Food and wine event helps homeless animals

EATONTOWN — Project Animal Worldwide (PAW) invites the community to Sweet Beginning: Dessert Party and Wine Tasting, 7-10 p.m. Jan. 18 at Raven and the Peach, 740 River Road in Fair Haven.

The evening will feature light fare and scrumptious desserts, more than 40 gift auction baskets, a jewelry bar by Barking Blue Jay, and a wine tasting in the restaurant’s wine cellar.

Admission is $30 per person. An additional fee of $15 is required for participation in the wine tasting. Registration should be completed by Jan. 11. To reserve tickets, visit www.projectanimal.org or call Ellen LaTorre at 732-979-6499.

Event proceeds will directly support the work of PAW, a nonprofit whose mission is to develop spay/neuter programs, assist in animal rescue and implement humane education in areas of the world with large homeless dog and cat populations. According to a press release, for every 100 dogs brought to shelters from the streets and beaches of Puerto Rico, only three dogs will live.

This statistic propelled PAW to collaborate with the government, businesses and nonprofit organizations of all sizes to address the devastating dog and cat overpopulation on the island. Since 2009, PAW has also been involved in the rescue and transport of over 300 satos (street dogs) to New Jersey and over 325 spay-and-neuter surgeries in Puerto Rico. For more information on how to help, visit www.projectanimal.org.