Broadway Barks facts for kids

Broadway Barks is a special yearly event in New York City that helps animals find loving homes. It's like a big adoption fair for pets from animal shelters. Famous actresses Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore started it.

Since 1999, Broadway Barks has been held every July in a place called Shubert Alley. This alley is right in the heart of New York's famous Broadway Theater District. At the event, many performers, especially those from Broadway shows, introduce cute cats and dogs that are looking for families. Many animal groups from the New York City area also join in to help.

Helping Animals Find Homes

Broadway Barks began in 1999 because Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore wanted to do something good for animals. They had just finished a successful fundraising event for another charity called Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They thought, "Why not help pets too?"

At the event, celebrities and actors from Broadway shows introduce cats and dogs from local animal shelters. These pets are all ready to be adopted into new families.

Special Recognition for Broadway Barks

Bernadette Peters received a special Tony Award in 2012. It was called the Isabelle Stevenson Award, and it honored her amazing work with Broadway Barks.

Later, in 2012, a special "Ride of Fame" bus was dedicated to Peters and Moore. This bus honors important New Yorkers who do great things for their community. The bus even has pictures of them and the Broadway Barks logo!

The Big Adoption Event

The Broadway Barks event happens every July in Shubert Alley. The very first one was on July 24, 1999. It helped five animal shelters and groups, including the ASPCA and the Humane Society. Some of the first performers to join were Tom Wopat and Edie Falco.

Over the years, Broadway Barks has grown a lot! By 2008, it was helping about 25 different animal adoption groups. Many more celebrities started coming to present the animals, like Glenn Close and Nathan Lane.

Memorable Moments at Broadway Barks

In 2007, more than 100 pets found homes at the event! New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg even declared July 14, 2007, "Broadway Barks Day."

In 2010, the lights of the famous Empire State Building were lit up in pink, purple, and yellow to celebrate Broadway Barks. Many stars, like Sean Hayes and Tony Shalhoub, were there.

The event continued to be a big success each year. In 2012, Bernadette Peters even rang the NASDAQ closing bell to bring attention to Broadway Barks. Many shelters, like the Urban Cat League, joined in. Actress Bebe Neuwirth has been a regular at the event, helping to show off the many cats needing homes.

In 2013, Harvey Fierstein co-hosted with Peters. Stars like Sigourney Weaver and Jane Lynch helped present the animals. Many different shelters, from Husky House to KittyKind, were part of the event.

Broadway Barks kept going strong, with hosts like James Franco in 2014 and Andrew Rannells in 2015. In 2016, Gloria Estafan was a special guest co-host.

Honoring a Founder

In 2017, a special award was created to honor co-founder Mary Tyler Moore, who had passed away. It's called The Mary Tyler Moore Award. The first award went to Sophie Gamand, a photographer who helps animals.

The 2019 event was canceled because of construction in Shubert Alley. But Broadway Barks found new ways to help! In 2021, it was held online, with stars like Carol Burnett and Kelly Ripa joining virtually. In 2022, Broadway Barks returned to being an in-person event, bringing many Broadway stars and shelter organizations together again.

How Broadway Barks Helps

Broadway Barks does more than just host adoption events. It also raises money and awareness in other ways.

Special Concerts

In 2009, Bernadette Peters held a special concert called "A Special Concert for Broadway Barks Because Broadway Cares." It raised a lot of money, about $615,000, for both Broadway Barks and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.

Other performers have also held concerts to benefit Broadway Barks. For example, Daniel Reichard and Tim Realbuto held concerts at Birdland in New York City, donating some of the money to the charity.

Short Film

In 2015, actor Alan Cumming wrote and directed a short film called Ultimate Encore. This film helped raise money and awareness for Broadway Barks.

Books and Songs for Pets

Bernadette Peters has written several children's books to help promote Broadway Barks and its mission.

Broadway Barks

Peters wrote a children's picture book called Broadway Barks. It came out in 2008 and quickly became a bestseller! The book tells the story of Douglas, a lost dog who finds his way to a Broadway Barks event. A kind girl named Isabelle understands him and adopts him.

The book comes with a CD where Peters reads the story and sings a lullaby called "Kramer's Song." Kramer is the name of a real dog Peters adopted from a shelter, and Isabelle is her goddaughter. You can even get a plush toy dog named Kramer, and money from its sales goes to Broadway Barks!

Stella is a Star

Peters wrote a second children's book in 2010, named after her other dog, Stella. It's called Stella is a Star. This book is about a pit bull named Stella who learns to love herself just the way she is. It also includes a CD with an original song by Peters called "Stella's Song."

Stella and Charlie Friends Forever

Her third children's book, Stella and Charlie Friends Forever, was released in 2015. It tells the story of a new shelter dog, Charlie, joining Stella and their "mom." It shows how they learn to become friends.