After raising nearly $200,000, thousands will gather in Hudson River Park this Saturday for a walk to support the homeless, but they won’t be your typical charitable types. They’ll be philanthropic Fidos and their owners, participating in the Best Friends Animal Society’s third annual Strut Your Mutt, a two-mile dog walk raising money for local animal rescue groups. Some of the participating pups are fixtures on the canine charity circuit. Here are four…
CUBBY AND GINGER HELPED RAISE: $7,500
Family pedigree: Cubby, 4, a fluffy white West Highland terrier and Ginger, 7, a long-haired Yorkie are both rescues who now live the life in the Midtown West apartment they share with owner Erika Searl, a thirty-something who works in the office of the CEO at Deloitte. “Cubby would still be living in a small cage in a puppy mill if not rescued,” Searl says.
Pet causes: Ginger, hailed the fastest Yorkie in New York at the L’Oréal “Because Your Dog is Worth it Too” event benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure in August, prefers charity dog walks, while Cubby enjoys visiting the sick and needy. “She spreads doggy kisses wherever she goes,” says Searl. For the past three years, the two have particpated in Strut Your Mutt as part of the Yorkie Rescue 911 team, which has raised $7,500.
Playtime: “We love ‘doga’ — doggy yoga,” Searl says.
JUNO RAISED: $1,550!
Family pedigree: The 7-year-old Beagle lives in a cottage in scenic upstate New York with owner Kate Aubry, in her 40s, but the living wasn’t always so good. Juno was one of more than 100 beagles rescued from an animal testing center in New Jersey in 2010.
Pet causes: To educate people about the horrors of animal testing, Juno gives out her “compassionate shopping” guide, which lists 1,500 humane companies, at local events and promotes it online. She also regularly visits nursing home residents. “I feel like she’s always giving back,” says Aubry. Participating in Strut since the first year, Juno has raised more than $1,550.
Playtime: “She’s a digger,” Aubry concedes.
BEAU
Family pedigree: The 5-year-old Siberian Husky rescue lives on the Upper East Side with Caroline Loevner, 32, who works in Macy’s corporate.
Pet causes: Beau is the only doggy volunteer at the Rivington House, a center for HIV/AIDS patients, and he regularly attends charity events and galas around town, like the annual Night of a Thousand Gowns, which raises money for LGBT causes. He particpates in Strut annually and works with the parent organization, Best Friends, throughout the year to help promote pet adoption.
Playtime: “Because he’s a therapy dog and he’s very obedient, he models a little,” Loevner admits, but volunteering, she insists, is the dog’s main focus. He also loves toys, long walks, and playing with friends in his building.
How you — and your dog — can help
Strut Your Mutt
September 29, 9 a.m.; Pier 84 in Hudson River Park; strutyourmutt.org
Join Cubby, Ginger, Juno, and Beau on this two-mile stroll and raise cash for homeless animals. After the walk, enjoy food trucks for both pups and people.
Animal Haven Playgroup
Every Saturday, 1:45 p.m.-2:45 p.m.; 251 Centre St.; animalhavenshelter.org ; $10 donation
Bring your small pup (under 20 pounds) to this weekly playgroup at the SoHo animal adoption center. There’s a 2,000-square-foot indoor space for dogs to romp around, and a portion of the suggested donation goes to helping run the shelter.
Pet Partners Therapy Animals
Go to petpartners.org to learn how you and your pet can get trained and certified to visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, rehab centers and other facilities.
dlewak@nypost.com