If you see four men dressed in black leather, long curly wigs, and white face makeup making their way into Flin Flon, don’t stare – just give them a wave and a smile.
They are likely the members of KISS tribute band The Paul Stanleys, and they promise to be a unique attraction at the third annual SPCA Fur Ball this Saturday.
Flin Flon, Creighton and Area SPCA shelter manager Carmen Ward has helped coordinate the Fur Ball, a fundraising concert, for the past two years, bringing in tribute bands styled after Bon Jovi and Guns ’n’ Roses.
When Ward saw The Paul Stanleys in concert last summer, she was so impressed that she hired them on the spot for this year’s event.
“They were fantastic,” she recalled. “They are so much fun, they have a great energy and a comedic feel to them, and their musicianship is top of the line.”
The SPCA is hoping for a sellout show this year, and a number of well-dressed fans, since they are offering a cash prize for the best KISS costume.
Ward said the Fur Ball is a key fundraiser for the animal shelter, with the organization bringing in between $13,000 and $15,000 from past events.
“We don’t receive any government funding, so the shelter is open solely on donations and fundraising,” Ward explained, noting that the charity’s only public funding comes through a grant for hiring a summer student, and most of the fundraising work and event support comes from dedicated volunteers.
Operating costs for the shelter make constant fundraising a priority for the SPCA, with donations from weekly meat draws, an annual raffle, and the Fur Ball helping keep rescued cats and dogs warm and healthy.
“Vet bills can run up to $3,000 to $5,000 a month, depending on surgeries,” Ward said.
Even with a team of dedicated volunteers, other costs add up quickly from staff wages, building maintenance and utilities, and pet supplies. The SPCA also subsidizes a low-income spay and neuter program, which greatly reduces the cost of spaying and neutering for eligible pet owners.
In addition, the SPCA board hopes to fund two renovation projects for the Cliff Lake shelter: an isolation room and a cat gazebo.
Ward says the isolation room is considered an essential element in any shelter today, as any new dogs coming into the shelter should be kept in isolation to prevent the spread of parvovirus, a potentially fatal illness that affects puppies and unvaccinated dogs.
The cat gazebo would give shelter cats a chance to get some fresh air and exercise without the risk of getting lost.
The two renovation projects would likely cost close to $50,000, Ward said.
While the cost might seem prohibitive for a small organization, the SPCA has had success in mobilizing volunteers and funders to make large projects a reality, including the SPCA building itself, which opened in 2012, and a fenced-in dog park that was finished last fall.
Unfortunately, the demand for the SPCA’s services doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Ward says she often sees litters of puppies advertised on Facebook, then sees the puppies brought into the SPCA within weeks after having been neglected, mistreated or lost.
“We have a big problem in our community,” said Ward. Specifically, that problem is a lack of awareness about the importance of spaying and neutering pets, resulting in unwanted or mistreated dogs. Ward says some pet owners are also not vaccinating their animals, which puts other pets in the community at risk.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Ward, noting that public education, combined with more regulation by the municipality, and the hiring of a local animal control officer, would help improve animal welfare locally.
The SPCA Fur Ball will be at the Flin Flon Community Hall this Saturday, April 9. Doors open at 8 pm and the show starts at 10 pm. Tickets are $30 in advance, available at the SPCA, the Gateway and Northern Rainbow’s End. If there are tickets still available on show night, they will be sold at the door.
