THE ARTIST's Uggie to 'Speak Out' for Animals at The Humane Society of the United States’ 26th Genesis Awards

He's the toast of this year's award season, now Uggie, the Jack Russell star of this year's Academy Award-winning silent filmThe Artist, will walk the red carpet and serve as a presenter at the only major award show where animals take center stage - The Humane Society of the United States' 26th Genesis Awards.  The event will air on Animal Planet on May 5, with an encore presentation on May 6.

Honoring the news and entertainment media for their outstanding portrayals of animal protection issues, this inspiring gala event, taking place on Saturday, March 24, 2012, at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, will give Uggie the opportunity to rub shoulders (and paws) with celebrity animal advocates and to "speak out" on behalf of his fellow creatures.

Rejected by his first family for being "too wild," and destined for the animal shelter – the fate of many unwanted pets through no fault of their own - Uggie was adopted by Omar Von Muller.  Realizing that Uggie needed patience and loving care, Von Muller began channeling the pup's intelligence and boundless energy into a career as animal actor - and the rest, as they say, is entertainment history.

Uggie will join host Carrie Ann Inaba and fellow Genesis Award presenters, awardees, and attendees including Ian Somerhalder, Colbie Caillat, Kaley Cuoco, Bill Maher, Ke$ha, Jason Ritter, Sophia Bush, Derek Hough, Jon Bernthal, Pauley Perrette, Rose McGowan, and Penelope Ann Miller, one of his co-stars from The Artist, at the only Hollywood award show that puts animals and animal protection concerns front and center.

Although a major international star who has joined the ranks of other canine movie icons such as Rin Tin Tin, Lassie, and Benji, Uggie will have to content himself with presenting an award and not receiving one for his "acting" in The Artist. 

"The Genesis Awards are about honoring the animal protection message, not the performance, but if we had an award for a dog who's become a poster animal for people not giving up on their unruly companion animals, we'd give it to Uggie… now, there's a thought!," says Beverly Kaskey, senior director of The Humane Society of the United States' Los Angeles office and executive producer of the annual Genesis Awards. 

For a complete list of nominees and ticket information, visit humanesociety.org/genesis.  Follow The Genesis Awards on Twitter #genesisawards.

The 26th Genesis Awards is sponsored in part by Misix, Market Development Group, The InterGroup Corporation, Hilton San Francisco Financial District, One Car One Difference, Prai Beauty Group, Tenet, Euro RSCG Edge, Honda, IMAX, Warner Bros., The Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation, American Dog Rescue, and Modern Dog.

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