Annual ball raises money for animals of Cache Valley
From puppy love to marriage, Four Paws Rescue of Utah brings people together to help the animals of Cache Valley. Saturday Four Paws hosted its annual fundraiser, The Moondog Ball.
According to the Four Paws website, the non-profit volunteer organization has placed more than 4,000 animals into adoptive homes since 2005. Nate Norman and his wife, Vonda, a senior research scientist for the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University, foster animals for Four Paws.
“We take care of usually puppies when they need a home until they get adopted,” Nate said. “In the beginning I moved to Cache Valley and I had a dog, and I wanted a companion for my dog when I was traveling around.”
The duo met through the program and continue to work together with the organization.
“My wife, Vonda, and I were both volunteers before we even knew each other,” he said.
The annual Moondog Ball is one of Logan’s more popular fundraising events, said Shannon Syrstd, organization founder. This year marked the 14th annual Moondog Ball.
“All the pieces are in place,” Syrstd said. “I don’t have to reinvent anything. I inject new ideas every year.”
This is her second year of planning the Moondog Ball and her 10th year volunteering with Four Paws.
“If you were to come to the Moondog Ball, we have two live bands,” Syrstd said. “The first hour is listening jazz. Joe McQueen, a 95-year-old jazz legend has been coming up with his quartet to perform for many years. The middle hours we have live dance performances.”
Lori Spears, email volunteer for Four Paws, called it a fun social gathering.
“We have entertainers whether they be musicians or dancers,” Spears said. “We’ve got a lot of local businesses donating goods and a lot of people coming together. It’s kind of crazy and chaotic, but it’s a lot of fun once it comes together.”
The ball features a mix of dances, from belly dancing to break dancers. A silent auction brings in 40 percent of donation profits for the night, Syrstd said.
“It’s just a lot of people coming together, a lot of friends, great way to meet new people,” Spears said.
Syrstd got her start with Four Paws Rescue when she adopted an animal from the organization, inspiring her to continue with the group.
“This animal was so loving and sensitive,” she said. “It’s so sad to think that there are little creatures like this just waiting in shelters, and they’re gonna be put down through no fault of their own. I just felt I had to do something.”
Spears began volunteering in 2009, fostering animals at first and later helping with events.
“I love my dog so much, and I feel so bad that there are so many homeless dogs out there,” she said. “I don’t think a lot of people are aware of how many animals are euthanized every year, every day, or how many dogs and cats are homeless.”
She said the organization needs more foster homes for animals.
“If more people are willing to share their home with a homeless dog or cat for even just a few weeks, it helps out. It helps out a lot,” she said. “I know there are only a few foster homes in the valley, and I think it’s really an important thing to have. I started fostering and ended up adopting two dogs that may not have been adopted normally, a three-legged dog and a blind dog.”
Spears said she sees fostering as a good chance for the animals to be trained.
“It gives that dog that opportunity to learn,” she said. “If they don’t already know house manners, they learn those house manners to become more adoptable.”
“It’s a great cause because this is the only no-kill shelter in the valley,” Vonda said. “There are so many animals that don’t have a home. With Four Paws, they won’t die, and we’ll find a home for them. Getting more volunteers is always helpful.”
Members of the organization advise people to spay and neuter their dogs, as well as to adopt animals if they have the time to care for them.
“A big thing that we do is promote spaying or neutering so we don’t continue the cycle,” Vonda said.
Syrstd said adopting an animal should be a thoughtful process.
“I would hope when a student decides they want a pet that they consider what stage of life they’re in,” Syrstd said. “We hope that they choose to adopt, and hopefully they choose a time in their life that they can have a dog for the rest of the dog’s life.”
— sadiejherrera@aggiemail.usu.edu