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Photos From Monmouth County SPCA's 2026 Fur Ball

The gala, at Shadowbrook in Shrewsbury, raised $410,000 for the Monmouth County SPCA.

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The Fur Ball committee; Chris Wilshire, Allie Grossman, John Grossman, Rose Grossman, Robin Klein, Mikaela Lucia, Tara Amelchenko, Joe Wajda, Brigit Magnotta and Kate DeGregorio. (Tom Zapcic Photography)

EATONTOWN, NJ — The Monmouth County SPCA held its 2026 Fur Ball Gala June 4 at the Shadowbrook at Shrewsbury.

Held every June, the gala raises critical funds to support homeless, abused, neglected and abandoned animals throughout Monmouth County and beyond.

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The theme this year was Cirque du Shelter. The gala raised $410,000 for the Monmouth County SPCA.

Following the cocktail hour in the gardens and meeting adoptable pets, guests gathered in the grand ballroom for an evening of entertainment, inspiration and philanthropy. Performances throughout the night included a sword swallower, a towering stilt walker and a Cyr wheel performance that captivated the evening’s guests.

The dinner program highlighted several animals whose lives were forever changed thanks to the support of MCSPCA donors. Guests welcomed back Trouble, Firefox and Chance, three success stories whose recoveries exemplify the organization's commitment to providing every animal with a second chance.

Monmouth County state Senator Vin Gopal is working on legislation aimed at expediting animal cruelty cases through the court system, inspired in part by the case of Trouble. Trouble is a dog in Monmouth County that suffered a stab wound to the chest during a domestic dispute. However, because his former owners are contesting the case in court, Trouble is now legally required to remain in the county animal shelter until proceedings are resolved. Read more about Trouble here.

The 2026 Fur Ball Gala was made possible through the extraordinary support of its major sponsors, Fred Voccola, the Cooper Voccola Family Foundation, and the Gala Chairs, Fran and Paul Turner. The dedication of event sponsors continues to make a lasting impact on the thousands of animals who depend on the MCSPCA each year.

The Fur Ball remains the MCSPCA's largest and most important fundraising event of the year. www.monmouthcountyspca.org.

Carol Stillwell, Monmouth County Commissioner Tom Arnone and Mary Ann Larkin. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
Christian Peters and family. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
Tara Amelchenko with MCSPCA board member Brigit Magnotta. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
MCSPCA board member and lead sponsor, Fred Voccola and MCSPCA Executive Director Ross Licitra. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
The Ferraro family with adopted MCSPCA dog Chance, now Milo. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
Rose Grossman and Carol Stillwell. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
Karen Fluharty, Maggie Riker, Lauren Goldfarb, Robin Klein and Jennifer Diehl. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
A Cyr wheel performance. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
MCSPCA Animal Care Assistant Manager Juliana Ward and MCSPCA Animal Control Officer Joe LaBruno with Trouble the dog. (Tom Zapcic Photography)
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