The 2024 ASPCA Humane Awards Luncheon

Animal and human heroes from across the nation – including Grammy-winner Emmylou Harris – were honored for their heroic contributions to animal welfare at luncheon in New York City

New York, N.Y., October 10th, 2024 – Today, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) hosted its 2024 Humane Awards honoring both people and animal heroes from across the country who have gone above and beyond to bring attention to animal welfare and better the lives of those around them. The 2024 ASPCA Humane Award honorees, including Grammy-winner Emmylou Harris, Emmy Award winner Steven Latham, the New York City Police Department (NYPD)and the Dog and Cat of the Year, will be celebrated for their outstanding contributions to society at a luncheon in New York City on Thursday, October 10, 2024.

Matt Bershadker, CEO and President, ASPCA

• “[The recent hurricanes] hit particularly close to home with both our behavior rehabilitation center and our spay/neuter alliance located in the Asheville area. We ensured that our animals were safely relocated to our Ohio facility and that our 100+ staff were accounted for and had access to essential supplies. The ASPCA is also on the ground in North Carolina leading search and rescue efforts as well as distributing pet food, water, and other critical supplies. The ASPCA quickly established a $3,000,000 Hurricane Helene disaster relief fund to assist with both the immediate and long-term needs of the animals and shelters impacted by this storm.”
• “The ASPCA-NYPD partnership is a local collaboration with national reach and impact… in the last 10 years, our teams have treated over 5,000 victims of cruelty. when an institution as prominent as the NYPD commits to enforcing animal cruelty laws, it sends a powerful message: animal lives are worthy of protection, and the enforcement of these laws is a societal priority.”

Emmylou Harris, recipient of the ASPCA Henry Bergh Award 

• ”[My parents], just by example, taught me that we have a responsibility for these animals that we share this world with. We are the ones that end up causing them harm, and we are the ones that have to save them and give them the lives that they deserve on this Earth.”

Chuck Scarborough, Journalist and Luncheon Emcee

• We all know how animals can brighten our days, provide comfort when we need it most, and fill our lives with love and affection. We also understand that for every pet who lives in a safe and loving home, there are thousands more that are suffering and are in unsafe conditions — in constant danger of harm from willful cruelty or neglect — animals whose futures are bleak—and who desperately need a hero. The ASPCA has been that hero since 1866.

The ASPCA selected winners in five categories, including ASPCA Dog of the Year, ASPCA Cat of the Year, the ASPCA Equine Welfare Award, the ASPCA Presidential Service Award, and the ASPCA Henry Bergh Award, which is given to an individual or institution exhibiting exceptional leadership, compassion, and commitment to animal welfare, named after the ASPCA’s founder.

This year’s heroic honorees included:

 2024 Award Winners include:

• Dog of the Year: Harper
  • An adorable black lab mix, who was placed within a shelter after being confiscated in a hoarding and neglect case. Harper was later recruited and trained by Search Dog Foundation (SDF) to become a disaster search dog. Harper was selected to be a Human Remains Detection canine, and works to ensure no one is left behind and that loved ones get the closure they need. Harper has since been deployed in response to disasters several times, including Hurricane Ian in Florida and the deadly wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii. 

• Cat of the Year: Lola-Pearl
  • A 5-year-old dilute Tortoiseshell cat, who was born with a birth defect that left both her back legs severely twisted. At just 4 weeks, she was brought to a specialist and received dedicated care, which included straightening one of her legs and amputating another. Lola-Pearl was adopted by Juanita Mengel, a cat lover and an above-the-knee (AK) amputee, and she is now a certified therapy cat, where she visits organizations, companies, hospital staff, colleges, extended care facilities, and elementary schools. 

• Equine Welfare Award: Steven Latham, The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses
  • Steven Latham is the Producer and Co-Director of The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses, which is also executive produced by Robert Redford, Patti Scialfa Springsteen and Jessica Springsteen. “The Mustangs” educates audiences about the more than 80,000 wild horses on U.S. federal lands and more than 50,000 in government custody in hopes to help the public understand why wild horses must be protected. He created and produces the Emmy Award-winning PBS series, Shelter Me, which celebrates the life-changing relationships between people and animals. 

• Henry Bergh Award: Emmylou Harris
  • A 14-time Grammy winner and Billboard Century Award recipient, Emmylou Harris’ contribution as a singer and songwriter spans 40 years. In 2004 she established Bonaparte’s Retreat with the goal of rescuing shelter dogs and adopting them into loving homes. Twenty years later Bonaparte’s Retreat continues to save dogs most in need in the Nashville area.

• Presidential Service Award: The NYPD
  • In partnership with the ASPCA, the NYPD formed its Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad ten years ago, a unit dedicated to the investigation of animal-related crimes in New York City. Since then, the unit has removed more than 5,000 animals from situations of suspected cruelty, and more than 28,000 NYPD officers have been trained by ASPCA experts to effectively recognize and respond to suspected animal cruelty.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation’s leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Photo Credits: Zach Hilty/BFA.com