The Jersey Animal Coalition (JAC) is marking its 20th anniversary with a fundraiser—"The Dog Days (and Cat Days) of Summer!—on Monday, July 20, at Eden Gourmet's upcoming second-floor Above Restaurant & Bar. 

The JAC provides shelter, medical care and adoption services for abandoned pets and has found homes for more than 8,000 dogs and cats during its 20 years of existence. According to Executive Director Ruth Perlmutter, the self-supporting non-profit is currently caring for a surge of abandoned pets due to the economic downturn and receives no funding from the state, county or municipalities of South Orange and Maplewood. One of the few no-kill shelters in New Jersey, it relies solely on donations, adoption fees and fundraising.

Aside from raising funds for JAC, the event will give attendees a preview of Above Restaurant & Bar. Seating will take place between 5:30 and 9:30 p. m., and tickets ($65 for adults and $40 for children under 12) are available at the Maplewood train station, the Jersey Animal Coalition and during select hours at Eden Gourmet. For information about tickets, call 973-377-3447 (day) or 973-762-6525 (evening). For more information about the shelter, visit its site. For more information about Above Restaurant & Bar, visit its site.