Gala Raises $300K for AZ Animal Welfare League

Arizona Animal Welfare League, the state’s oldest no-kill shelter, hosted a record-breaking, sold-out gala at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia on March 18.

All 400 seats at the third annual Evening to Paws gala were filled, and the rooms were filled with the vibrancy of Brazilian culture as the Omni event space transformed into the “CoPawCobana.” SambAz dancers shook their tail feathers to the sounds of Bossa Brazil and there were more than a few Carmen Miranda hats peeking out above in the crowd.

Honorary chairs were Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone and his wife, Veronica, who spoke about their love for their own animals and the efforts of the county to stop cruelty. The shelter also shared a documentary of its work with rural shelters over the last year. Highlights included building a shelter for a woman who takes care of homeless animals in an area with limited resources. Arizona Animal Welfare League helped rescue more than 1,000 rural animals in the last year.

By the end of the night, more than $300,000 was donated to help the thousands of homeless animals rescued every year by the shelter.