David Jackson/Park Record
With National Puppy Day turning up on March 23, Nuzzles & Co. desires the chances to prefer fuzzy, four-legged animals.
So the non-kill animal rescue not-for-profit is hosting a gambling establishment night fundraising event 2 days later on, on Saturday, March 25, at Double Deer at Promontory.
The night will include video games, mixed drinks, chance illustrations and puppy snuggles, said Josh Stasinos, Nuzzles & Co. advancement and providing supervisor.
“We like to remind people why they attend our events, so puppies will be right at the door when they come in where people can see all the cute faces,” he said.
As far as the video games go, because this is a personal fundraising event, guests can play Texas Hold ’em, live roulette, black jack and craps without breaking any Utah laws, Stasinos said.
“Instead of money, all the chips they winn can be cashed in for opportunity drawing tickets,” he said. “Some of those prizes include a trip to Santa Fe, and other experiences and packages.”
David Jackson/Park Record
The night will likewise consist of signature mixed drinks, blended by High West Distillery mixologists, according to Stasinos.
“This is a classy event, and we’re doing a speakeasy kind of theme,” he said. “So people are encouraged to dress up in Prohibition Era costumes. But people can wear whatever they want.”
The funds raised throughout the gambling establishment night will help Nuzzles & Co.’s objective, which is to safeguard animals in a caring and nurturing location where they can get healthy and learn favorable habits, so they can discover “forever homes,” Stasinos said.
“We also try to educate the community about the humane treatment of animals,” he said.
Hosting a charity event throughout the spring is a practical choice, according to Stasinos.
“We’ve already had the holiday fundraisers where everyone was generous during the Christmas season, but then we run into a drought,” he said. “The cost for rescuing and caring for animals is higher than ever, and we, along with other shelters nationwide, are experiencing an influx of animal rescuing.”
Many of these animals were embraced throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Stasinos said.
“A lot of people were home in 2020 because of COVID,” he said. “But now, unfortunately, people have returned to work, and they are asking if they can return their pets to shelters.”
David Jackson/Park Record
The staff at Nuzzles & Co. is doing what it can to keep as lots of animals as it can from being euthanized, Stasinos said.
“We only have so much space, and we’ve been at full capacity on-going for the past couple of months,” he said. “So, we need to make sure we have resources coming in to keep things running.”
Since 1990, when a group of volunteers initially established Nuzzles & Co. as Friends of Animals Utah, the not-for-profit has actually rescued and discovered houses for more than 22,000 animals, Stasinos said.
“Our annual budget is about $1.9 million, and that’s really just to make sure we are keeping the lights on and feeding everyone,” he said. “The cost of food, supplies and shipping has increased over the past few years.”
Not just do Nuzzles & Co. vets purify and sterilize at its rescue cattle ranch in Browns Canyon, team member likewise start rescue objectives to the Navajo Nation and surrounding people in the Four Corners area, Stasinos said.
“The staff also works with the rescued animals in rehabilitation and training,” he said. “And as a nonprofit we do a good job making our resources go as far as we can., because at the end of the day, we want to make sure we can take care of everyone.”
Registration for the gambling establishment night fundraising event is now open at e.givesmart.com/events/vf1, however individuals who can’t participate in can still contribute by checking out nuzzlesandco.org, Stasinos said.
“They can donate through the website, and we also have memberships, called the Love Collective, available,” he said. “So people who join as members become recurring monthly donors.”
The fundraising objective for gambling establishment night is $50,000, Stasinos said.
“One of the things I like about Nuzzles is that we don’t raise money just to throw events and fundraisers,” he said. “The money we raise goes to seeing how many animals we can save this year. While we want to have fun and reach out to donors and build relationships, the reality is we want to do what we do well. And that is rescuing animals and making sure they are healthy and safe and getting them into a forever home.”
