Beth Stern & Star Animal Sundays Make Charm for Pets in Need

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Southampton, Palm Beach and NYC-based animal advocate and bestselling author Beth Stern and luxury jewelry brand Star Animal Sundays have collaborated on a gorgeous new, limited-edition charm with all proceeds benefiting her Beth's Furry Friends Foundation to support animals in need.

Co-designed by Stern and the Star Animal Sundays team, the charm has unique designs on each side — one featuring a cat and dog, and the other a pair of wings and all-seeing eye, along with additional iconography and two stones — all symbolizing the protection animals in need. Every detail has been considered.

The charm, which Star Animal Sundays calls its Spirit Unity Talisman, is available at a variety of price points, from a $750 10-karat gold necklace to a $250 gold-plated charm on sandalwood beaded bracelet, and a gold-plated necklace for $295.

Known for her love of fostering and rehabilitating abandoned cats and kittens, Stern has fostered, provided medical care, and found loving homes for nearly 2,000 unwanted cats and dogs, many of them staying in special foster rooms at the homes she shares with her husband and fellow animal lover Howard Stern in Palm Beach, Manhattan and Southampton.

She was also instrumental in the creation of Bianca's Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center, which opened in 2020 at North Shore Animal League, the world's largest no-kill shelter and rescue organization.

Her partner in this charm, Star Animal Sundays, designs "spirit(ual) animal power charms with ancient, shamanic, and historic meaning," using repurposed gold and gemstones that represent the significance of each animal.

They often work with philanthropic partnerships for worthy causes, such as the Nature Conservancy, Boa Foundation and, of course, Beth's Furry Friends Foundation, among others.

Stern spoke with us about the project and explained exactly how this charm's beautiful design ties directly with her good works.

Tell me about this project.

I’m excited to share with you details about my collaboration with fine jewelry brand Star Animals Sunday! I worked with their amazing team to co-design a limited-edition charm that symbolizes the protection for animals in need.

One hundred percent of net-profits from the sale of the charm will be donated to my foundation, Beth's Furry Friends.

How did the partnership come about?

They actually reached out to me with the collaboration idea and I knew right away that it would be an ideal partnership! As a philanthropic fine jewelry brand, Star Animal Sundays partners with like-minded individuals and companies that have a passion for animals.

I love how the brand intersects style and spirituality with their animal power charms. I was happy to co-design a charm that represents my dedication and passion for animals.

Speaking of partnerships, I know you do a lot of work with North Shore Animal League, but this project supports your own foundation, Beth's Furry Friends. Can you tell us a bit about Beth's Furry Friends and how it differs from North Shore Animal League?

I am a national spokesperson, board member, foster parent and volunteer for the North Shore Animal League and have been proud to work with them since 2003.

I created Beth's Furry Friends Foundation when I recognized there was a need for cats and dogs to be rehabilitated before they were ready for adoption. Something that can often be quite costly.

Beth's Furry Friends provides cats and kittens, dogs and puppies with high quality medical care to rehabilitate them and prepare them for adoption.

Did you have a hand in designing the talisman? If so, what was that experience like?

It really was a fun experience. I have always admired Star Animal Sundays as they are a philanthropic, ethical fine jewelry brand. I worked very closely with their team to co-design a talisman that I felt best represented my love and passion for animals.

The iconography cast within the two-sided charm is rich in meaning. On one side you will find the all-seeing protective eye with a white diamond for clarity and purity, along with whimsical wings that represent my mantra "time to fly," that I use when my fosters are ready to be placed in their forever homes.

The other side reveals a beautiful pink sapphire, a color that means compassion, that sits at the top of a leafy vine symbolizing abundance and growth. At the center sits an infinity symbol, representing everlasting love.

The two stars that adorn the sides of the charm signify Star Animal Sundays’ respect and dedication to all animals.

I know you recently lost a beloved cat. Can you talk about the sacrifices necessary with rescuing so many — how you have to fall in love with all these cats and then give them to new homes, or lose them.

We not only lost our resident cat Yoda, but also our hospice foster Grogu, who we adopted knowing he had a fatal heart condition. Our Yoda was supposed to only live 3-6 months when we adopted him and we had him as part of our family for over 10 years!

I was able to write two children's books about him so his legacy will live on forever. Our little Grogu was given a few weeks to live and we had 10 extra, wonderful loving months with him.

They became so close and formed such a special bond, and Yoda ended up passing away a few months after Grogu.

We form such intense connections and love them so deeply that it's so painful when they die, but I think about the joy and love they brought to our lives.

When I foster, I feel a piece of me leave each time I hand them to their forever families. But then I go and grab another one who needs me.

Learn more about the partnership between Beth Stern and Star Animal Sundays, and order your own Spirit Unity Talisman, at staranimalsundays.com/collections/star-animal-sundays-x-beths-furry-friends-foundation.