Best in Show has become a tradition here in Vegas. But this American Kennel Club-style dog show isn’t the Westminster Dog Show at Madison Square Garden with its purebreds. This version benefits the Animal Foundation’s Lied Animal Shelter and the stars of the show are some 60 dogs from the shelter hoping to find new homes.
While the seventh annual Best in Show on Sunday may only have one winner, each dog can be adopted. The last event raised more than $250,000 and found homes for all 62 pups in the show. This year, the city of Las Vegas, Clark County and North Las Vegas have instituted mandatory spay and neuter laws that make it a misdemeanor if pets aren’t spayed by the time they turn four to six months old, depending on where you live. Funds raised at this emotional dog show help pay for a low-cost spay and neuter clinic at the Lied Animal Shelter.
This year, Terry Fator, the winner of America’s Got Talent and ventriloquist and impressionist at The Mirage, hosts the event along with his cavalcade of puppets. Holly Madison, the star of Peepshow at Planet Hollywood Resort who is starring in Holly’s World on E!, is the special guest. Get to the event early to bid on items in the silent auction such as this dog designed by Cher pictured above.
Best in Show is the largest fund-raiser for the Animal Foundation. More than 50,000 animals pass through the Lied Animal Shelter doors each year, more animals than all five boroughs in New York receive every year. That’s 800 to 1,000 homeless, lost, neglected, unwanted and abused animals in the care of the shelter each day at a rate of 15 animals dropped off an hour. Last year, the Animal Foundation found homes for more than 10,000 homeless pets, returned approximately 4,000 animals to their owners and transferred another 1,600 animals to rescue groups in the community.
“Best in Show” at the Orleans Arena, 1-4 p.m. Sunday, May 23, tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children ages 2-12 and seniors. Sponsor a VIP table on the floor for $1,000 to $10,000. Call 702.284.7777 for tickets.
