Keanu Reeves Rocks Out In Houston For a $1.5 Million Brunch That Lifts Up PetSet — Star Power Does Good

Following in the tradition that started with Billy Bob Thornton and his band The BoxMasters last year, PetSet’s 2026 “Le Brunch” rocked with the remarkably talented Keanu Reeves and his band Dogstar along with a clutch of Hollywood notables.

As the star struck energy filled Houston’s Thompson Hotel ballroom, the dollars rolled in with proceeds of more than $1.5 million, half a million more than the money raised in 2025. Joining the party from Tinseltown were Marie Wetherell,  David Chokachi, Austin native Amy Bailey, Emmy Award-nominated Danielle Vasinova and Isaiah LaBorde.

The mission of PetSet to end animal homeless was spotlighted in the afternoon’s theme — Farther Together.

“We were thrilled to welcome Keanu, Dogstar and so many incredible guests to Houston for an afternoon that was ultimately about something much bigger than any one person,” PetSet co-president Tama Lundquist says. “The energy in the room was a beautiful reflection of what can happen when people come together around a cause they believe in.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s Le Brunch such a special celebration of the work still ahead.”

The band performed following the brunch and program that honored two individuals exemplifying what individuals can in small ways and big ways change the trajectory of homeless animals.

In from home base in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation, was named PetSet’s 2026 Honoree, recognizing her extraordinary commitment to animals. Bissell has become one of the nation’s leading voices for collaborative, prevention-focused solutions to animal homelessness.

“Cathy has changed countless lives through her commitment to animals, but what we admire just as much is the way she brings people together around solutions,” PetSet co-president Tena Lundquist Faust says. “Her leadership is an incredible example of what it means to go farther, together.”

Waste managament employee Gabrell Riley and his dog Hooper received the Community Hero Award. Riley’s story of finding the stray pooch in a dumpster he had just unloaded into his truck and adopting the dog as his own shines a light on the positive effect that individuals can make in the effort.

The event showcased the impact of PetSet’s supporters over the organization’s 20-year history. PetSet has helped fund lifesaving work at more than 120 animal welfare organizations, expanded access to spay and neuter care, vaccines and emergency medical treatment, and helped move thousands of animals out of overcrowded shelters and into loving homes.

PC Seen: Houston Mayor John Whitmire, Frances Moody Buzbee, Marla Harley, Sue Smith, Rose Ann and Michael Heckman, Laura Goodson, Kirby Edmunds, Kevin Matocha, Jenna and Philip Lukefahr, Lindsey Love, Brenda Love, Gaynell Drexler, Bryce Kennard, Edna Meyer Nelson, Priscilla and Frankie Bardonaro Jr., Marge Lundquist, and Sue Smith.

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