By: VOCAL
The 8th Annual VOCAL Furball is set for Friday, February 23, 2024 at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. The evening of festive fun and fabulous food is also a party with a purpose to raise awareness and generate funds for the prevention of homeless pets in Marion County.
The theme for the evening “Paws and Pearls” is a nod to the thousands of furry pets that will be served with the funds raised through the annual Furball presented by Lugano Diamonds. VOCAL which stands for Voices of Change Animal League, is a 501c3 animal welfare non-profit based in Ocala, FL. The fundraising goal for this year is $150,000, which is what the event generated in 2023.
“Most of the funds we raise through the Furball are used for the Fix the Future Fund which helps subsidize specialty surgeries along with spay and neuter services,” said Lauren Carpenter, VOCAL Co-Founder and Vice President.
VOCAL established The Fix the Future Fund in 2016 to help ensure pet owners have the availability and accessibility to veterinary care for their animals. The fund honors the memory of Tammy Green Daniels who was a beloved VOCAL volunteer. In addition to spay and neuter services, the fund also administers vaccinations and antibiotics along with a range of surgeries. By focusing on these services, the goal is to curb the number of pets being surrendered by their owners’ inability to cover the cost of veterinary care.
VOCAL partners with CATT Marion and other organizations working to sterilize feral cat populations as a community initiative. Carpenter said there are thousands of unsterilized cats in Marion County that need to be fixed to help control the population.
Another program VOCAL promotes is Project Feed which is a community Pet Food Bank that provides low-income families with food for their pets. A condition of the program is that the pet must be spayed and neutered.
“We have pet owners who love their animals but may be in a financial bind and can’t provide food or veterinary care. Rather than surrender the animal, we can assist them through this program to help feed and care for their pet,” Carpenter said. If we can keep animals in their home, that’s the goal.”
She added, that by offering preventative measures, it helps all animals in the community.
A client helped through VOCAL recently called to thank the clinic team for the assistance.
“Thank you so much for the medication for King’s skin as he has vastly improved already. I couldn’t have done it without VOCAL’s help from the Fix the Future Fund,” said pet owner Nathan.
The Furball is the signature fundraising event for VOCAL each year. Gala attendees, decked out in formal attire, will be treated to a cocktail hour, enjoy a 3-course dinner followed by great entertainment including a live and silent auction. This marks the second year the World Equestrian Center has served as the venue for the Furball which outgrew the previous site at Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club.
Tickets for the 8th Annual Furball presented by Lugano Diamonds are currently available for purchase and are $150 per person. In addition, there is still time to become an event sponsor. Sponsorship levels include Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum and all include tickets and marketing. Sponsorships can be purchased online by clicking here. To purchase tickets, visit vocalforpets.org. For any additional questions, email furball@vocalforpets.org.