Celebration is such a wonderful way to bring communities of dog owners and pet enthusiasts together which is why I love the concept and idea of Canine Celebration, a non-profit which organizes parties for dog charities around New York City. New York Dog Nanny gets the skinny on Canine Celebrations founder and premiere dog party-thrower Erika Friedman.
NYDN: Behind every great Canine Celebration is a dedicated, thorough detail oriented organizer. Is there a special canine behind you?
CC: There is not one special canine behind me. I consider myself behind all Canine’s!
NYDN: New York Dog Nanny is inspired by you started a charity. Who do we have to thank for your generous heart and flawless execution skills?
CC: I thank all of the people who share my passion to help animals. I work with people who work 12-15 hours a day in the trenches of these shelters. They spend nights literally on the streets actually taking dogs who are being abused or left for dead. These people inspire me. I am inspired by people who understand the severity of what these animals are going through. The reality of the broken hearts these animals have after being left behind or forced to fight in dog fights. I admire all of my colleagues who will not give up on these animals and who will continue to spend every waking hour not only rescuing but educating others.
NYDN: Canine Celebrations has a lot of enviable give-aways!! Have you ever been tempted to keep any of them?
CC: I love all the donations and I work very hard contacting people to donate. I spend many hours walking around to stores asking & educating people on what I am trying to do. I have been lucky that others share my feelings. I am very happy that I can also help promote these business. I am so excited that business’s & services are staring to reach out to me wanting to be a part of my events. That is so thrilling to me. The more donations & amazing give-aways I can get the more money I can raise for the rescue. But to answer your question-no I am not tempted to keep any of them as I know they are going to generous and caring people.
NYDN: At New York Dog Nanny, we very much hold our precious dogs in high esteem as beloved family members. Your logo depicts dogs as royalty which is adorable. Is there an animal that has been king/queen in your life?
CC: I have a rescue cat named Benny who was burned with cigarettes and left on the street. He was taken to a vet & I saw a sign out for him & I went in and he came right up to me and it was love at first sight. He is incredibly afraid of everything and I have tried to socialize him with other animals and it only causes him extreme stress. He has finally after 6 years come out of his shell and likes people! I am so happy! If you look at my logo you will see him peeking out behind the dog! He is black with a white chest & white paws. Next to my boyfriend Benny is the love of my life.
NYDN: Celebration is one of my favorite part of life here in New York. What are some secrets you can reveal about throwing a successful dog party?
CC: Those my friend are secrets!! But with that being said-It is really like planning any good party-happy loving people, food, music, prizes, photos. A ton of preparation & organization and publicity. I start planning at least three months prior to an event.
NYDN: Speaking of celebrations, is there anything in the works for Canine Celebration’s upcoming Anniversary? How does Canine Celebration celebrate its successes!
CC: To me success is at the end of an event when i can count the cash that was donated by the guests and literally hand it over to the rescue who are at the event with me. It is actually very emotional for me & them. We hug and there is a moment of our hearts becoming one for that moment. The knowledge that the cash is going to go directly to vet bills or beds or sheets or food for these animals is to me the biggest success. Having just finished my Valentine’s Wedding event I will now take a small break and in the interim I take on smaller projects where Canine Celebration can be of help whether it be consulting or education.
NYDN: Your tag line is “Furry tails can come true.” What is the furry tail behind this tag line?
CC: Furry Tails can come true means that dreams can become reality. We cannot save all of the animals but we can make many happy endings for them. It means never give up on a Furry Tail or a Fairy Tale because if we ever give up we will never change the lives of these amazing loves of our lives.
NYDN: What is the furry tail for Canine Celebration?
CC: A Furry Tail for Canine Celebration is creating awareness of what is really happening out there to these animals but doing it in a way that people can relate to. People are afraid to face the reality so if I can introduce them to this in a fun atmosphere where they can learn yet enjoy the experience then that is a true Furry Tail!!
Want your next dog charity event to be a smashing success, have your non-profit contact Erika at Canine Celebrations at caninecelebrations@gmail.com or friend them on Facebook and tell ’em New York Dog Nanny sent ya!
