SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – For the first time ever, the Spartanburg Humane Society will be hitting the runway for New York Fashion Week.
It will all be a part of the 2nd annual Catwalk Furbaby, created by Elysian Magazine, a Spartanburg-based publication.
Loading up a van with dogs and heading to New York City is what staff at the humane society called an opportunity of a lifetime.
“This is beyond our wildest dreams and it’s going to give us a chance to win the money but also gives us that recognition,” said Angel Cox, CEO of Spartanburg Humane Society. “We have 500 animals under this roof, we can use every penny we can get. This is what we do, taking care of animals who can’t take care of themselves.”
The spotlight will be on five dogs looking for forever homes, and a Wofford College student who will be modeling an outfit made out of repurposed dog leashes and collars, created by a Greenville designer.
The outfit is said to represent how the leashes and collars got a second chance to be loved, just like the animals at the humane society.
“[The Wofford college student] is going to walk the runway with one of our dogs and show off this incredible fashion and, you know what, maybe we’ll win,” said Cox.
The Upstate is represented in the show thanks to the help of Elysian magazine
The humane society’s shelter manager said it’s also a time to educate.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to talk to the nation about the problems of heartworms in our area,” said Greg Linkous, shelter manager at the Spartanburg Humane Society. “It’s one thing coming from the north I was not aware of until you get down here and see all of these dogs coming in with heartworms, and it’s so easily preventable.”
They’re hoping to grab the judges’ attention with their introductory video before hitting the runway. It’s inspired by the Broadway hit, Hamilton.
“This fashion week is in the theater district and so Hamilton was a huge show and the song, ‘Who lives, Who dies, Who Tells Your Story’ is essentially what we do every day,” said Linkous. “We tell these animals’ stories every day. They come into us abused, abandoned, and neglected.”
When they make the trek back to Spartanburg, they are hoping they have a few less companions.
“We’re hoping to come back without anything furry. We’d like for them to all get adopted, which is a long shot because we are taking five, but they are five really good sized dogs that would fit in any apartment in New York City,” said Cox.
For more information on Thursday’s show, click here.
