Puppy-Opossum Palooza

GUILFORD — Get your favorite canine ready for an evening of fun for both pet owners and their special pooches.

Mark your calendar for the Puppy-Opossum Palooza to held on Sunday, April 24 at Ballou’s Wine Bar in Guilford.

Branford’s Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, which serves the shoreline, and East Haven’s East Haven’s Farm River Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation are collaborating on this unique fundraiser.

For people planning on bringing their dog to the event, Laura Burban, director of the Branford animal shelter, had some advice.

“They want to make sure that their dog’s extremely social and friendly, not only with other dogs, but people, too,” she said. “Obviously, they want to make sure that they bring their dog on a leash and that they have poopy bags for their dog and that they have their dogs up-to-date on the rabies vaccine.”

Farm River Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitator.

In addition, the wildlife rescue organization has its federal USDA license that allows them to be animal exhibitors, “which allows us to keep medically non-releasable animals to do public education,” said Karyn Putney, director of Farm River.

Attending the event will be Farm River’s longwhiskered education ambassador, Dahlia. The Virginia opossum has a physical defect — one leg longer than the other — that makes her non-releasable and currently lives with Putney.

“We really use her to show that she’s our only marsupial in North America,” Putney said. “A lot of people, I think, were afraid of them. So, she really shows them there’s nothing to be afraid of. She’s not hissy, she’s not going to growl, she’s not going to show her teeth.”

With live acoustic music playing, guests will be treated to an assortment of Ballou’s vegan appetizers, including a hummus platter, beet salad, and cheese plates. In addition, there will be vegan cake pops for dessert, donated by Guilford’s Three Girls Vegan Creamery.

The ticket price will include one raffle ticket.

Antonio Antollino, manager at Ballou’s, has taken on the responsibility of collecting raffle items and, at press time, two Guilford businesses have donated items.

These include a haircut from A Hair Of The Dog LLC and homemade doggie treats and a bed from Triple R Dog Bakery and Accessories.

Ballou’s is donating all the food for this event.

“I always say, ‘Animals have no voice, so we as humans need to help them,” Antollino said.

Burban is looking forward to having the fundraiser in Guilford, to spread the word about the shelter.

“We will help anyone, anywhere that we can,” said Burban. “Whether it’s assisting them with foods for their own animals because they can’t afford it or if it’s that they need to release their dog or cat, we assist them that way.

“We offer services to people from all over the place,” she added. “We always say, ‘Animals don’t see borders.’”

The money raised will be split equally between the two animal groups.

Burban is inspired by Ballou’s generosity.

“Some days it’s hard,” she said. “You sort of feel down because you see things people do to animals and when people give back like this, just because they care and they’re willing to donate their own time or donate their services or their food, it’s inspiring.

“It inspires you to do more and do better and to be better for not only the animals, but for the people who all care, too,” Burban said.

⏩Puppy and OpossumPalooza will take place Sunday, April 24, with two seatings,12 — 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. — 4 p.m. at Ballou’s Wine Bar, 51 Whitfield St., Guilford. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by visiting https://www.branfordct.gov /departments /animal-shelter/ donation.

Contributed photo