Pet Parents Can Hang Out With Celebrities to Support SAG Members

Celebrity and pop-culture obsessed pet parents, you’re gonna want to whip out your wallets. An auction raising money for crew members impacted by the WGA and SAG strikes is offering once-in-a-lifetime celebrity encounters to the highest bidders (a home mural painted by Lena Dunham, anyone?). For pet parents and animal lovers, three of the auction items are especially appealing: John Lithgow ’s available to paint your pup, Adam Scott is offering to walk your pup, and Natasha Lyonne’s offering help you solve a crossword puzzle…accompanied by her pup, Rootbeer. 

The auction was created by the The Union Solidarity Coalition (TUSC), a group of writers and directors who want to support crew members impacted by the ongoing strikes. They write on their site: “Watching people honor our picket lines touched and inspired us, and presented us with a model for unity in action ... We want to think big about how we can support each other in the face of a national labor crisis.”

TUSC raises money for crew members who have lost health insurance due to production shutdowns; by partnering with the Motion Picture and Television Fund and its Entertainment Health Insurance Solutions, they help match uninsured workers with their ideal healthcare plan and then pay the premiums. 

Lucky for us, some of the most iconic actors, writers, and directors around have gotten on board with TUSC’s mission — meaning you can support a great cause while gaining a dreamy interaction with your favorite TV lead. Yeah, the prices are steep, but if you’ve been saving for a rainy day, this auction has something for everyone.

“Adam Scott Will Walk Your Dog (with or without you) for One Hour” is available for LA pet parents to bid on. As the terms detail, you can take a photo and video with the actor/dog walker. Your dog has to be in good health, up to date on vaccine records, and able to play well with humans and dogs. 

If you’re not in LA or don’t quite trust your pup to behave around your favorite Parks and Rec star, you can bid on “Watercolor Portrait of Your Favorite Furry Friend by John Lithgow” — currently going for $4000. The Oscar and Emmy-winning actor will paint a portrait based on four to five photos of your pup. You won’t get to meet him and he may take up to a year to finish the portrait, but you’ll own the most ideal possible housing decor for the rest of your life. 

And whether or not you have a pet yourself, you can bid on “Natasha Lyonne Will Help You Solve the New York Times Sunday Crossword.” During a zoom with up to two friends, Natasha Lyonne and her dog, Rootbeer, will indulge you in a “fifteen minute existential conversation” while doing the Wednesday New York Times crossword puzzle.

These are just some of the many experiences for sale through TUSC’s auction; you can also grab dinner with David Cross and Bob Odenkirk, take a pottery class with Busy Philipps, or buy an apron signed by the cast of The Bear — just to name a few more. If you can’t afford these big-ticket items, you can help TUSC by donating directly to their strike fund. Money will go to IATSE and Teamster members who are without health insurance.