Pets Alive's biggest supporters are Rob and Marisol Thomas. Every year their Sidewalk Angels Foundation gives Pets Alive a very large check to help us keep going.

This year though, our doors would truly shut without them. We were so deep in debt that digging our way out in the current financial climate has been very difficult. Our current monthly operating expenses are about $40,000 and we usually bring in about $20,000. Without some big fund raiser each year, we would not be able to continue.

This year, knowing that even their sizeable check would not keep us open, Marisol took it upon herself to throw a HUGE event for us. The event is October 25 and is called "A Furry Tail Evening". It is a two day event. The evening will include a cocktail hour with silent auction, a formal sit down dinner and an intimate concert by Rob Thomas and his solo band with special guest Chris Daughtry.

The silent auction will have some fabulous items. Not only are Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf going to come out and support us, they are auctioning off the opportunity to play tennis with them the following day.

A very limited number of tickets will be sold and they are going very fast for this special event. Seats for the evening are $750 per person, or there is a VIP package availabe for $2,500. The VIP package includes 2 seats for the event, as well as a pre-show meet and greet cocktail reception with Rob and Chris. All tickets are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. If you want to try to get a ticket please email furrytailevening@aol.com.

All the proceeds will go to Pets Alive.

This has the potential to raise our operating expenses for the entire coming year. If that happens do you know what an impact we could have on the community? We could open a spay/neuter and low cost medical facility here. We could welcome the public and start a training program. We could start doing outreach and going into schools, or bringing children here for field trips and introductions into animal care and altruistic living. We could finally make some really much needed repairs here to better the environment and we could perhaps hire a full time dog trainer to work with our problem dogs.

There are so many possibilities and so many things we can do if every month we were not so stressed about paying our bills, getting staff their checks on time and trying to still afford supplements or treats. It is always bare bones and we're always scraping. To have our operating expenses aside and to be able to use the other funds we raise for changing the community and helping animals in outreach is a dream we have long imagined but didn't ever really dare to believe. Through Rob and Marisol we can make such a difference and help to save so many animals.

How do you thank someone like Marisol and Rob Thomas? Without them our doors would truly close and if any of you have ever put on an event, you will know that it CONSUMES you. It takes every ounce of energy and sucks away all your time. Thank you so much Marisol and Sheelah and Maria and Rob. We, and all the animal lives YOU will save are forever grateful.