By Tara Mae

The Furever Home Gala is going to the dogs! On Thursday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m., Kent Animal Shelter will host a fundraiser at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead to raise money for its new facility in Calverton.

Attendees will have access to different areas of the aquarium and be ensconced in the vibrant vista of wall-to-wall fish tanks as they partake in an evening that offers dinner, drinks, and entertainment. 

Creator, producer, and former host of News 12 Long Island’s “The East End Show,” Doug Geed, will emcee the event. The now retired, 10 time Emmy Award winning anchor/reporter first became involved with Kent when he and his family adopted Jessie, a pitbull mix, from the shelter in 1996.

“As a reporter, you do so many terrible stories, having to interview people who went through tragedies. I like being involved with good people united for a good cause and feeling the positive energy in the room while rallying around an important cause,” said Geed in a recent interview.  

Featuring well outfitted special guests (the aquarium’s African penguins will make an appearance before they go to bed)  the festivities should satiate the senses. An open buffet will have seafood, meat, and chicken dishes as well as vegan and gluten-free options with complementary wine and beer provided by Atlantis Banquets and Events. Local folk-rock band Phoenix Rising will perform. A plethora of raffle prizes will be available, and an auction will boast a variety of entertainment and experience opportunities to bid on. 

Proceeds from the gala will go towards the shelter’s $4.5 million in-progress project to demolish its existing dog kennel structure in order to rebuild and upgrade its complex; $2,250,000.00 has already been raised. 

“This will be a really fun night. It is kind of an end goal of what we have been trying to do for 20+ years: build a new shelter,” said Kent Animal Shelter Executive Director Pamela Green.

“We finally came up with a plan that everyone is happy with and we are moving forward. It will be a beautiful new state-of-the-art kennel: 32 runs; heating and air conditioning; play yards; and a quarantine for new dogs while they get vet care before they go into the general population,” she added. 

To aid this effort, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine secured a county grant for Kent, which also received two New York State grants. In memory of  a beloved Long Island Equine and Large Animal Veterinarian Dr. John Andresen, national animal welfare organization Maddie’s Fund will match donations up to $200,000, not limited to money garnered at the gala. 

“If people have a few dollars to could spare … I know there are a million tremendous charities out there, I know money is tight for everybody, but a few dollars will make a difference,” Geed said. 

As it continues fundraising and awaits construction of the new facilityk, Kent’s commitment to its charges remains unchanged. The organization is temporarily housing its rescue dogs at Bideawee in Westhampton, including its longest-term residents: Ophelia, an eight-year-old shepherd mix  rescued from a meat market in Thailand, and Lily, a five-year-old terrier mix.

They, along with approximately 13 compatriots, are adoptable from the temporary shelter. About 30 adoptable cats remain on the Calverton property, which additionally has Snowball’s Place, a feline retirement home for cats who have outlived their humans.

Established in 1968, several thousand animals have come through Kent on their way to their forever homes. On average, approximately 650 animals are adopted from the shelter each year, though this year has had fewer adoptions since the Westhampton accommodations are more limited. 

In addition to its adoption operations, Kent has a low-cost clinic. Since 1974, more than 200,000 animals have been spayed or neutered there. Maddie’s Fund recently awarded Kent the Dr. John Andresen Wellness Grant to give assistance to pet owners who need their animals spayed, neutered, and/or vaccinated.

At its very core, Kent Animal Shelter exists to both protect and improve the lives of creatures who cannot advocate for themselves. This gala is in service to that mission. Any money collected for the cause gets Kent that much closer to its goal and enables more animals, a number of whom come from out of state or even another country, to be helped by the shelter.

“This is a huge celebration of this building project that we have been trying to and are finally able to do,” Green said. “The new facility will be a healthier, more comfortable environment for the animals.”

Tickets to the gala are $150 per person. To purchase, visit https://kentanimalshelterfureverhome.eventbrite.com. For more information, call 631-727-5731.