Senior Great Dane Receives 2005 Broadway Barks Hero Award

    /24-7PressRelease/ - NEW YORK, NY, August 03, 2005 - Rudy, a 10-year-old Great Dane, received the 2005 Hero award at the seventh annual Broadway Barks. The event, produced by Broadway Care/Equity Fights AIDS and sponsored by Animal Planet, Dogsters, The New York Times, Loews Hotels, and Sherpa, took place on Saturday July 30 in Shubert Alley.

Presented by Monty Python's Spamalot stars; David Hyde-Pierce, Christopher Sieber, Michael McGrath and Steve Rosen, the award was granted in recognition of Rudy's work with the children of Grandfather Home, a home and charter school for physically, emotionally, and sexually abused children located in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Receiving the award on Rudy's behalf was Laurie Zoock, Public Relations Director of MAGDRL, Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, Inc.

The Broadway Barks Hero award is a certificate of recognition awarded to an animal or individual who has made a significant contribution to the community and/or to animal welfare. Past recipients have included various types of service dogs, as well as a dog that played a prominent role in search and rescue on 9/11. The first award was granted at Broadway Barks 4 in order to pay tribute to the dogs that showed such heroism and courage in their search and rescue efforts on 9/11.

"Rudy is a fine example of the many wonderful Danes that come through our rescue every year. Many who have experienced similar neglect and abuse still, like Rudy, have it in their hearts to love and trust people and to give back ten fold. I am extremely proud to be part of such a dedicated organization of volunteers. When you meet a dog like Rudy though, you can truly understand why there are such a large number of wonderful people so willing to give of their time to help this gentle breed."
- Debra Rahl, President, Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League

"My sincerest thanks go to Bernadette Peters, Mary Tyler Moore, and the producers of Broadway Barks for recognizing the power of Rudy's special mission! There simply aren't enough words, pictures, or stories to express the hero Rudy is to all of us at Grandfather Home. You really have to be there and hear the soft voices say "Goodnight, Rudy" from their bedrooms as I pick Rudy up after a day with "his" girls . . . or hear a child say "Hey, Rudy! Guess what!" and then continue to chatter as she walks to school with Rudy, her confidant. Those voices say it all!"
- Laura Hickey, Rudy's adoptive Mom Director, Residential Treatment, Grandfather Home

Hosted by Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, Broadway Barks 7 is a star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon benefiting New York City animal shelters, rescue groups, and adoption agencies. Aided by an impressive group of Broadway stars who act as presenters for the homeless pets attending the event, Mary and Bernadette focus attention on finding permanent homes for these pets in addition to targeting educational efforts in regard to responsible pet ownership, spay/neuter, and the importance of pet identification. For more information on Broadway Barks go to: www.broadwaybarks.com

Read more about Rudy's work with the children of Grandfather Home by visiting their website at: www.grandfatherhome.org, then click on the Rudy's link. For more information about Great Dane rescue please visit MAGDRL's website at: http://www.magdrl.org

Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) group of state chapter leaders and volunteers who have, for more than twenty years, rescued abused, abandoned, lost and unwanted Great Danes. We operate in a nine state region that extends from upstate New York, to upstate South Carolina. MAGDRL spays and neuters, as well as providing the medical treatment necessary to return the Dane to good health. We also provide training and socialization to ensure their adaptability to new homes. Our goal is to place rescued Danes with people who will provide secure, loving and healthy homes. For more information see our main website at www.magdrl.org.

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