Rodney the Dog Helps Isaak Beat Valley Disease
By DONNA BALANCIA
The Kills and Chris Isaak were on hand Tuesday night at Ron Robinson in Santa Monica for a fundraiser called Artists With Animals, to benefit the charity Rational Animal.
Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince recently returned from their tour for their latest album Ash and Ice, and spent time chatting with guests and shopping at the Ron Robinson Santa Monica flagship store.
For a limited time, a portion of all sales at the store goes towards the charity.
Ron Robinson carries a lot of branded T-shirts, Rock N Roll jackets emblazoned with Rolling Stones and Guns N Roses patches and logos, as well as other stylish duds and cool fragrances and accessories. The event at Ron Robinson was also sponsored by Soundwall and Morrison Hotel Gallery.
Rational Animal was founded by Susan Brandt and is supported by The Morrison Hotel Gallery among others.
Helping Shelters
Rational Animal works in cooperation with no-kill shelters to give animals a second chance at life.
Rational Animal, operating out of New York and LA, works on various projects to encourage animal welfare and teach guardianship. Through the Mother’s Comfort project, the group sews and delivers beds to animal shelters, bringing relief to animals.
Rational Animal produced the Tails to Trails map to make it easy for New Yorkers to find local shelters and rescue groups when they’re ready to adopt. Rational Animal also teaches good animal guardianship through the community events, the Orange Ribbon for Animals Campaign and the humane education program.
Rational Animal Mother’s Comfort Project has sewn more than 7,000 blankets for shelters.
“We work in LA and New York to provide beds in shelters and to educate kids and adults on how to be a good animal guardian, spay and neuter and foster,” said Susan Brandt. “We do promotional pieces, videos and we put on events. And today being Giving Tuesday, we wanted to have an opportunity to put on an event so people could give for the animals.”
Artists With Animals photography exhibit continues to run through Jan. 14. During that time, a portion of the purchases in the store will go towards Rational Animal.
Buy Rational Animal Photo-Notecards
But even if you didn’t attend the event, there is an opportunity to participate and help give to the animals.
Rational Animal developed gift packages of boxed notecards called Artists With Animals, two collections of famous photographs on notecards depicting well known musicians, actors and artists with their animal pals.
Henry Diltz and Jamie Hince are among the photographers whose work is included. Among the favorite known and newly discovered works is a great photograph by Hince of Mosshart lying on her bed with pet Archie the dog. The Artists With Animals notecards are available here.
“This is a really good cause and Rodney and I are happy to support Rational Animal,” said Chris Isaak, the singer known for his mega-hit “Wicked Game.” Isaak brought his pet along for the evening, as did several guests. Isaak said he was out of the public eye for a long period because he was suffering from the mysterious Valley Disease. He said pets are so vital to people because they can be therapeutic.
Also on hand were representatives from No Kill LA, an initiative led by Best Friends Animal Society to turn LA into a no-kill city by 2017. The mobile pet adoption mobile was also on hand.
“It’s a really nice opportunity to get together with other animal lovers and enjoy ourselves,” said party-goer Marianne Palermo. “Rational Animal does great work, the animals are grateful and so are we.”
