Why do we love it when a fancy party is crawling with pooches? Maybe it's because the scene is so much livelier with four-legged critters running hither and yon.

Take Friday, for example, when dogs joined their masters on the runway at Hotel ZaZa for the Houston Humane Society "Fashionistas & Furry Friends" gala.

Kristi Schiller's German shepherd, Bob Devlin's Cavapoo (a Cavalier/poodle cross), Mauney Mafrige's King Charles Spaniel and a handful of Humane Society pups up for adoption were among those strutting their stuff before an energized crowd of close to 300.

The fast-paced evening, chaired by Connie Reeves Cooke and Megan Sutton-Reed, saluted special friends of the city's four-legged citizens. Mistress of ceremonies Roseann Rogers did the honors recognizing Tama Lundquist and Tena Lundquist Faust, founders of the Highland Village Adoption Center along with Tim Moloney, as gala honorees. Sherry Nassar, animal rights supporter received the Unsung Heroes Award. Joanne King Herring presented the Humanitarian Spirit Award, named in her honor, to Sidney and Don Faust, who, since 1998, have been hosting famliy weekends for Texas Children's cancer patients at their Squirrel Creek Ranch in South Texas.

The K-9 Unsung Heroes award went to Nathan, the Tomball Police Department's first police canine who died in his sleep after almost five years on the force.

Fashionistas taking to the runway with their dogs in the Neiman Marcus presentation included Kara Howes, Kimberly DeLape, Robin Reimer, Debra Grierson, Jacqueline Kinloch, Jessica Meyer, Alissa Maples, Dominique Sachse, Renee Somoza and Brittany Zucker. Amazingly well-behaved Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, one chihuahua, mixed breeds and loads of yellow labs joined the fashion procession.

Among those applauding the fun were the chairs' husbands — Clayton Cooke and Chris Reed — plus Virginia and Dr. Neal Reisman, Milette Sherman, Lora Clemmons, Laurel Ross, Neal Hamil, Cornel Williams, Jonathan Zadock, Laurel Ross, Leigh Williams and Jeff Smith, who, in pre-Halloween mode, came costumed as a dog.