Shoreham yoga studio pairs grand opening with rescue puppy fundraisers

Solaris Yoga marked its Shoreham debut with a ribbon-cutting that looked less like a standard studio launch and more like a community fundraiser in motion. The new wellness space at 99-25 Route 25A opened its doors with infrared hot yoga, Pilates, and rescue puppy yoga woven into the celebration, giving the grand opening a clear charitable edge.

Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner hosted the June 5 ribbon cutting with owner Ina Visich, and the public was invited in alongside local representatives, instructors, students and other community members. Brookhaven Town later confirmed Bonner attended the ceremony for Solaris Yoga’s new Shoreham location, underscoring the event’s place on the local calendar as more than a private studio milestone. Attendees also had access to a founding-member special available only that day, adding a membership push to the celebration.

Visich has said the studio plans to regularly host rescue puppy yoga fundraisers, with proceeds benefiting local animal rescue organizations and wellness retreats. That detail is what makes Solaris stand out in a crowded wellness market: the puppies are not being used as a one-time novelty to fill seats for opening day, but as part of a recurring model that ties class attendance to rescue support. In a space where dog yoga can sometimes feel like a gimmick, this approach aims to make the puppy sessions feel like a built-in fundraising engine.

The studio’s own programming backs up that broader pitch. Solaris says it offers daily indoor classes in an infrared-heated studio, with a lineup that includes Heated Vinyasa Yoga, Hot Pilates and Mat Pilates, Meditation, Yin Yoga, Puppy Yoga, workshops, special events, retreats and yoga teacher training programs. Visich has framed the business around connection, support and belonging, and the class mix suggests she wants the Shoreham location to work as both a practice space and a neighborhood hub.

The puppy yoga concept is hardly unique to Long Island. Organizations including the Humane Society of Broward County, Atlanta Humane Society, Old Dominion Humane Society and Yoga Darshana Center have already used puppy yoga as a fundraiser or adoption-related draw. But the model also comes with scrutiny, since animal welfare groups and experts have warned that young dogs can be stressed if sessions are not carefully managed. For Solaris, the real test now is whether the rescue puppy classes can deliver more than opening-day buzz and become a steady source of exposure and support for local animals.