Caring for more than 15,000 cats and dogs every year is task that requires both a major time commitment and budget for the Halifax Humane Society.
The Volusia nonprofit, which provides shelter and other services to these animals, is preparing for the 14th edition of its largest annual fundraiser event which takes place Thursday: The annual Paws and Pearls Fur Ball gala at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.
But in addition to this year’s goal of raising $400,000, the event will feature a special celebrity guest: Host of CBS’ “Lucky Dog” and Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” Brandon McMillan.
The CBS show features McMillan rescuing dogs and training them before helping to find them a permanent home.
“Brandon’s dedication to transforming shelter dogs’ lives on ‘Lucky Dog’ perfectly aligns with our mission,” said Halifax Humane Society’s CEO Sean Hawkins. “His presence will help shine a spotlight on the critical work we do every day to give homeless animals a second chance.”
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The evening’s main attraction at the gala will be an on-stage interview with McMillan, conducted by a WKMG-TV News 6 (the local CBS affiliate) reporters, about his work on television and with dog training.
Besides having the opportunity to meet McMillan at the red carpet, guests are also invited to participate in a live auction. Hawkins said the Volusia Sheriff’s Office has prepared a special “experience package” for the auction, which offers the winning bidder a first-hand experience of the sheriff’s office SWAT team operations.
Last year, the event raised $219,000 for the shelter.
“We have really kind of upped our game in who is involved in the gala,” Hawkins said. “Because of that, we have set our sights on a pretty big financial goal. I’m really encouraged and hopeful that we are going to exceed what we have set out as a goal.”
‘The work is needed in our community’
Hawkins joined Halifax Humane Society as CEO this year and has been at the post for about six months.
He emphasized the importance of the gala to help keep the shelter’s costly operations going throughout the year.
“Halifax Humane Society is responsible for the care of 91% of the (homeless) dogs and cats in Volusia County,” Hawkins said, which amounts to “upwards of 5,000” homeless animals each year. “That’s a tremendous cost. Our operating budget is in excess of $5 million every year to provide food, water, veterinary care, training support, pet adoptions and post-adoption support.”
The nonprofit also provides spay and neuter services to almost 9,000 cats and dogs every year at their other clinics in Volusia County.
“But the work is needed in this community,” Hawkins said. “Because this organization has been so successful in spaying and neutering dogs and cats for so many years, we have really seen a dramatic decrease in the number of homeless animals euthanized in animal shelters in our community.”
Today, the nonprofit provides care and finds homes for “more than 90% of dogs and cats that come to us.”
Hawkins said he is especially proud of the work because of the improved numbers over the past few years.
In sheltering alone, the approximately 5,000 average today is a drastically lower number than the shelter’s 2014 intake: 11,620.
They are also seeing progress in animals’ length of stay and return rates, he said.
“We have seen our adult dog’s average length of stay decrease from 29.1 days in June to now 15.9 days at the end of October,” Hawkins said. “We have also seen our adult dog return rate drop from 21% in June to last month 11%.”
One of the reasons for the success, Hawkins said, is due the nonprofit’s investing in its “Shelter Medicine program and training pets with basic skills (housetraining, leash walking).”
“We are really improving the behavior services we provide for the shelter dogs, so that they are more prepared to go into a new home,” Hawkins said. “We are making huge progress.”
The gala takes place from 6-11 p.m. Thursday at the Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach. Tickets are $250 per person. For information or to register, visit gala.halifaxhumanesociety.org.
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