La Jolla is rolling out the red carpet for its pets at the sixth-annual Paws & Pints La Jolla.
Presented by the La Jolla Veterinary Hospital, the event encourages locals to celebrate their fur-babies by letting them strut their stuff down the red carpet in front of paparazzi to raise money for local charities. The FOCAS Program at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society and the FACE Foundation are the two beneficiaries for this year’s event, and event founder and director Stephanie Coolidge said she would love to beat the $30,000 raised last year.
“This year La Jolla really responded on their own,” she said. “They expected this event to happen. So we’re calling it a La Jolla tradition now which is really cool.”
Danae Davis, executive director of FACE, said that her organization uses the money raised to provide grants for pets facing economic euthanasia, a term used to describe a pet who is euthanized for an emergency, yet treatable medical condition simply because the pet parent cannot afford the cost of treatment at the time. Since the organization was founded in 2006, FACE has saved the lives of over 2,300 pets in San Diego.
One of those pets was a 7-year-old Rottweiler named Monkey.
After his owner noticed he was struggling to walk, Monkey was rushed to the emergency hospital. An MRI from one of FACE’s 165 partner hospitals confirmed he had intervertebral disc disease, a very serious condition requiring surgical intervention from a neurologist. If he didn’t have immediate treatment, he could lose his ability to walk.
The only income Monkey’s owner received was from disability, so she had no means to pay for his surgery. Thankfully, FACE was able to pledge money for the procedure, and Monkey has since made a full recovery.
“Saving pets and helping families is our bottom line,” said Davis. “We appreciate everyone who comes out to our events to support this. FACE’s Board of Directors is committed to our mission to save lives, and underwrites nearly 100% of our operational costs so that funds raised year-round go straight to the animals.”
One hundred percent of the proceeds from Paws & Pints La Jolla goes to FACE and the FOCAS Program, Rancho Coastal Humane Society’s La Jolla-based nonprofit that places animals from county shelters into foster homes.
“Every year, RCHS adopts out more than 1,000 dogs, cats, and rabbits,” said Kelly Peters, the director of donor and community relations with RCHS. “The majority of these animals, 96-percent, are taken in through FOCAS. The critical FOCAS program provides relief to shelters throughout the region that are struggling with overcrowding and high euthanasia rates. By bringing these animals to RCHS, they have a second chance at a forever home.”
While the event is fun for pets and their owners, it’s the charities it supports that make it so special.
“This event is in our community, for the community, and it has evolved into something La Jolla looks forward to year after year,” said Coolidge. “We have more RSVPs this year than any other year thus far. It is a wonderful feeling to anticipate the success and impact of one night.”
Paws & Pints La Jolla will be held at 6:30 p.m., June 6 at THE LOT in La Jolla, 7611 Fay Ave., and will include a live auction, a “Wine Grab,” a VW photo bus and a raffle. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pawsandpints.com.
