Hilary Swank and Edie Falco Honored at 2015 ASPCA Bergh Ball

Hundreds of animal advocates unite at the Plaza Hotel to raise funds and awareness

From the LifeMinute Team

April 17, 2015

It was a very pet-friendly red carpet at the 18th annual ASPCA Bergh Ball where hundreds of animal lovers turned out to honor Compassion Award recipients Hilary Swank and Edie Falco and to raise funds and awareness in an effort to better the lives of homeless, abused and neglected animals across the country.

"We're raising money for the care center, which is the ASPCA collaborating with [the] NYPD to help really end this criminal behavior towards animals," explains Swank. "To take them out of dangerous situations, they take care of these animals, nurse them back to health and find them homes," adds Falco.

Designer and ASPCA supporter Christian Siriano was on hand for the event, hosted by fellow fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi and actress Lake Bell. "It's just a wonderful event here. I love working with them," says Siriano, "I worked with them for a while, and I think what they do for animals is amazing. I think there's no one - no other organization out there -- that's doing what they do. And look how many people have come out tonight to support."

President and CEO of the ASCPA Matthew Bershadker says this year's Bergh Ball tops the rest, "For 18 years, we've been hosting this event. This is our biggest and our best. We have tremendous [Compassion Award] winners who have done an incredible amount to use their celebrity status to elevate our issue and bring our issue into the mainstream. That's how we influence norms and values. That's how we'll change the laws, and that's how we'll get protections for animals that we don't presently have."

Swank says she's humbled to receive an ASPCA Compassion Award for her work in animal rescue and the charity she's starting called The Hilaroo Foundation. "It brings animals who have been abandoned and children who have been given up on together to help heal each other through rescue, rehabilitation and responsibility training," Swank explains.

For those wanting to further the ASPCA's cause by becoming a pet parent, Bershadker has some advice. "If anyone is looking to bring a cat or dog into their home, the first thing they need to do is go to their municipal shelter, their city facility; this is the facility in their community that's legally obligated to take all the homeless animals," Bershadker tells us, "If they don't find the perfect pet for their home at the city facility, they should Google whatever breed type they're looking for, for a rescue group. And I guarantee you there is a rescue group out there that has the exact dog you're looking for."

"I have rescues," shares Swank, "Kai is my little Dachshund Jack Russell mix. And Rumi -- actually I just found out she's a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. But I'll tell you what, they change your life. I always say, 'Who rescued who?'"

For more information on the ASPCA and their annual special events like the Bergh Ball, visit ASPCA.org.

320 480 600 768 800 1024 1500 1920 Facebook Twitter Feed Instagram Email