Celebrity Photographer Mike Ruiz Presents The ‘Hunks & Hounds 2024 Calendar’
2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the original “Hunks and Hounds” calendar so Mike felt that it was befitting that it should benefit the original rescue, Louie’s Legacy Animal Rescue. This years calendar features some legends of the world of fitness and 14 of the most adorable rescues you’ve ever laid eyes on. As always, Mike’s vision is captivating and provocative, but his message is timeless… To educate and encourage the general public to adopt as opposed to buy from a breeder or pet store. 2023 saw record numbers of dogs being dumped in shelters like discarded trash. The calendar is an effort to make people understand that for every dog they buy from a breeder or pet store, they are letting one languish and suffer in a shelter.
Mike Ruiz is a celebrity photographer whose clients include Jared Leto, Anne Hathaway, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Billy Porter, Aubrey Plaza, Queen Latifah, Neil Patrick Harris, Justin Theroux, Jim Parsons and literally thousands of others. In addition to his work in Hollywood, Ruiz is known for shooting top male fitness models. “I admire men who have sculpted their bodies into works of art,” he says. “It takes incredible skill and knowledge to form human tissue to near perfection. Photographing their work is quite gratifying to me.”
Each year, Louie's Legacy, one of the largest foster-based rescues in the nation, saves as many animals as it can, as efficiently as possible. This is made possible by hundreds of volunteer foster homes which care for the rescued animals until they are adopted. Emily Gear, President and Founder of Louie's Legacy Animal Rescue says, "We are so grateful and honored to be chosen again this year to benefit from Mike's incredible work. His calendars are a really fun and flashy way to bring attention to the sometimes dirty and grueling (but also rewarding) work we do behind the scenes each day. Ten years ago when we did this calendar for the first time, we raised some $80,000 which went straight back into saving more lives." In the subsequent years, thanks in part to this project, Louie's Legacy was able to add thousands of animals to its program, and has currently saved over 25,000 animals since its founding in 2009. "Carrying out our mission costs around a million dollars per year, give or take, so your purchase will literally go to save a life. You can't do better than that," Gear says.
The men featured in the HUNKS AND HOUNDS 2024 calendar are some of the biggest male fitness models working today including fitness and body building legend, Frank Sepe. Collectively, they have over 2 million followers on social media. Mike’s yearly calendar has become so iconic that all of the models donate their time and effort and even fly themselves to the shoot from all over the country just to support this animal rescue effort.
Argentinian model and martial artist Julian Arroyuelo, who appears on calendar’s cover with his pup, Bond, wasn’t able to attend the shoot but wanted so badly to be a part of it, that he orchestrated a remote photoshoot from Buenos Aires with the help of local photographer Matias Ezequiel. Thanks to video chat technology, Mike was able to direct the entire thing from 5000 miles away!
Mike Ruiz, too, is an animal rescuer. In fact, it was his beloved Oliver, a black Pit Bull that overcame adversity, opened people’s hearts and minds to Pit Bull type dogs, and made them see these beautiful souls in a different light, that inspired him to create HUNKS AND HOUNDS
100% of the sales of the calendar go directly to Louie’s Legacy. for various services benefitting the health and welfare of the dogs. “The calendar makes the perfect holiday gift and also brings awareness to these special animals,” says Mike Ruiz. “Every pit bull deserves a forever home.”
Mike Ruiz’s HUNKS AND HOUNDS 2024 calendar goes for $29.99 and is available at http://louieslegacy.org/calendar
For more information, please contact:
Mike Ruiz info@mikeruiz.com
Lauren Dutkiewicz ldutkiewicz@louieslegacy.org
Opening Tearsheet by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Designer, PhotoBook Magazine
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