New York’s entertainment elite turned out at The Carlyle Hotel on Thursday for the 2026 Fetch Pet Gala, a night that converted star power into cash for animal rescue. The event, hosted by Fetch Pet Insurance, netted more than $750,000 for four nonprofit partners. It’s a figure that pushes the gala’s cumulative haul past $1.2 million in just its second year. Paul Guyardo, president and CEO of Fetch Pet Insurance, called the organizations “literally saving lives,” a sentiment that resonated with the room.
The lineup wasn’t just about charity; it was a showcase. Tony and Academy Award winners Bernadette Peters, Darren Criss, and Ariana DeBose took the stage, joined by a surprise set from Cyndi Lauper. But the real stars wore leashes. Adoptable dogs from North Shore Animal League America walked a green carpet, sporting SATELLAI Collar Go devices. Adam Goldberg, founder of the photography initiative Stronger Shot, orchestrated the campaign. He wanted to show shelter pets not as statistics, but as individuals ready for a home. The visual shift from shelter floor to celebrity gala was the point.
The money splits among Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Broadway Barks, Wags and Walks, and North Shore Animal League America. This mix reflects the gala’s dual focus on the performing arts community and animal welfare. SATELLAI, the AI-powered pet wellbeing sponsor, extended its reach beyond the evening. The company is gifting five Collar Go devices to future adopters from North Shore. Mark Mao, SATELLAI’s CEO, framed the sponsorship as a way to keep the mission alive long after the lights go out. It’s a move that ties product adoption directly to real-world outcomes.
The gala is still young. But the momentum is undeniable. What started as a single-night fundraiser is now a recurring pillar in New York’s animal welfare scene. The next step is tracking how those $750,000 translate into adoptions and health support for the organizations on the ground.