Interview: REEFER MADNESS, INSIDE OUT Actress Lori Alan Talks Dog Rescue Event Putting for Pups

Everyone knows the expression that dog is man's best friend, but for actress Lori Alan, her dogs have come to mean more than just having a playmate or an unconditional friend. "By hook or by crook, this became my life's mission."

In addition to a remarkable career on stage, screen, and behind the mic, Alan is the Co-Founder of the United States chapter of the animal protection organization No To Dog Meat. In many places around the world, including in the United States, dogs and cats are routinely tortured in an effort to sweeten their meat for human consumption, something that Alan's organization is working to stop.

"It happens here, it doesn't just happen in China, and South Korea, and the Philippines, and Taiwan, and Singapore, and places like that," Alan said. "It happens in the United States, and one of our missions is to close the loopholes in the 44 states where it's acceptable to eat your pets."

Alan has been an ever present voice on TV and movies for over 20 years. Primarily known for her work as a voice-actor, Alan is best recognized as the voice of Diane Simmons on FAMILY GUY, Pearl Krabs on SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, as Bonnie's Mom in the TOY STORY franchise, and most recently as Mother's Sadness in Pixar's INSIDE OUT. She was also a member of the world premiere cast of cult classic musical REEFER MADNESS.

(Later this month, I will talk to Alan about her time with REEFER MADNESS, working with Broadway favorites Lesli Margherita and Amy Spanger, INSIDE OUT, and a potential return to New York theatre)

Along with writer, actress, and comic Fia Perera, Alan is launching the US chapter with a large Hollywood event this weekend called Putting for Pups. Sunday, September 13th, will start with a golf outing at the Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena, and will conclude with a red carpet gala featuring dozens of celebrities including Hal Sparks, Nicole Sullivan, and EG Daily.

Despite the headaches that go into coordinating such a large-scale event, the goal is to bring an important issue to a larger population. "Our job is to put this event on so that we could launch the US chapter (of No To Dog Meat), and bring this issue, this epidemic, into the forefront of everyone's minds here in the United States," Alan said.

For Alan, this event, and her involvement with the larger cause, is a necessity to counterbalance the hectic nature of her day job. "The business is so crazy and schizophrenic, as my dear friend Elaine Hendrix always reminds me," Alan said, "you have to put your energies to good use." Hendrix will be one of the many celebrities in attendance.

No To Dog Meat not only works to strengthen animal cruelty laws in the US, but they also strive to fund activist operations in the countries where these types of practices are accepted as commonplace. "In the countries that are some of the worst offenders, that's also where you find some of the best activists," Alan explained. "Especially in the younger generation, there are amazing activists, and we support them and (animal) sanctuaries in all of the countries I mentioned. They are doing the most amazing things."

According to No To Dog Meat, in Korea one dog is killed every 13 seconds, and often in extremely inhumane ways. Alan explained, "The tradition goes that the more that the dog or cat has suffered before he's been killed, the more adrenaline it has experienced; i.e. blow-torching, electrocution, skinned, boiled alive, heads cut off while it's still alive; the more pain it has suffered, the sweeter the meat is. Then it will have healing properties, or it will bring you health for the new year."

Alan says that her organization's mission is not to undermine cultural and religious practices, but instead to ensure that animals are treated humanely. "We respect traditions of all cultures, I'm sure we have a lot of weird things that people do over here, but we do not condone out and out, blatant torture."

In addition to working to prevent the torture of animals for human consumption both here and abroad, the Putting for Pups event will also raise money to train retired military dogs for lives as service animals, aiding veterans who return home with PTSD. To check out all of the celebrities and events that will be part of Putting for Pups, visit their website at PuttingForPups.com.

Tickets are still available for the event, which will include auctions for fabulous gifts, including a stay at Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan's ranch.

Because Putting for Pups has the support of generous sponsors, Alan says that all proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to animal rescue. And, she notes that money raised through ticket sales and donations can have a huge impact on their efforts. "$500 can vaccinate 800 dogs in one of the sanctuaries that we support. $500 is a big deal; it sends a vet and vaccines. Can you imagine if we raised $3,000?"

To learn more about No To Dog Meat, visit their website NoToDogMeat.com. While there, you can set up one-time or regular donations and sign up for their newsletter.

Alan believes that in addition to raising money, the most important thing an individual who is concerned with this issue can do is to help get the word out. "Retweeting the event and the tweets from the celebrities involved so people are aware that this actually exists is frickin' amazing," she said. "If you have a dog or cat, you should know that this exists, and that it happens in the United States, and that (we) are working to have more animal protections here and abroad. Just helping people know about it is activism."

Is this an issue that you were aware of before? Let me know in the comments below, or on Twitter @BWWMatt. If you want to follow along with my "366 in 366" articles, you can check out #BWW366in366 on Twitter. Also, make sure to follow @BWWMoviesWorld on Twitter for all of the biggest news from the world of movies.

Photo Credit: LoriAlan.com