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PAWS Chicago Fur Ball raises the roof for pets
Updated: January 13, 2012 10:29AM
A record 650 guests, escorted by 200 pet companions, gathered at The Drake Hotel on Nov. 11 for an evening of elegance and compassion at PAWS Chicago’s 10th annual Fur Ball. As Chicago’s premier pet-friendly black tie gala, the event raised more than $750,000 toward directly saving the lives of Chicago’s homeless animals, making it the most successful Fur Ball to date.
Lucky pups in attendance indulged in a doggie buffet and pampered treatments in the Dog Spa, complete with an animal masseuse. Meanwhile, their human counterparts enjoyed an elegant dinner buffet, silent and live auctions, a raffle, dancing, people and pet illustrations by Rosemary Fanti, and insight into their pet’s thoughts through animal communicator Debbie Weaver.
The highlight of the evening was the exciting live auction, featuring one-of-a-kind items, such as the opportunity to have a personal pet featured on the cover of the 2013 PAWS Chicago desktop calendar, a portrait sitting with renowned celebrity photographer Victor Skrebneski, and a trip to Argentina, brought in $11,000. Additional auction items included tickets to an American Idol results show, a week-long stay in a Tuscan villa and tickets to the 2012 Grammy Awards and the official after-party.
The “Bid to Save Lives” brought in $50,000 to fund PAWS Chicago’s free and low-cost spay/neuter services for pets of low-income families.
“The success of this year’s Fur Ball directly translates into PAWS Chicago being able to increase the number of animals we save,” said PAWS Chicago founder and chair, Paula Fasseas. “With no government funding, we are reliant on support from our animal-loving community, and events like the Fur Ball are essential to continuing our life-saving work.”
Founded in 1997, PAWS Chicago (Pets Are Worth Saving) is the Midwest’s largest nonprofit, no-kill humane organization. In 2011, PAWS Chicago found homes for more than 4,200 pets out of the cageless No Kill Adoption & Humane Center and performed free and low cost spay/neuter surgeries for more than 18,000 pets.
For more information, visit www.pawschicago.org.
