The Humane Society of Greater Miami’s annual Pawpurrazzi fund-raiser welcomed around 500 guests and their canine counterparts January 20 at Jungle Island. The event, which raised more than $500,000 for the society’s Adopt-a-Pet program, offered cocktails, dinner, and a doggie and owner runway show presented by South Motors.
“This year we’ve taken a very theatrical approach,” said Karla Dascal of Karla Conceptual Event Experiences. “It is based around the Aristocats, and linens are pinstriped, very elegant. It’s kind of a Gatsby feel for pets.”
In the main dining area, Dascal set up a white, U-shaped runway for the "Great Pets Who Walk in Front of Great People" show led by co-chairs Pat and Milton Wallace and Bunny Bastian. Black-and-white pinstripe linens and candles offset low rectangular tabletop centerpieces made of red roses and grass greenery. Before dinner, guests took to the terrace of Jungle Island’s Treetop Ballroom where staffers served drinks at illuminated bars sponsored by Bacardi. The cocktail reception also showcased artists who drew caricatures of pets and their owners and a Purina One "Bark Bar" filled with a selection of dog treats.
Throughout the night, guests bid on one-of-a-kind silent auction items, including designer handbags, art, vacations, an autographed Jason Taylor football, and a guitar signed by Paul McCartney. The Humane Society of Greater Miami’s official grooming salon provided furry guests with makeovers, and staffers put in patches of real grass to create a park-like feel on the terrace for pets, supervised by Poop 911 of Fort Lauderdale.
Jungle Island also provided desserts after dinner, including cookies, a make-your-own sundae bar, and an array of Purina's Frosty Paws treats for pets.
