2008 Gala Chair Daryl Hannah with Violet


Actress Jorja Fox, 2007 Gala Chair

Actresses and Gala Hosts Mariana Tosca and Constance Marie

Actor Dave Foley and daughter meet Kirby

Actress & Gala Host Charlotte Ross cuddles with "Charlotte"!

Animal Acres Founder Lorri Bauston and Actor Eric Szmanda

Gala Award Recipient Jana Kohl with 2006 Gala Chair James Cromwell

Actress Debra Skelton feeds Harmony 		Online Registration is now closed - please call 661-269-5404 for ticket information.

The Animal Acres 2008 Gala will be held on Saturday, September 6th at the Animal Acres Sanctuary and Compassionate Living Center in Acton, CA. The sanctuary is located on a beautiful 26-acre hacienda-style ranch, just 40 minutes from Hollywood.

The festivities will begin at 5:00 pm with the "Cowtail Party", where celebrity hosts, award recipients, and Gala guests meet and mingle with the sanctuary's "guests of honor" - over 150 rescued cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, sheep and goats. Gala guests will then gather in the sanctuary rose garden to enjoy a gourmet dinner sponsored by Madeleine Bistro, one of L.A.'s premier vegan restaurant. The Gala menu includes baby lettuces with candied walnuts, chardonnay cheese and poached pear vinaigrette, and Grilled lemon-rosemary seitan with ratatouille, polenta, and smoked paprika crème.

A memorable evening of music, entertainment, and education will follow during our award program, as we honor individuals and corporations who have made outstanding contributions through their commitment to the cause of protecting farmed animals and promoting compassionate living choices. Awards are presented by our celebrity hosts and special guests.

All proceeds from the Gala will benefit the Animal Acres Emergency Rescue Fund to raise funding to build a 14-stall Rescue Center barn to significantly increase the sanctuary's rescue and rehabilitation efforts for suffering farmed animals.

Animal Acres is directed by Farm Sanctuary co-founder Lorri Bauston, who opened the nation's first farmed animal sanctuary in 1986. Bauston's work has been featured in numerous documentaries and national news stories, including the Los Angeles Times, NPR, CBS This Morning, CNN, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and PrimeTime Live. Bauston is considered the "pioneer" of the farmed animal sanctuary movement which has now grown to over 25 sanctuaries throughout the country. This year, she and Gala supporters celebrate 22 years of rescuing and protecting farmed animals.

Animal Acres is a non-profit animal advocacy organization dedicated to promoting farmed animal protection through direct rescue and shelter efforts, humane education, public outreach, and investigative actions to prevent cruelty to farmed animals. For more information on the organization's programs and campaigns, please visit: www.AnimalAcres.org

2008 Gala Supporters

Gala Emcee
  • Comedian Carol Leifer
Gala Chair
  • Daryl Hannah
Honorary Committee & Hosts
  • Casey Affleck
  • Ed Begley, Jr.
  • Thora Birch
  • James Cromwell
  • Ellen DeGeneres
  • Tanna Frederick
  • Mike Farrell
  • Kate Flannery
  • Jorja Fox
  • Dominic Scott Kay
  • Daniela Sea
  • Bill Maher
  • Constance Marie
  • Shelley Morrison
  • Kevin Nealon
  • Charlotte Ross
  • Sage Ryan
  • Alicia Silverstone
  • Debra Skelton
  • Ione Skye
  • Mariana Tosca
  • Marc Vann
  • Jane Velez-Mitchell
  • Persia White
  • Noah & Tracy Wyle
Guest of Honor
  • Patty Shenker
Planning Committee
  • Cathy Petrosky, Chair
  • Alison Cole
  • Heather Kennedy
  • Richard LaDez
  • Danny Levy - DPL Design
  • Erin Pfeifer
  • Heather Swan
  • Dawn Swoger
  • Ronnie Steinau



"After I hosted an event at Animal Acres and was educated about the horrors of factory farming, I decided to become vegan. I couldn't be healthier or happier!" - Carol Leifer