Fur Ball nets $574k for Richmond SPCA to treat homeless animals’ veterinary needs
Last year the Richmond SPCA took in 4,229 homeless pets and spent more than $950,000 delivering pre-adoption veterinary services. After Saturday’s successful 24th Annual Fur Ball, the organization has netted $574,227 to replenish its Cinderella Fund.
Presented by Dominion Energy, the Fur Ball is our signature black-tie fundraiser. Proceeds are used to provide lifesaving veterinary treatment and rehabilitation to thousands of sick, injured and neonatal homeless pets each year.
More than 315 guests and 19 pets attended the gala at The Jefferson Hotel. The event began with cocktails in the hotel’s rotunda, sponsored by The London Company. The Parade of Pets, sponsored by Holiday Barn Pet Resorts, was the highlight of the evening as pets and their people descended the Grand Staircase with introductions by emcee Greg McQuade of CBS6. The parade began with Vincent carried by Holiday Barn Pet Resorts Leader of the Pack Michael Hughes and his wife Charlotte. Title sponsor Dominion Energy was also represented in the parade by a pet awaiting adoption, Cupcake, who accompanied Lisa Hicks-Thomas, member of the Richmond SPCA Board of Directors and her husband Sam Thomas. The Cinderella Fund was a source of lifesaving veterinary treatment for both Vincent and Cupcake.
The program in the Grand Ballroom began with the presentation of the Ellen Glasgow Award for Humane Service to Michelle Welch, senior assistant attorney general in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and the director of its Animal Law Unit. Dinner, sponsored by Moore Subaru, was followed by the Cinderella Video, which tells the story of kitten season and the 1,729 kittens saved by the Richmond SPCA this year. The introduction of Vincent, who was a neonatal kitten when he was taken into the care of the Richmond SPCA in October, set the stage for lively bidding in the live auction sponsored by Truist.
The Irongate Capital Advisors Fur Ball Raffle was open to all and offered four prize packages from local businesses. Only in-person guests had the option to purchase tickets in the Diamonds Direct 1-in-100 Raffle, in which fewer than 100 tickets were sold for the chance to win a piece of diamond jewelry valued up to $5,000.
Those attending the event in person and participating from home had the opportunity to make direct gifts to the Cinderella Fund. Those cash donations, or Angel Pledges, were sponsored by ColonialWebb, and brought in nearly $117,000 from 85 donors. These contributions will provide veterinary intervention for a range of conditions from surgical correction of cardiac abnormalities to delivering insulin to treat diabetic pets.
We are grateful to all of our friends and supporters who helped make this year’s event a success. Our lifesaving work is fueled by your generosity.
