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DETROIT LAKES — The holidays are a great time to think about adopting a new kitten or puppy, or an adult cat or dog, to brighten both your lives and theirs.
That's the message the Humane Society of the Lakes would like to spread as the local nonprofit prepares for one of its biggest annual fundraisers, Tuxes and Tails, on Dec. 3.
"We need adopters," says Tessa Fenu, HSL's fundraising coordinator and a frequent volunteer at its animal shelter, located just off Highway 59, north of Detroit Lakes. The shelter itself has a maximum capacity of 25 cats and 25 dogs, and while many are also housed by foster families in the area, HSL still has a very long waiting list for surrendering animals.
"We are packed to the max," Fenu said. "We have 70 cats on our waiting list, and 20 dogs. It's a nationwide issue (i.e., overcrowded animal shelters)."
Though they try not to exceed the shelter's permitted capacity, that task is sometimes made more difficult when, say, a litter of kittens is dumped on their doorstep without any warning. "Those kittens (or other animals dumped at the shelter) often have medical issues," she said, and it is shelter policy that the animals be healthy in order to become eligible for adoption.
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Those medical issues can end up being quite costly, which is why fundraisers like Tuxes and Tails are so important, Fenu added, as they are a nonprofit organization that depends on donations to keep their doors open.
Like many fundraising events across the country, Tuxes and Tails was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We haven't held it since 2019," Fenu said. "But we're bringing it back, and we're super excited."
The Dec. 3 event at Detroit Lakes' Holiday Inn will include "some familiar things, and some new," she added. "We won't be having a formal dinner, but there will be heavy appetizers — and desserts!" There will also be a theme, "The Great Catsby" — a nod to F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, "The Great Gatsby," as well as to the fundraiser's purpose — and guests are encouraged to dress up as flappers, gangsters and other familiar characters from that era in American history.
There will also be event-themed cocktails, like the Dalmatian and French 75. Not familiar with those? Some of them are from the 1920s era, while others have been created specially for the fundraiser. Wine and beer tasting options will also be available.
And that's not all. There will also be games of chance, like a 50/50 cash raffle, wine pull, and more.
If you go
What: The Humane Society of the Lakes Presents "Tuxes and Tails: The Great Catsby"
When: Saturday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m.
Where: Holiday Inn, 1155 U.S. Highway 10, Detroit Lakes
How: General admission tickets are $60 each; tiered VIP sponsorships are also available. To reserve your seats, visit the HSL Shelter at 19665 U.S. Highway 59, Detroit Lakes, or order them online via either the HSL website,
humanesocietyofthelakes.org
, or their
Facebook page
.
