, but I included at the bottom here anyway): http://picasaweb.google.com/Courtney.J.Kistler/BloggerPictures?authkey=ji_lB-Rk05U#

Dear GQ,

When I read “Dig the New Breeds” in your August 2008 “Manual: Look Sharp, Live Smart” section, I was surprised to see such a backwards-thinking article in GQ. What it actually conveyed was that animals are no different from fad fashion accessories like the Yorkies and Chihuahuas Paris Hilton and Britney Spears buy at pet stores and tote around in their purses. You even put a price range on each as well as list these “most sought-after dogs of the moment” with “the watch, the car, and the girl”. I consulted my three best guy friends, all subscribers, and they were equally turned off by this piece. They and, I would hope, the majority of GQ readers are not as shallow as such rhetoric would suggest, and are, instead, more in tune with contemporary humane issues, and thus do not view animals as property only to be discarded when it is no longer “of the moment”.

In addition, there was no mention of ways to acquire any breed of dog from a reputable source and not from a puppy mill, which, thanks to intelligent celebrities like Oprah, is now more widely known for the inhumane and shady business it really is.

This would have been a more helpful and worthwhile piece had you mentioned the thousands of animal shelters across the country, which usually have pure breed dogs up for adoption, as well as pure breed rescue groups.

In fact, promoting the purchase of a particular breed of dog undermines the unique qualities any individual dog would have. This may be taken as an insult to readers who have adopted their dog from a shelter, including pit bulls, because they were drawn to its personality and the shelter staff was helpful in finding a companion animal that fit with their lifestyle. After reading your piece, however, a person may order a new Staffordshire Terrier, assuming it will fit with their lifestyle based on a couple lines from the Performance report and exude the Star Power behaviors in your descriptions. Not only does this promote irresponsible decisions, it also undermines the importance of behavior training.

“Dig the New Breeds” conveys that GQ is out of touch with prominent issues, when many other features in your magazine would suggest differently. While GQ often produces thoughtful, socially conscious articles each month, this Pets section was more a show of social ignorance and insult to its more sophisticated readers.

I look forward to GQ redeeming itself by highlighting the intelligence, compassion, and yes, sex appeal of a man who adopts a dog.

-Courtney Kistler
New York, NY

2008 Gimme Shelter Rock & Rescue NYC - tickets on sale now!!

Rational Animal Presents 3rd Annual 'Gimme Shelter: Rock and Rescue NYC' Benefit Concert
TICKETS on sale now!

October 6, 2008, at NYC's Highline Ballroom
Doors at 6:00pm
2-hour complimentary Lagunitas beer and Zipang sake!

Debbie Harry, Honorary Chair and Guest Hosts Adam “AdRock” Horovitz and Gina Gershon

Performances By Lissy Trullie, Jesse Malin, Earl Greyhound, and Bloody Social, plus special performance by Debbie Harry. Moby will be the house DJ throughout the show.

On October 6, Rational Animal, a non-profit media and events organization and a leading advocate for at-risk animals in New York City, will present the 3rd annual ‘Gimme Shelter: Rock & Rescue NYC’ benefit concert. Debbie Harry is serving as the event’s honorary chair and Beastie Boy AdRock and actress Gina Gershon will be guest hosts. A co-venture with the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the event honors and raises money for ten NYC area rescue groups, who, as ten of the over 140 members of the Mayor’s Alliance, were chosen this year to be beneficiaries of the event fundraiser.

Gimme Shelter also highlights the citywide mission to end euthanasia of animals in city shelters that are of reasonable health and temperament by 2015 – as declared by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2002, the year the Mayor’s Alliance was established. The Mayor's Alliance public-private partnership is setting — and being recognized as — a national model for community animal rescue efforts.

Emceed by nightclub impresarios Chi Chi Valenti and Johnny Dynell, this year’s concert will feature up and coming rocker Lissy Trullie, Brooklyn indie power trio Earl Greyhound, singer songwriter Jesse Malin, and Bloody Social, the rock band of Calvin Klein model, Jamie Burke. Debbie Harry will also perform along with a few surprise guests, and Moby will be house DJ throughout the show.

Susan Brandt, Rational Animal’s Founder, says, “Our goal at Rational Animal is to end euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals. ‘Gimme Shelter’ is a rockin’ way to spread our message, and we’re thrilled that this community of fellow artists and animal lovers have donated their time and talents to the cause.”

The 2006 Gimme Shelter exceeded expectations, both in fundraising and attendance, and was named one of the Top Live Shows of the year by Time Out New York.
Past performers have included rock legends the Beastie Boys, Debbie Harry, Marshall Crenshaw, Nellie McKay, and members of Blue Oyster Cult, the Buzzcocks, and the Dictators.

The Gimme Shelter concert is supported by the Highline Ballroom, VIP sponsor Save The Chimps, media partners NY1 News, GBH TV, Bark Magazine, and New York Tails, beverage sponsors Zipang and Lagunitas Brewing Company, food sponsor Red Jacket Orchards. Silent auction can be accessed online: www.charityfolks.com/rational-animal, and donors include Debbie Harry, the Beastie Boys, and the Black Crowes.