Animal Shelter Hosts Biggest Fundraiser of the Year

Saturday at Eaglesticks the Muskingum County Animal Shelter held their annual fundraising auction.

Tickets to the event cost $25 and include dinner and dessert, followed by a live auction. All proceeds from the event go into the Animal Shelter’s general fund, which enables the organization to care for many animals, and helps to keep their adoption prices low, which in turn helps countless families each year adopt healthy pets that otherwise would never find a loving home. Executive Director of the Animal Shelter Jody Murray explained.

“For the Animal Shelter it’s the largest fundraiser that we have each year, and we’re having it here at Eaglesticks,” said Murray. “Great turnout, we have over 80 floor auction items, over 100 silent auction items, expecting to have over 265, and the great thing is all the money we raise tonight stays right here at the Animal Shelter here in Zanesville.

In recent years this event has raised around $20,000, but Murray told us he feels what is even more important than raising money is getting the opportunity to celebrate and say thank you to all the community members who support the shelter throughout the year. The organization also took the opportunity tonight to recognize three of their sponsors in particular for their generosity.

“We’re recognizing three businesses in town: Brandywine Hospital for Pets, We Lov Pets, and Attorney Sherry Ryan,” said Murray. “They are three businesses that just always come through for us, support every event that we have, and we just felt like it was going to be good to recognize them tonight and kind of let the community know how special they are to the shelter.”

Murray told us that planning for next year’s fundraising auction will start almost as soon as this year’s event comes to a close. He encourages anyone who may have missed out on Saturday’s event to stop by the Animal Shelter if they wish to make a donation, volunteer, or simply to visit.