Pups and their Owners Frolic at First Annual Halloween Social
Ruff House Social Club in Chelsea held its first Halloween-themed social for pooches and their owners on Oct. 28. The pet shop owners hope to make it an annual event.
| 01 Nov 2024 | 12:36
Dog mom Gabby Shi and Bingo, a two year old mini schnauzer, pose with friends. (
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Lisa Malloy (left) and Carine Vermono and their “paw-some” pups. (
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Local pet lovers and their costumed canines kicked off the Halloween season Oct. 25, as Ruff House Social Club, in partnership with Zoom Room Chelsea, hosted a one-of-a-kind evening of off-leash fun, games, and socializing in the heart of Chelsea.
Gabby Shi traveled from Greenpoint to attend the event with the dog she is pet sitting, a two-year-old miniature schnauzer named Bingo who hails from Union Square. “We came with Bingo a year ago to a dog birthday party at Zoom Room,” she said. “We love this place.”
The night was filled with prizes and giveaways, games and tasty treats for all. “We’ve seen this idea blooming in Los Angeles and down south, the idea of combining a dog park with a social space,” said Ryan Niederreither, co-Founder of Ruff House Social Club. “My sister and I love dogs, we are huge animal lovers, we just thought this would be a great thing to bring to New York.”
Lisa Malloy and Carine Vermonot appeared to be enjoying the energy of the event, as costumed dogs cavorted with each other and humans chatted over complimentary champagne. Vermonot explained that her own dog had made his third costume change of the day. “This morning we went to volunteer in a high school where he is a therapy dog and he was dressed as Harry Potter. Then we went to work where he was Ramses the Feral. Now he is the Highlander. It’s a lot of fun to see all the other dogs with their costumes and to socialize,” she added. “Everyone is having fun.”
Niederreither said he is expecting to do many more of these types of events in the neighborhood, as social events that provide opportunities for dogs and their owners to connect and play are currently proliferating across the country. Around 50 attendees, including some local influencers, showed up at the inaugural event, with 12 vendors, such as family owned Doug’s Dog Supplies and daycare and spa services provider Vetted Health, providing giveaways for lucky pets and their owners.