While most of Hollywood was recovering from the Academy Awards, the Humane community and its celebrity supporters gathered at the Beverly Hills Hilton for the Genesis Awards, created to honor the major news and entertainment media for spotlighting animal issues. Over 1000 attendees united at the International Ballroom for this gala, co-hosted by Joely Fisher (star of "Ellen" and daughter of Connie Stevens and Eddie Fisher) and Bill Maher (host of "Politically Incorrect") along with the founder of the Ark Trust and the Genesis Awards, Broadway and television actress Gretchen Wyler.

Among this years awarded were "Charlottes Web", "Leeza", "Primetime Live", "Hard Copy", and "New York Times Magazine" among many others. Also given were special awards to Guests of Honor California Senator Barbara Boxer and Captain Paul Watson. Senator Boxer has been a defender of animal rights for a very long time. Through her work in the Senate, she has received national acclaim for her protection of wildlife. Her most recent triumph was opposing the Dolphin Death Act, which would have demolished the protection for dolphins, which Senator Boxer attained while in Congress. Captain Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and one of the original cofounders of Greenpeace, was honored for his protection of marine wildlife. Friends Martin Sheen, Linda Blair, and Pierce Brosnan presented him his award. Due to his ongoing battle to fight the continuing government-sanctioned assaults on Canadian seals, he publicly denounced his Canadian citizenship at the awards.

Among the celebrity presenters and guest were Alicia Silverstone, Pierce Brosnan, Lyle Lovett, Leeza Gibbons, Montel Williams, Sid Ceaser, Shari Belafonte, Tippi Hedren, Bonnie Hunt, Rod Steiger, Kevin Nealon, as well the evening shining star, Jill, who played Verdell in the Jack Nicholson film As Good As it Gets.

Cocktails, a silent auction, and a vegan dinner preceded the award ceremony, which was taped for Broadcast on Animal Planet on May 5th (9 p.m. & midnight ET), May 10th (3 p.m. ET), and May 22nd (9 p.m. and midnight ET) and is sponsored in part by Hallmark Entertainment.

The event raised over $100,000 for the Ark Trust, Inc. "It was a wonderful night for the animals", said event chairperson Gretchen Wyler, "Thanks to all our courageous honorees, critical issues of animal abuse and exploitation are being thrust into the spotlight like never before." Gretchen Wyler has been an animal advocate for over thirty years. At one point in her career, she starred on Broadway, had her own television series, and headed an animal shelter in Warwick, New York. For her tireless efforts on behalf of the voiceless, Gretchen was the recipient of this year's American Humane Association Lifetime Achievement Award as well as the Humane Society of the United States James Herriot Award. She was also featured in the Simon and Schuster book The Bond: People and Their Animals. We congratulate Gretchen, The Ark Trust, and the Genesis Award recipients and presenters for their work on behalf of animals all over the world.