Premieres of 10th Annual NY Dog Film Festival & 8th Annual NY Cat Film Festival on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 to Benefit Animal Lighthouse Rescue
The 10th Annual NY Dog Film Festival & 8th Annual NY Cat Film Festival are coming to the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater at Symphony Space in New York City this October, promising heartwarming films and an opportunity to support the premieres’ nonprofit partner, Animal Lighthouse Rescue (ALR), which provides shelter and medical treatment to dogs and cats in Puerto Rico, then transports them to New York for adoption.
The two-hour NY Dog Film Festival, now in its 10th year, celebrates the love between canines and their people as seen in a medley of 17 short films selected from more than 64 submissions from filmmakers in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Switzerland and the UK.
The two-hour NY Cat Film Festival explores the fascinating felines that share our lives through 21 short films chosen from more than 70 submissions from filmmakers in the United States, Australia, Canada, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Russian Federation, Taiwan, UAE and Uzbekistan.
With the twin goals of celebrating animal companionship through film and raising critical funds for rescue operations, this year’s Festivals are more than entertainment – they are lifesavers. Audiences will enjoy dozens of touching, inspiring short films – narrative, documentary and animated – from around the world, while contributing directly to the welfare of vulnerable animals by supporting organizations such as Animal Lighthouse Rescue.
In celebration of the NYC premieres, there will be a VIP (Very Important Pet) Pooch & Pussy Cat Party on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the iconic Prohibition bar on the Upper West Side. Dogs will be welcome!
Event details
NYC Premiere of the 10th Annual NY Dog & 8th Annual NY Cat Film Festivals
When: Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 at 11 AM (cats) and 2 PM (dogs)
Where: Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater at Symphony Space, Broadway at 95th Street, NYC
Tickets: Cats – here
Dogs – here
What: A curated, international selection of short films – narrative, documentary and animated – celebrating the special connection between dogs and cats and their humans.
50 percent of ticket sales from these screenings will go to Animal Lighthouse Rescue.
VIP Pooch & Pussy Cat Party
When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, from 2 – 5 PM
Where: Prohibition, 503 Columbus Avenue between 84th and 85th Street, NYC
Tickets: here (only100 tickets available at $100 each)
What: A celebratory gathering featuring local animal portraitists, nationally-renowned animal communicators, photo opportunities, raffles, swag bags and more. Well-behaved dogs welcome! 100 percent of ticket sales from this party will benefit Animal Lighthouse Rescue.
Additional highlights
- The NY Dog Film Festival includes two prize-winning films in the Purina Dog Chow Service Dog Salute category, showcasing veterans with PTSD whose lives have been transformed by specially trained service dogs.
- After the NYC premiere, both Festivals will tour theaters across the US in 2026, bringing the message and mission to even more communities.
- At the VIP Pooch & Pussy Cat Party, three renowned animal communicators, who are directors of The Animal Communication CollectiveTM, will be flying in from Mississippi (Meredith Tollison), Michigan (Julie Hirt) and Massachusetts (ACC Founder Karen Dendy-Smith) to support the cause by offering intuitive readings for party-goers. These women co-host The Animal Communication Podcast and are Certified Soul Level Animal Communicators®, Certified Soul Level Intuitive Coaches and teaching assistants for the Danielle MacKinnon School where they met and studied Animal Communication.