Through the generosity of event sponsors and guests, the evening achieved a record-breaking milestone, raising an extraordinary $2.1 million to support PAWS Chicago’s lifesaving work—funding medical care, recovery, and second chances for Chicago’s most vulnerable pets.

The event was co-chaired by Lindsay & Carter Hawkins, and Laura Sachs & Jordan Fisher, with Pam & Ed Carey serving as Honorary Co-Chairs. FOX 32 Chicago’s Sylvia Perez, Jake Hamilton, and Natalie Bomke hosted the evening as emcees, along with Fred of 103.5 KISS FM.

The Fur Ball featured an unforgettable program across two stunning ballrooms that included a powerful video unveiling PAWS Chicago’s next chapter: the newly purchased Rescue Ranch in Hawthorn Woods. This 20-acre suburban adoption and enrichment center will give large dogs—who often have a harder time finding homes in the city—the space they need to thrive and help them find homes faster, while expanding the organization’s adopter base in the northwest suburbs. Rescue Ranch will further increase PAWS Chicago’s lifesaving capacity with behavior training, open play spaces, walking trails, suites for dozens of animals, and a surgical clinic providing free and low-cost spay/neuter services.

PAWS Chicago’s mission took center stage throughout the evening, as volunteers showcased adoptable cats and dogs like Juniper, an 8-year-old senior who was abandoned on the streets, and Smartie, a 3-month-old Terrier mix rescued by PAWS from Chicago Animal Care & Control, the city’s impoundment facility. Smartie, and several others, found a home that very night.

Another highlight of the evening was the exhilarating live auction, which showcased one-of-a-kind experiences. Packages included an intimate dinner for eight in the private Board Room at RPM Italian, personally hosted by Giuliana and Bill Rancic, who were in attendance and helped spark a bidding war between two enthusiastic guests; an ultimate sports fan package featuring a Chicago Cubs and Barstool Sports experience for ten—including a private tour of Barstool’s Chicago headquarters, batting practice at Wrigley Field, and a Cubs weekday home game from the General Manager’s Suite with Barstool hosts; a multi-course culinary experience hosted by Chef Doug Psaltis and Pastry Chef Hsing Chen, with artistic elements from Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and designer Chloé Mendel Corgan; and a seven-night voyage aboard The World, the largest private residential mega-yacht on the planet.

Guests captured fun moments in the photo booth, enjoyed custom pet portraits, and many danced late into the night. Canine guests were also treated to an evening of indulgences with a special dinner served in goblets and a Kismet treat buffet with pup cups.

This year, PAWS is on track to find homes for nearly 5,000 pets, provide 21,000 free and low-cost spay/neuter surgeries, a critical step in preventing pet overpopulation, deliver 50,000 vaccinations to pets in need, and serve 26,000 homeless and at-risk pets at the state-of-the-art Kocourek Medical Center, the nation’s largest and most advanced hospital for homeless pets.

About PAWS Chicago

PAWS Chicago is one of the largest comprehensive No Kill animal welfare organizations in the nation, building programs to end the killing of homeless pets. More than 24,000 homeless and at-risk cats and dogs pass through PAWS Chicago’s Medical Center each year. PAWS is known for healing and rehabilitating around 4,500 sick, injured, and homeless cats and dogs annually, and finding them loving families through its adoption program. PAWS Chicago also operates the city’s only high-volume spay/neuter clinic, providing more than 19,000 low-or no-cost spay/neuter surgeries each year, reducing pet overpopulation at its source. Since its founding in 1997, when more than 42,000 pets were killed in Chicago, PAWS Chicago has led the reduction in homeless pet euthanasia in Chicago by 88.8%. PAWS Chicago has earned the highest 4-star ranking by Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent evaluator, since 2003. For more information, visit www.pawschicago.org and follow PAWS Chicago on Facebook, X, and Instagram. 

Media Contact
Sarah McDonald
Associate Director, Media Relations
smcdonald@pawschicago.org