As cochairs of this month’s inaugural Celebrating Animals Miami Gala, Laura and Jay Parker’s love of all creatures drives their dedication to the Humane Society.
Laura and Jay Parker at home with Spot, one of their dogs.
Since meeting 10 years ago, now husband and wife Jay and Laura Parker filled their lives with a shared passion for philanthropy. But it’s Laura’s unwavering dedication to the protection and care of animals that’s the cause nearest and dearest to their hearts.
Growing up in Italy, Laura’s exposure to animals was most often to those that ended up on the dinner table—a memory that inspired her to become a vegetarian nearly 14 years ago. Around that same time, Laura bought a dog, Astro, from a pet store and found her life’s calling: helping animals that can’t help themselves. “I bought Astro because I didn’t know about shelters then,” says Laura. “I’m 100 percent convinced he was from a puppy mill. He had problems from the day that I brought him home—skin problems, health issues. My devotion started with Astro, and then it allowed me to help other dogs in need. I started to volunteer at local shelters and get involved with other animal organizations.”
And so, it was a natural evolution for the Parkers to become intimately involved with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The organization doesn’t just provide funds for temporary fixes to problems like puppy mills, fighting pits, hoarders, neglect, and natural disasters; as Laura points out, the HSUS takes the time to educate the public and take on issues like animal abuse and wildlife rehabilitation head on. Most importantly, “it changes laws and fights for all kinds of animals,” she says.
This month, the Parkers will be cochairing the HSUS’s inaugural Celebrating Animals/Confronting Cruelty Miami event on March 27 as part of the organization’s mission to educate and inspire others. The event’s leadership committee is an impressive group of Miami power players (and animal enthusiasts), including activist/model/socialite Amanda Hearst and international designer Tui Pranich. Celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, and Kesha round out the Honorary Committee.
During the event, guests will be treated to programming that further explains what HSUS does and the effectiveness of legislation presented to Congress and the Senate, and provide information on the animal protection the organization offers both locally and around the globe. However, there will be plenty of time to mingle as well, with a cocktail reception, a gourmet vegan dining experience, and a performance by jazz singer Nicole Henry on the agenda.
Laura’s intense devotion to animal rights is something Jay hopes is contagious among the event’s attendees. “Laura’s compassion for animals is really extraordinary,” says Jay, the CEO of Florida brokerage at Douglas Elliman. In their everyday life, the couple might rescue birds during a torrential downpour or hold up traffic to save a stranded animal.
This commitment to all creatures is something they’ve passed along to their two children by regularly fostering animals at home. “Laura basically took half of the garage and turned it into a day care center with air-conditioning and television. The dogs that Laura rescues have television because she thinks they actually watch it,” says Jay. “Probably just in our home alone we’ve rescued and saved more than 20 dogs. And over the last 10 years, I would never even be able to quantify the number of animals we’ve rescued.”
Sadly, Laura recently lost three of her dogs (including Astro), so she’s taking a break from having canines as pets while she grieves. But for Christmas, Jay gave his blessing for Laura to try something new, and rescue a horse. She visits the equine in Wellington and goes riding twice a week, and Laura loves having the opportunity to teach her kids about the important connection humans and horses can have. “An animal should not live its entire life in a cage [so small] they cannot even turn around,” says Laura. “If more people knew, if more people were educated [about animals], they would be able to make better choices.” The Humane Society of the United States’ Celebrating Animals/Confronting Cruelty: Miami benefit takes place Friday, March 27, at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, 9703 Collins Ave.; Email lgrafer@humanesociety.org for tickets and more information