The SPCA of Texas’ Paws Cause 2018, “Paws About Town”
Sunday, January 28, 2018, 6 - 9 p.m.
Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center
2400 Lone Star Drive
Dallas, TX 75212
On Sunday, January 28, the SPCA of Texas’ Paws Cause, “Paws About Town,” at the SPCA of Texas’ Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center saw more than 250 animal lovers come together to benefit the Southern Dallas Pet Initiative and the Mary Spencer Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic at Village Fair. The event attendees were welcomed with a purple search light, a purple carpet, dancing dog and cat mascots and real, adoptable, tailwagging dogs and purring cats.
Inside, guests enjoyed gourmet food from some of Dallas’ finest chefs, imbibed luscious libations including the “Purr-ple Rita” signature drink, danced the night away to musical entertainment by Goga, took part in the Bone Appétite restaurant drawing and had their pictures snapped at the Flipbook photo booth. A silent auction of high-end items tempted attendees with fine art, photography packages, pet care products, designer clothing, fine jewelry and more.
Haute cuisine stations from several of the Metroplex’s best restaurants, including Salum, Parigi, Pink Magnolia, Cane Rosso, Whistle Britches and 3015 at Trinity Groves tempted guests with everything from sumptuous savories to decadent desserts.
Paws Cause 2018 was a tail-wagging success thanks to Honorary Chairs Marsha Pendleton Gray and Dr. Richard Gray, Chair Kristen Greenberg, Co-Chair Melissa Vullo Bell, Bone Appétit Chair Giana dePaul and the Host Committee, which included: Andrea Alcorn, Jane Arrington, Steve Atkinson, Rebecca Belew, Adam Bell, Diane Brierley, Ashley Berges, Chad Collom, Phyllis Comu, Gwen Echols, Billy Fulmer, Ashley Greenberg, Scott Kramer, LeeAnne Locken, Ann Marcus, Emi McNair, Brian Miller, Christina Mille, Stacey Newsom, Betsy Orton, Becky Pennartz, Dan Pritchett, Penny Rivenbark Patton, Gary Rugoff, Gigi Potter Salley, Abraham Salum, Rhonda Sargent Chambers, Angel Semeco, Mark Soto, Mary Spencer, Karen Urie, Shane Walker, Ken Weber, Aundrea Whalen, Mindy Wood, Cathy Vieth and Cathy Zigrossi.
SPCA of Texas President and CEO James Bias, Paws Cause Chair Kristen Greenberg and SPCA of Texas Senior Vice President Debra Burns took turns thanking the guests and encouraging them to give.
In addition, the evening featured a very special announcement that The Snyder Foundation challenged all Paws Cause supporters to donate and they will generously match all donations up to $100,000.
“Give as little as $10 and we’ll match with $100!” Bobbi Snyder of The Snyder Foundation expressed prior to the event. She continued that she is so thrilled with the work the SPCA of Texas is doing in Southern Dallas, with the Mary Spencer Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic and across all programs and services, that she was moved to provide this match so that everyone at Paws Cause and beyond gets excited about donating to the SPCA of Texas.
This year, generous Paws Cause donors raised approximately $210,515 (gross).
All proceeds from the Paws Cause event benefit the Mary Spencer Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic at Village Fair and fund spay and neuter efforts in the Dallas community. This includes the SPCA of Texas’ programs that aim to support the pets and people of South Dallas to help address the serious stray animal, pet homelessness and pet overpopulation issues, also supporting the preservation of the bond between pets and people and keeping pets and the community healthy and safe.
Attendees included Sally Hoglund, Russell E. Dealey, Leldon and Gwen Echols, Diane and Hal Brierley, Gigi Potter Salley, Joe Bushkuhl and Mary Spencer, Rebecca and Jim Belew, Stacey Snyder Verbeek, Marsha Pendleton Gray and Dr. Richard Gray and Dallas County District Attorney’s Office’s Animal Cruelty Prosecutors Felicia Kerney and Steve Wilson.