Pets will strut their stuff on runway in effort to raise money for animal shelter
By Sarah Casey Newman/St. Louis Post-Dispatch

March 11, 2006 - Charlie looked adorable, and he knew it. Sporting a bright red beret, bedecked with black cats, and a paw-printed red scarf flung nonchalantly around his neck, the dashing Dalmatian put on his happiest face and posed for the camera like a pro.

So did Lulu, a luscious blond Lab, whose marabou-trimmed satin gown complemented the mauve pink of her love-to-kiss-you tongue. Lounging on a chaise longue, her elegant dress draped softly over her wagging tail, Lulu proved a picture-perfect poser.

Not to be outdone, Zoe, an American bulldog mix, sat as still as a statue and stared straight into the camera at the photographer's command. A golden tutu had temporarily turned the mostly all-white Zoe into a bully ballerina, but her permanent black eye makes her forever photogenic.

This trio of canine models had gathered in Clayton earlier this week at the home of Ruthe Ponturo, an animal lover with a special  fondness for cats (most notably Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, the two Siamese who run the Ponturo household).

Charlie arrived with lawyer Mark Keersemaker and his wife, Kathryn Jamboretz of KPLR (Channel 11), who adopted the 9-year-old Dalmatian from the Animal Protective Association of Missouri when he was still a puppy.

Lulu got a lift with her mom, Ann Buck, wife of sports broadcaster Joe Buck.
Zoe came with Candice Voegtli, who found her at the city's Animal Regulation Center when she arrived to volunteer one recent Sunday.

These and at least 20 other fashionable fuzzies are among the four-footed models who will star in "Dressed to the Canines," a celebrity and pet fashion show at the Contemporary Art Museum Thursday evening.

The event also includes "an auction of unique items and experiences," such as a pre-opening tour of the new Busch Stadium, with opening-day box seats, and a trip to Chicago to attend a taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Many of the doggie models will bring their own celebrity escorts to the fashion show. Charlie will, of course, strut his stuff with Jamboretz. Lulu plans not only to have Buck at her side, but also the Bucks' daughters, Natalie and Trudy.

Koley, a Maltese mix, will be showing off with Heidi Glaus of "Show Me St. Louis" (KSDK). Pearl, a Great Dane, is bringing her mom, Mary Ann Carson of KEZK (102.5 FM). Sophie, Amelia and Obi, all Maltese, are coming with St. Louis Science Center president Doug King.

St. Louis Black Repertory executive director Ron Himes recently lost a beloved cat, so Voegtli donated Zoe to be his model companion.

Other celebrities will be escorted by stylishly decked-out dogs from the St. Louis Animal Regulation Center, aka the city pound.

Ponturo, a choreographer and costumer, created many of the show's canine ensembles, which range from a sexy sarong and "Carmen"-style flamenco dress to black-swan, white-swan ballet costumes from "Swan Lake" Other costumes come from Lola & Penelope's pet boutique in Clayton and from Build-a-Bear Workshop.

Not that any of the model pound puppies need designer duds to shine. All they need is a second chance at life, which is what "Dressed to the Canines" is all about.

The event is a fund-raiser for Animal House, the critically needed animal shelter that St. Louis is trying to build to replace its antiquated facility on Gasconade Street.

The city has been trying to raise money for a new animal shelter since 2002. A year and a half ago, Ed Throop, a retired West County real estate developer and banker, took over the effort.

Plans to build the shelter at the northwest corner of Vandeventer and Finney avenues recently fell through, and the committee is now considering a site in Ellendale and Arsenal Park, at Arsenal Street and Ellendale Avenue.

"We're working with the neighborhood association to help create a design that meets the expectations of the community and the neighborhood," said Katherine McGowan, newly appointed executive director of Animal House. McGowan is also an animal-sheltering issues consultant for the Humane Society of the United States.

One of the things that's "exciting about the proposed site is its close proximity to Interstate 44 and Highway 40, which means we'll be able to provide better service to people and to animals," McGowan said.

Because Animal House would be situated in a city park, she continued, "we're hoping that the aldermen will work with us in making significant park improvements, like building walking trails and other things to make it more people friendly and more dog friendly."

The idea goes beyond building a new building. "It's about improving the park and making it more of a community center," McGowan said.

"It's very progressive and community minded in its approach," she went on. "It really embraces a new way of thinking of it as a place for the community to come together and play a role in the animal-welfare process."

Regardless of where it ends up, the new Animal House will be "the exact opposite of Gasconade," McGowan said. It will be "a place to come with your friends and family and focus on the positive aspects of pet ownership and the importance of the human-animal bond."

If Charlie, Lulu and Zoe are typical representatives of dogdom, and they are, that bond will be more than evident at Thursday's fashion show. Ed Throop's standard poodles, Phoebe and Scarlett, surely care a lot for their human companion to agree to appear in public in Bjork-like swan attire. And look at poor little Otto. The last time McGowan mentioned her little multimix to Ponturo, the wardrobe specialist muttered something about "Brokebark Mountain" (and that was after the Oscars).

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'Dressed to the Canines'
Celebrity and pet fashion show and auction
When: Thursday, 6 p.m.
Where: Contemporary Art Museum, 3750 Washington Boulevard, St. Louis
Tickets: $75 and $150 (preferred seating)
Benefits: Animal House (www.animalhousefund.org), St. Louis animal control's new animal shelter

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