December 7, 2003 -- At his Upper West Side studio, the artist Peter Max recently hosted a glamorous fund-raiser for the Washington, D.C.-based Humane Society of the United States (www.hsus.org).

The party's aim was to bring attention to the hunting of baby seals in Canada, which are brutally clubbed in what the HSUS calls "the largest organized slaughter of wildlife on Earth."

As guests drank champagne and nibbled vegan hors d'oeuvres, they resolved to join a worldwide letter-writing campaign (for information on where to write, go to www.protectseals.org).

Many of those in attendance have pets at home, including actress Famke Janssen.

"I get approached by a lot of different organizations," Janssen explains.

"The seal hunt particularly struck me, because it's completely unnecessary and inhumane, and it's something that can be stopped."

Janssen, a self-described "doggie fashion whore," has a Boston terrier named Licorice who keeps warm in tiny dog sweaters by Burberry.

Like many pet owners, Janssen has a heightened empathy for seals - and all animals - in part because she treasures her dog.

"I've always had an enormous love for animals," she says.

"But I think that when you have a dog, you really understand the bond between animals and people. We're animals too."

"People should be more aware," Janssen adds.

"It's easy to close your eyes and pretend you live in a bubble. But when you really start paying attention, that's when you open your eyes to alternative ideas and possibilities for the humane treatment of wildlife, of animals used in medical tests, and all living things."

Can loving a pet motivate people to become wildlife activists?

"Absolutely," says Dr. John Grandy of the Humane Society, which sponsors www.protectseals.org.

"Being humane and kind to animals is a slippery slope," he explains.

"As you develop compassion and empathy for your pet, those feelings extend to your relationships with people, with the world, and with the environment. It's a wonderful thing to experience."

That, in turn, makes the bond between people and their beloved pets stronger still.

"I encourage people who have pets to become more involved in wildlife issues," Grandy concludes. "It deepens all the important relationships in your life."