Oliveira pals around with Freddie, our rescue model for the day, while wearing pieces from the Our Cause for Paws jewelry collection. Sales from Our Cause for Paws, available at all London Jewelers locations and at ourcauseforpaws.org, directly benefit the Rescue Paw Foundation.
The Rescue Paw Foundation and Gizele Oliveira partner to save precious lives.
Gizele Oliveira, a Brazilian native, began her modeling career as a favor to her uncle, a bridalwear designer, but she was too shy to take it any further until an agent noticed her at one of his shows. Soon after, in 2014, she signed with IMG Models and moved to the U.S. to pursue that career path full time, making her fashion week debut at Dolce & Gabbana the very same year. She has since walked the runways for Elie Saab, Rebecca Minkoff, Tory Burch and Victoria’s Secret, among others; appeared in international editions of Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar; and was featured in ad campaigns for MAC and H&M. Now, the animal lover is partnering with No Dogs Left Behind and London Jewelers president Candy Udell’s Rescue Paw Foundation. Read on to learn more about this sweet beauty who’s on her way to becoming a top international model.
On the day of our photo shoot, you had just returned from Hawaii and were leaving the next day for a job in St. Barths. How much of the year do you spend traveling, and where do you currently consider “home”? I feel like most of the time I’m traveling somewhere for work or vacation, which is the life I’ve always dreamed of! I consider New York City my home at the moment, but I’m always missing Brazil.
How did you meet Candy Udell and Jeffrey Beri of No Dogs Left Behind? I was looking to work with an organization that loved animals just as much as I do, and my public relations agent connected me with Candy and Jeffrey. A partnership with the Rescue Paw Foundation and No Dogs Left Behind is truly a perfect match.
This fall, you will travel to China to help No Dogs Left Behind rescue animals from the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Why did this cause speak to you? The Yulin Dog Meat Festival was one of the main reasons why I stopped eating meat, so to me, being part of this was inevitable. I hope my work with them will bring a lot of awareness about how horribly people treat animals, especially in the meat industry. I can’t wait to bring dogs back to loving homes.
Jerey Beri of No Dogs Left Behind, the leading foreign organization in China that works boots on the ground to save dogs from slaughterhouses and the meat trucks.
Your own dog, Bieber, is adorable and even has his own Instagram account, @bieberthedog. We’d love to know more about him! Bieber is a Havanese-Bichon mix, and I got him at an amazing time in my life. I was feeling super sad and lonely, and he brought me so much happiness! He’s the sweetest animal ever; I’m a really proud mom. I adopted him from a place in Brooklyn. He was so little and sick, but he turned out to be the best thing that has ever happened to me.
How would you describe your own style, and what were some of your favorite London Jewelers pieces that you tried on during our shoot? My favorites were the diamond necklaces—they made me feel so glamorous! For everyday wear, I love mixing big chains with more dainty diamond pieces. London Jewelers has something for every style.
Tell us about your upcoming work. Which magazines and runways can we expect to see you on in the near future? I’m so happy because this year I got to do a lot of magazines. I did an editorial for Harper’s Bazaar, and I’ll soon be appearing in Vogue Taiwan and also L’Officiel St. Barths.
As you shop for gifts for graduation, summer birthdays and other upcoming occasions, please consider pieces from the Our Cause for Paws collection. We're always adding unique new designs to our offering of pendants, earrings and stackable bracelets, and we make it easy to browse and purchase from either your desktop or mobile device. A portion of each sale benefits the Rescue Paw Foundation.
Let your loved one wear their animal-loving heart on their sleeve (or their neck or ears!) and give them the satisfaction of knowing that their new favorite piece of jewelry helped provide essential shelter and services to dogs in need.
Featuring adorable paw designs, the collection is made from the finest 14K gold and sterling silver with diamonds and a beautiful array of semi-precious beads. There are over 100 different styles, so you're sure to find something for everyone on your list!
There's no better way to bring a smile to the face of your favorite "cat person" than by giving her a piece of customized Our Cause for Paws jewelry.
Add a photo of Fluffy to our pave diamond locket, or request a custom engraving on one of our sterling silver dog tags. You can even create a personalized charm to add to any of our beaded bracelets, inscribing the name of a beloved pet as a constant reminder of the joy they have added to her life.
A portion of each sale goes directly to the Rescue Paw Foundation, a qualified not-for-profit corporation. Recognizing that over one million animals are put to death each year in the United States, we are committed to raising awareness and funding for no-kill animal shelters, humane education, spay and neuter services, and more.
Not only will she be the proud owner of a new and meaningful piece of fine jewelry, but she'll know that a precious life has been saved in the process.
Rescue Paw continues to work closely with the Society of Companion Animals in Texas, and we are always inspired by our friend and teacher there, Tawana Couch.
She is the definition of "boots on the ground," collecting dogs from Dallas-area streets and high-kill shelters. Neglect, abuse and overpopulation are rampant, making Texas the number-one kill state in the nation.
Rescue Paw steps in by finding safe places for these dogs at no-kill shelters in the Northeast and arranging to help transport them. Together, we pull between 400 and 700 dogs each year.
One special pup we recently rescued is Rosie, a sweet pit bull. Please read on for her story, as told by Tawana Couch:
"The area where she was is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Dallas. Almost every morning for an entire year, I would drive for miles to go and feed Rosie in the woods. I would try to contain her at various places and times, but no luck. I rescued two sets of her puppies, a total of nine that she took care of.
"I took my mother late in the evening to go show her Rosie, and she fell in love. As I was feeding her, we heard six gunshots from the woods. My mother said, ‘Someone is shooting at you Tawana; they don’t won’t you around.’ On another day, just a couple of blocks away, I was sitting at a red light and a police chase happened right before my eyes. Then, a few days later, a hostage exchange with guns went on just blocks away from Rosie. On this day, I think Rosie decided she better get out of the neighborhood.
"She had begun to trust me and started to eat out of my hand. Finally, Rosie came up to the auto and climbed in and laid down. On this day we were also able to rescue her eight puppies, which she was hiding under a house.
"Rosie is now the happiest, most lovable dog I have rescued in a long time. Just two days after being rescued, she is wagging her tail, licking my face, and letting people come into her kennel and pick up her pups. She appears to be about 3 or 4 years old.
"I see a lot of dogs, and yes, lots of pit bulls. Rosie is a wonderful dog no matter her breed. She is so awesome that Carol, the owner at Boykin Kennel, agreed to keep her free of charge at her place until we find a home for her. She’s the one who named her Rosie. Please think of adopting Rosie or another pit bull in need. My mother said it well: 'She is beautiful, but will the world see it since she is a pit bull?’"
Support from Rescue Paw is vital to the mission of Society for Companion Animals, and it would not be possible without the proceeds from Our Cause for Paws jewelry. For your upcoming special occasions, consider gifting these beautiful pieces to women from ages 5 to 100 — every purchase saves a life!
This cute face was saved by the bell! The adorable puppy was one of eight born under miraculous circumstances.
Her mama, Maya, was recently rescued from a high-kill shelter in Wilmer, Texas. The “shelter” is little more than a windowless, unventilated shed that takes in about 5,000 animals per year, many of whom do not make it out alive. Maya had been abused and was suffering from malnutrition, but thanks to a regular rescue transfer funded in part by the Rescue Paw Foundation, Maya and her mate were safely moved to Garden Rescues in Connecticut. Soon after arriving, she gave birth to a litter of eight. Three did not survive, but thankfully Mama, Papa and five puppy dogs are now happy and thriving.
Seven lives were saved, and proceeds from sales of the Our Cause for Paws jewelry line made this possible — every piece of jewelry sold truly does make an impact! If everyone who loves animals bought a piece for themselves and sent one as a gift, think of how many lives could be saved…
From Texas (the number-one kill-state in the U.S.), to Puerto Rico, to The Chinese Dog Meat Market, dogs all around the world are awaiting our help. We must save them — and with your generosity, we can!
Thanks to our generous supporters, Rescue Paw Foundation is able to give grants to many deserving animal welfare organizations. One such organization is the Society for Companion Animals in Dallas. Almost every month, weather permitting, SFCA sends nearly 100 dogs from high-kill Dallas shelters to top-rated no-kill shelters in the New York / New Jersey area. The Rescue Paw Foundation grant allows SFCA to vet the dogs pulled from the streets, making sure they are healthy enough to travel and eventually be placed with loving families up north. Follow @SocietyForCompanionAnimals and @ourcauseforpaws on Instagram to see some of the adorable dogs that have been rescued and adopted thanks to this initiative. Please consider helping us in our mission by purchasing a piece of Our Cause for Paws jewelry, for yourself or as gifts for the animal lovers in your life. You can find the collection at londonjewelers.com/our-cause-for-paws, facebook.com/OurCauseForPaws, or at any of our six locations. Every sale helps save innocent dogs and cats from homelessness and extermination, getting them safely to shelters waiting to find them caring forever homes.
Most people who no longer want their pets and leave them at shelters probably think they’re doing the right thing. But rescue shelters are always at capacity and there are many more animals being abandoned each day than there are homes that welcome pets in. Once a pet is left at a shelter, it has about 72 hours to be adopted before it is destroyed. The fact remains that each day in the US, around 4,100 dogs and cats are killed in shelters.
To support humane no-kill shelters, rescue efforts, spay/neuter services, veterinary work and humane education, London Jewelers has created a full line of Our Cause for Paws jewelry, with a portion of each sale going directly to deserving organizations. Established in 2010, the Rescue Paw Foundation also raises and grants funds to those whose mission is to keep companion animals alive, healthy and happy.
Candy Udell serves on the boards of HEART, providing humane education to foster compassion and respect for all living beings, and Pet Philanthropy Circle, saving and enhancing the quality of animal lives. She has also lent her support to the LIU Post College of Veterinary Medicine, which will open in fall 2019. In recognition of her work, Candy will be honored in April by Best Friends Animal Society, aiming to end the killing in America’s animal shelters by building community programs and partnerships across the nation.
While she is proud and humbled to accept this award, Candy is quick to mention the countless others with whom her successes would not have been possible. Others such as Laura Macias, working at a high-kill shelter in Wilmer, Texas and devoting her own time and resources to saving animals who would otherwise be put down; Jeffrey Beri, the founder of No Dogs Left Behind, rescuing dogs from butchers’ trucks and slaughterhouses around China to save them from becoming a part of the grisly dog meat trade; Dr. Suzanne Ravitz, a rescue vet at Dix Hills Animal Hospital, treating sick and abused pets and aiding them on their way to becoming adoptable; “The Animal Rescuer” Tawana Couch of the Society for Companion Animals and Lisa Wysocki and Suzanne Steinberg of Fido Fixers, providing no- or low cost spay/neuter services in economically distressed areas.
In the coming months, we invite you to visit ourcauseforpaws.org and facebook.com/ourcauseforpaws, where we look forward to sharing their stories and those of our other partners in the fight to find forever homes for animals in need.
And on Thursday evening, November 29th, please join us at London Jewelers Americana Manhasset for Champions for Charity, a fun-filled adoption and networking event featuring speakers on various animal welfare topics and representatives from many of our wonderful shelter partners, including ARF, Bideawee, Jake’s Rescue Ranch, Spot On and the Town of North Hempstead’s Shelter Connection. We have a long way to go in this fight, and your support could mean a great deal to a dog or cat in need of a loving home!
Since 2009, it is estimated that as many as 10,000 dogs and cats have been tortured and killed each year at China’s Yulin Meat Festival. Many Chinese citizens have vehemently petitioned against the event and it is not endorsed by the local government, but neither are there any animal cruelty laws on the books in China.
Jeffrey Beri of No Dogs Left Behind (a 501(c)(3) organization), in partnership with Soi Dog, Deborah Hall, Lia Lee and a network of volunteers on the ground, risks his life to do the dangerous but critical work of rescuing dogs in advance of their imminent slaughter as part of the global dog meat trade (DMT). Beri and his team made history in 2016, rescuing and rehabilitating 121 severely beaten and emotionally traumatized DMT dogs—99% of which have been placed into loving homes.
London Jewelers president Candy Udell has known Beri for over 25 years through their shared goal of ending animal cruelty. “Candy helped connect me with ARF and SASF, and continues to be pivotal in this effort,” Beri explains. She sponsored 11 of the rescued pups to be flown to the Hamptons and put up for adoption—with special help from Animal Rescue Fund and Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.
“When Candy, a longtime Southampton Animal Shelter supporter, asked if we could help, there was no way we were going to say no. Saving lives has no borders. We were able to highlight an important animal welfare issue and, more importantly, find great forever homes for these Yulin survivors,” says Jerry Rosenthal, SASF executive director.
“All our Yulin dogs were super sweet!” adds SASF director of adoptions Kate McEntee. “Thank you to everyone who helped save their lives. They are now all in their homes with loving families.”
ARF also received 21 dogs saved by Beri and his global team; all but two have been adopted. “ARF will shelter 1,700 homeless cats and dogs this year, and they all share the same story: people and communities have failed them,” explains ARF executive director Scott Howe. “The dogs ARF received from Yulin raised the awareness of our supporters to the staggering cruelty of the dog meat trade. When you stand in the face of something so inhumane, represented in the faces of these dogs, to be able to help in any way feels imperative.”
Beri agrees that bringing DMT rescue dogs here offers a critical opportunity to educate Americans on the extent of the global dog meat trade. “It makes a real emotional impact when people see these dogs; it’s been shown to boost adoption rates across the US shelter system.”
It’s critical to note that the problem is bigger than this festival and goes well beyond China’s borders, Beri insists. “There is an ongoing war against animal cruelty, 365 days a year, all over the world. We will keep working tirelessly until the global dog meat trade is a thing of the past.”
London Jewelers is a proud supporter of these efforts and looks forward to welcoming this year’s rescues! Visit nodogsleftbehind.com to learn more and find out how you can help.
Every year in the U.S., between 9 and 11 million animals die in shelters. Rescue shelters are always at capacity, and there are many more animals being abandoned each day than there are homes that welcome pets in. Please read on for stories of successful family-pet matches, and consider becoming an adoptive pet parent today!
"Rescue Paw Foundation has been instrumental in saving the lives of hundreds of dogs and puppies,” explain our friends at Bideawee, the leading pet welfare organization in our area for more than 112 years. “Many of Bideawee’s pups originated from Rescue Paw Foundation. They care deeply for every animal pulled from the rural communities from which they come. Some come from deplorable conditions and are often starving, neglected or injured. RPF ensures they have food, medicine and veterinary care, and acts as a liaison for transport to Bideawee, at which time they receive additional veterinary care and are spayed and neutered, behaviorally evaluated and placed in loving homes. Without Rescue Paw Foundation, many of Bideawee’s ‘happy tails’ may have never happened."
Reese (top right) is one of many dogs that found his way from the back woods of Alabama to a wonderful forever home in New York. Before being transported, he tested positive for heartworm, was successfully treated and received a clean bill of health, all due to the good work of Rescue Paw Foundation. His new family, who always had two dogs, was looking for a playmate for their dog, Tara. Reese won them over with his stunning good looks and lively personality, and we are happy to report that he is thriving in his forever home!
Brothers Kristoff (not pictured) and Olaf (top left) were also transported from Alabama during a frozen, blizzard-filled day in February 2015. These unfortunate dogs did not know or understand the comfort of a home or family, and were fearful of so many things. To help them become confident and self-assured, they were placed in separate foster homes. After several months apart, Olaf and Kristoff were reunited during one of New York State Retriever Rescue's adoption events, and it was clear to see that these two remembered each other! At the event, Kristoff was introduced to a family who was looking to adopt an older dog and a puppy, but when they saw the incredible bond between Olaf and Kristoff, they just had to have both! Together again and forever.
And right at home among the London Jewelers Family is our newest addition, Brooklyn (pictured above left, next to her sister Bailey). Her previous owner had to relocate and delivered her to Bideawee, trusting that she would receive a wonderful new forever home. Another happy ending!
Rescue Paw Foundation hosts adoption events twice a year with local shelters to help find forever homes for pets in need!
Be sure to join us at our upcoming events planned at Americana Manhasset, Wheatley Plaza and the Hamptons (for details, visit facebook.com/OurCauseForPaws)
We rescue dogs from poor, undeserved places and bring them to "no kill" shelters and rescues where they find their loving forever homes.
Thanks to Rescue Paw, the NY State Retriever Association and our friends in Ala. These dogs are now safe. They will be looking for their forever homes soon.
