JOE & BESSY GATTO SAVE SENIOR PUPS
Gatto Pups & Friends Specialize in Senior Rescue
Any fan of comedy has undoubtedly watched an episode of Impractical Jokers. For over a decade, Staten Island native Joe Gatto, Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray, and Sal Vulcano kept the world laughing with their antics on the highly popular show. During that time, Joe was lending his orator skills and comedic antics to animal rescues and advocacies for their various fundraising efforts to save homeless pets. His wife, Bessy Gatto, often volunteered for the organizations Joe was supporting. And as both have been lifelong animal lovers and supporters of the community, they decided to put their money where their mouths are, so to speak, by opening Gatto Pups & Friends, a rescue dedicated to senior dogs. And if you have spent any time watching Joe’s various shows and performances, then you know how much he loves animals.
Now I need to be fully transparent with you. I speak from personal experience when I tell you that Joe and Bessy are incredible supporters of the rescue and advocacy communities. They both volunteered for Rock & Rawhide, the animal advocacy my wife, Kylie, and I ran for over a decade to help increase adoption levels of dogs and cats in shelters and rescues. Joe had co-hosted several of our fundraising events with me while Bessy was volunteering with our team to get more animals into loving and responsible homes. As we were managing, and I was emceeing, Adoptapalooza in Manhattan’s Union Square Park every May and September, Joe and Bessy joined us at our tent and me on stage a number of times over the years.
I hadn’t really spoken with them much in the last couple of years. So when I saw that they opened a rescue on New York’s Long Island, of course I sent our congratulations as I was so proud of them for taking the next step from their volunteer work; opening their own rescue. No, not everyone can open, manage and grow a rescue or animal welfare organization. But when it comes to people as dedicated as Joe and Bessy, who have the means to help when and where they can, it made perfect sense for them to start Gatto Pups & Friends. And, of course, when it came time to plan the adoption edition for our magazine, my first call was to Joe. He and Bessy graciously agreed (obviously)!
As we started talking during our interview, I asked the couple what inspired them to start Gatto Pups & Friends. Now let me preface this with the fact that I had no idea what the answer was prior to this interview. Frankly, I was shocked when I heard their response. It was either the Spring of 2018 or 2019 when Joe and Bessy came to Union Square Park for Adoptapalooza and met Mister Softee, a 15-year-old senior dog being adopted out by Animal Haven. In other words, it was kind of my fault! Not that I am complaining!
FINDING PURPOSE
As Bessy put it during our interview, “Mister Softee was just the cutest, well others may not think so, but I just thought he was the cutest thing. He had no teeth, he was 15 and had his tongue sticking out.” Joe added his thoughts, “Her idea of cute is two eyes that are discolored, no teeth and tongue hanging out. It’s a very loose term when she says ‘cute’.” I of course had to respond, “So what does that say about you and the kids?” Cue insane laughter. Yes, it was THAT kind of interview. Just like every other conversation I have had with them over the last near decade of our friendship.
There are only four words I can use to describe Joe and Bessy; warm, loving, responsible and funny. Whether it was in passing conversation at an entertainment event like Jingle Ball or at an adoption fair or over a drink, that is how I have always known them to be. So the fact that they opened their own rescue to help the community really wasn’t a surprise.
While Mister Softee only lived with the couple for seven months before his passing, his impact was significant. Bessy stated, “After that, this is just what we decided our passion is…the seniors. Even if Mister Softee only had a couple of months with us, he was just the best. He left such an impression.” I could see the passion in her eyes as she talked about Mister Softee. After all, I have made those same comments time and time again in interviews, so I know real dedication to the cause when I see it.
According to Joe, “He was just such a little powerhouse in such a little dog. We started collecting dogs ourselves and with so many older ones, we realized that we could probably do a little better and help more. So right after the pandemic, a year and a half ago, we started Gatto Pups & Friends with the intention of not only collecting older dogs for ourselves, but for others as well. And it took off like wildfire.”
WHY SENIORS? As we said, senior canines are only adopted out at a 25% rate of the total available population, so why did Joe and Bessy focus on such a difficult end of the rescue community? We asked. Of course Joe immediately pointed to Bessy, who started to laugh. I just had to seize the opportunity to have some fun, “Are you trying to say she’s old, Joe?” Joe responded, “I’m trying to say she likes old. I am old. I got lucky. The more I fall apart, the better she thinks I am.” Again, cue the insane laughter.
Bessy furthered, “Yup! It’s true. The older, the more decrepit, the more sickly, the more I just love them. I don’t know, there’s just something about them that, just giving them love and affection at the end of their lives, it just means so much. You go to shelters and everyone just wants a cute little puppy. For me, adopting seniors was just the most rewarding thing ever.”
Anyone who knows Joe Gatto’s humor, and my approach to comedy will appreciate that I needed to push the couple just a little further. I started talking about when my parents, who were retired at the time, started adopting senior Pugs and the experience they had. The ensuing commentary just screamed laughter.
Joe stated, “We aren’t adopting your parents.” My response, “Forget them. Adopt me! I’m old. I’m falling apart!” Joe rebutted, “You have too many teeth.” I tried to go that extra mile, “I can pull them out! I have a torn rotator cuff, I can’t see. Come on!” I then guided the interview back to reality, “Given that my parents’ experience was so fulfilling, though heartbreaking as they had three seniors; one who lived three months, one a year and another three years.
When people say things like this to you about their experience with senior dogs, how does that make you feel?”
The couple took a moment, both with an obvious change to their body language, and a deeply emotional look in their eyes. Bessy said, “It makes us feel amazing. To be able to help these senior dogs who often are in the most need of medical care, love and support is just an amazing feeling overall. And hearing others have the same experience makes it all that much more worth it.”
RESCUE IS AN ADDICTION
I wasn’t really joking when I shot back about rescuing being an addiction. It is true. Once you start, you have a difficult time stopping. Having grown up with cats, dogs, goldfish, mice (yes, mice), gerbils and more, I have been surrounded by animals most of my life. And when I saved that first kitten from a cornfield some 42 years ago, I was hooked right away. Apparently so were Joe and Bessy.
Joe commented, “It really is amazing to be able to have the kind of impact we are having with so many senior dogs. Just doing this is a jolt of warmth and love. You’re right, it is addictive!”
Joe and Bessy Gatto now live on Long Island with their two children, Milana and Remington “Remo” as well as a revolving door of senior furrever ones.
Gatto Pups & Friends has an adoption center located at 723 Glen Cove Avenue in Glen Head, NY.
To learn more about Gatto Pups & Friends, please visit GattoPupsAndFriends.com
Joe Gatto is embarking on a new tour, and has regular appearances across the country.
To learn more about what Joe is up to, please visit JoeGattoOfficial.com
