BROADWAY BARKS 5 – where you could find the coolest canines and the most fabulous felines up for adoption – was presented on Saturday, July 12th in Shubert Alley between the matinee and evening performances. More than 45 adorable dogs and cats found new homes!

Hosted by founders Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore and special guest host, Harvey Fierstein, this year’s year’s lineup of celebrity pet presenters included: Joel Grey; Bebe Neuwirth; Laura Benanti and Mary Stuart Masterson (NINE); Tammy Blanchard, Kate Buddeke, John Dossett, Julie Halston, Heather Lee, David Burtka and the entire cast of GYPSY; Linda Edmond (LIFE x 3); Edie Falco (FRANKIE & JOHNNIE); Louise Pitre (MAMMA MIA); Linda Hart, Dick Latessa and Clarke Thorell (HAIRSPRAY); Sutton Foster, Leslie Uggams and Marc Kudish; (THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE); Frenchie Davis (RENT); Jon Secada (CABARET); Jayne Atkinson and Jane Adams (ENCHANTED APRIL); Marin Mazzie, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Ernie Sabella (MAN OF LA MANCHA), Tom Wopat (42ND STREET), and a host of others eager to help find homes for a wonderful collection of critters.

Twenty-three shelters from across New York City, gathered in an effort to find good homes for abandoned dogs and cats. Happily, over three dozen animals were adopted in just one afternoon as thousands of theatre-goers walked away with information about pet neutering and the benefits of shelter adoption. . Best of all, the company of GYPSY sold a variety of sign memorabilia outside their stage door in Shubert Alley during the weeks prior to the event. Over $50,000 was raised that will be divided as a grant to the participating shelters.

Participating shelters included: A Cause 4 Paws; Animal Haven; ASPCA; Barc Shelter; Bide-A-Wee; Bobbi & the Strays; The Center for Animal Care and Control; City Critters, Inc.; Humane Society of New York; KittyKind; Long Island Greyhound Transfer; Loving Touch; Manhattan Valley Cat Rescue; Metropolitan Maltese Rescue; Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League; Northeastern Boxer Rescue; NYC Siamese Rescue; Pet-I-Care; NY Pet-I-Care; PLUTO Rescue; JRTCA Russell Rescue; Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare; Stray from the Heart; Neighborhood Cats; Little Shelter and The Tigger Foundation.

But perhaps George Bernard Shaw put it best: “I like a bit of mongrel myself, whether man or dog. It’s best for every day”.