Monmouth County SPCA Fur Ball Raises Money For Animals In Need

EATONTOWN, NJ — The Monmouth County SPCA's 2024 Fur Ball Gala was held June 8 at Tilling House in Eatontown.

This year's event, with a Studio 54 disco nightclub theme, was held in honor of John and Robin Klein and their beloved rag-tag family of rescue pets, collectively known as the Klein Pup Pack.

Guests arrived at “Studio 54 Paws & More” and were immediately welcomed under the grand veranda for a bustling cocktail hour, featuring a full raw seafood bar and an array of Tuscan hors d'oeuvres. Guests could pet and interact with bottle-baby kittens and adoptable puppies. Both human and furry guests enjoyed the gorgeous weather and picturesque views of Suneagles golf course.

At sunset, the evening’s program began in the ballroom with a greeting from Ross Licitra, director of the MCSPCA. Licitra expressed his gratitude for the support of the MCSPCA Board of Trustees, the 2024 Fur Ball Gala Committee, and the Monmouth County and New Jersey elected officials in attendance.

The MCSPCA also announced that the inaugural year of its new Humane Education program will be dedicated to John Klein’s late mother, Rita, a lifelong educator and animal lover.

The program continued with appearances from memorable rescues from the past year: Bentley, a senior Pomeranian mix seized by MCSPCA Humane Law enforcement after suffering horrific abuse at the hands of his owner, was escorted across the ballroom by his favorite MCSPCA veterinary technician.

Also featured was Jolene, a sweet hound-pit mix who was surrendered to the MCSPCA starving, heartworm positive, and joined by nearly a dozen day-old puppies. Jolene demonstrated her motherly instincts for the crowd by gently ushering her pups Chunk and Crawford through the room with their new families in tow.

Last to enter was Bluey, a unique pitbull mix with a slightly different story. Bluey was a beloved family pet until his family’s circumstances forced them to move into a shelter for unhoused families where dogs are forbidden. Bluey’s search for a compassionate home reminded guests that every shelter pet has a story, and each happy ending at the MCSPCA is made possible by the generosity of supporters.

At the program’s conclusion, guests took advantage of their final opportunity to bid on the silent auction packages. The curated selection included a private dining experience for six at 2nd Jetty Seafood in Sea Bright; a luxurious evening at members-only social club Le Malt Royale, and an overstocked bar cart with a surplus of spirits. Two lucky bidders also took home live auction items: a private boat cruise for 20+ along our “Two River” coastlines, and a rooftop party for 60 at the Count Baise Center for the Arts.

The remainder of the evening was spent moving and grooving under the disco ball until Johnnie G’s food truck arrived to send guests home with a delicious treat.

The 2024 Fur Ball Gala was made possible by the large amount of support of the event’s sponsors, specifically the 2024 Knock on Wood Sponsor, The Cooper Voccola Foundation and the 2024 Ring My Bell Sponsors Stillwell-Hansen and Edgewood Properties.

The Fur Ball is the MCSPCA’s largest and most important fundraising event of the year. Proceeds from this event provide compassionate care for over 6,000 homeless and abandoned animals throughout Monmouth County and beyond.