Valentines arrived early for homeless pit bulls and other dogs Saturday in South Side and Scott.

About 200 dog lovers and a dozen pooches partied at the Town Tavern in Hello Bully's first Lovers Not Fighters Gala. Miss Pennsylvania USA Lindsey Nelsen of York already has three dogs at home but was having trouble letting go of Oscar, a 10-week-old pit bull puppy.

After a dog and human fashion show and live auction, Hello Bully founder and president Daisy Balawejder thanked everyone for helping to raise $5,000 toward spaying, neutering, vaccinating and helping find homes for pit bulls from the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, Animal Friends, Animal Rescue League and Jen's FurKid Rescue.

At Cupids & Canines Casino Night, dogs were the big winners as 350 people played pinball, poker, blackjack, craps and roulette inside the huge Professional Amateur Pinball Association's world headquarters. Six dogs, a cat and a rabbit were a lot quieter than the 425 pinball machines at the second annual event to benefit Bow Wow Buddies, the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society and Washington Area Humane Society.

Doreen Valentine-Martin, owner of one of three area Camp Bow Wow dog day care centers, said the $7,000 they hoped to raise would go canine cancer research, dog rescue and promoting adoptions.

Celebrities on hand included Pinky and Trixie, cover dogs of the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society's 2009 calendar.

"This is a great fund-raiser, especially during tough economic times," said Gretchen Fieser, the society's director of marketing.