2023 Summer Making Tracks

RESCUED!

An abandoned mom and puppies, a critically ill stray cat, kittens dying in a dumpster; ALL SAFE NOW, page 4.

Humane Society of Tampa Bay

LEADERSHIP & BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Sherry Silk

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sarah Glaser President

Wyatt Castellvi Vice President

Phil Nodhturft III Treasurer

Nancy Newman Secretary

Morris Massey Member at Large

Amy Nelson Agliano

Suzie Archibald

Meredith Balasco

Kevin Bischoff

Ryan Cook

Liana Fuente

Steven Hearn

Steve Rovner

Jacalin Russo

Jennifer Williams

Elise Zahn, DO

BOARD EMERITUS

Linda Reitz

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Greg Balasco

Simon Canasi

Mayor Jane Castor

Lisa DeBartolo

Nikki DeBartolo

Lindsay Deignan

Danita Dickman

Commissioner Ken Hagan

Bobby Harris

Parker Homans

Brad Lancaster

Sandy Murman

Scott Price

Kim Rogers

Cherie Schonbrun

Cathy Smith

Cynthia Smoot

Andrea Gonzmart Williams

MAKING

LEADING THE WAY BECAUSE EVERY LIFE COUNTS™

IN

THIS ISSUE

LETTER FROM THE CEO

3 4 6

FEATURE STORY — RESCUED!

An abandoned mom and puppies, a critically ill stray cat, kittens dying in a dumpster; ALL SAFE NOW.

8

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT — KIND KIDS

Tampa Bay’s smallest citizens make a big difference for homeless animals

PARTNERING TO SAVE LIVES

HSTB takes in 41 animals from Dominica

10 12 14 17

HAPPY TAILS

Happily-every afters that you made possible!

BARK IN THE PARK

Photos and recognitions from a successful event

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

16

2023 TUXES & TAILS – BAVARIAN NӒCHT

Save the Date for Tampa’s favorite fundraising gala

SHELTER ANIMAL ENRICHMENT

Welcome to the Pig Pen, a free-roaming space for Guinea Pigs

VOLUNTEER OF THE QUARTER / ADOPT-A-CAT MONTH

What it’s like to Volunteer at HSTB 18

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Tips to keep your pets safe

RECOGNITION & THANKS 19 20

Editor: Regan Blessinger Layout and Design: Nash McCutchen

Contributors: Danyelle Van Horn, Valerie Hogan, Madison Kostka, Liz McCoy, Lisa Novorska, Mark Pannitto, Sherry Silk, Ornella Varchi, AGoldPhoto Pet Photography, Robyn Walk Photography

Letter from the CEO

We love dogs at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. In the last year, we have noticed a decline in adoptions for bully breed (pit bull-type dogs) and large dogs. This is a trend in shelters across the country. I believe this is due in part to our unstable economy, as many people are worried about the expense of pet ownership. The other reason is that there are more pit bulls in this country than any other breed. Consequently, pit bulls are the number one breed in shelters. The majority of them are wonderful dogs. Unfortunately, many apartment complexes, HOA’s and deed restricted communities ban them from living there. Also, many insurance companies will not issue a home owners policy to those who own a pit bull-type dog (or Doberman, Rottweiler, Chows, etc.). Because of this, many owners end up surrendering their beloved pets to already crowded shelters. In my opinion, it is a national crisis.

We believe landlords and insurance companies should not discriminate against these dogs. Their actions are filling up shelters that are already at capacity. We have created some advertising that you may see on billboards and elsewhere around town addressing this discrimination (see below!). We are also reaching out to places that discriminate against the breed in an effort to change their minds. In the meantime, we will continue to house and love these dogs until we can find them homes.

For

the Animals,

Chief Executive Officer SherryS@HumaneSocietyTampa.org

We believe landlords and insurance companies should not discriminate against these dogs.

RESCUED! The HSTB Rescue Team answers the call for animals in distress across Tampa Bay

PARTY OF 12

Sweet Scarlett was abandoned on a remote, dirt road in Seffner with her 11 infant puppies. They had no food, water or shelter, leaving them completely vulnerable to the weather, vehicles, disease, and other animals.

It is difficult to know how long she and her puppies were on that road in the middle of nowhere, and horrible to imagine how stressful it must have

been for Scarlett to feed, care for and protect her pups all alone.

Thankfully, a Good Samaritan saw the desperate family and called the HSTB Rescue Team for help. When the team arrived at the scene, Scarlett was cautious but hopeful and relieved to hear the sound of kind human voices.

The family cooperated and were soon headed to the HSTB puppy nursery, where clean, comfy bedding, food, and water were waiting. Scarlett settled in quickly, finally able to relax and rest, and continued her work as a mother with ease. After a few weeks, the family went into foster care for a little more R&R and will return to the shelter for adoption in the coming weeks.

A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT

The HSTB rescue team received a call from a concerned citizen who had seen a very sick stray cat in the neighborhood. They said the poor kitty’s face was so crusted over with scabs that he couldn’t open his eyes, leaving him blind. Suspecting a bad case of scabies, the team headed to the location to help. Despite being unable to see his rescuers, the sweet

boy was more than willing to crawl into their towels and blankets and allowed them to carry him safely to the van.

Once at the shelter, “Todd” was given a series of medicated baths and oral medication to relieve his discomfort and heal his skin. It was a trying process for Todd, but he never wavered or complained and was always excited to get the attention.

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

The HSTB Rescue Team would not be successful without help from the community. We are fortunate that so many citizens contact us when they come across animals in need. The story below is just one example of this lifesaving partnership!

A lawn maintenance crew was working near a McDonald’s when they heard faint meows coming from a nearby dumpster. Inside, under heaps of trash, they found a box wrapped in a dirty blanket holding five, one-week old kittens barely clinging to life. The kind workers sprang into action searching the dumpster and surrounding area for more kittens and a mother, then called HSTB for help.

The Rescue Team arrived on scene and, after a thorough search, determined that there were no other kittens and no mother nearby. They swaddled the cold, hungry babies in warm towels and rushed them to the shelter where staff was standing by with bottles of formula. Soon they were resting peacefully in a cozy kennel with full bellies and not a care in the world. Because they needed round-the-clock bottle feeding, they were sent to a loving foster home where they are growing and thriving.

HSTB is grateful to these everyday heroes for helping the kittens who would not have survived much longer. It is people like them who give us hope and inspire us to keep fighting for homeless and needy animals.

After several weeks of TLC at the shelter, Todd was a new cat! The scabies were gone and his beautiful eyes were open and full of hope. Once made available for adoption, he found his new family quickly. For the Burks, it was love at first sight and Todd, feeling the same, jumped in their arms and never looked back.

KIND KIDS

Tampa Bay’s smallest citizens make a big difference for homeless animals

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay absolutely loves having children at the shelter as often as possible. It is a privilege to be part of their lives and to watch them learn about animal welfare and philanthropy while enjoying quality time with the animals. We are grateful to have many wonderful young people who participate in our Humane Education Programs, but we also appreciate the kind kids, parents, and teachers who support HSTB by holding their own fundraisers, donations drives and service days for the animals!

Burns Middle School

The student body at Burns Middle School (Brandon) held a donation drive for the animals. The students used the Wishlist on our website to choose the items we needed most! While this mother/teacher and her son/student are pictured with what they could carry in, there was a whole car-load of food, toys and supplies waiting to be unloaded in the parking lot!

Elliotte & Tinsley

These girls are frequent participants in our Humane Education programs and brighten the shelter with their smiling faces. One weekend, they set up a snack stand on the Tampa Riverwalk to raise money for HSTB and were thrilled to deliver the proceeds and visit with the cats!

Ryan Nece Foundation

The Ryan Nece Foundation held its annual Youth Leadership Summit on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and chose the Humane Society of Tampa Bay as the site for their community service project. A wonderful group of eager-to-help high school students spent the morning practicing servant leadership by helping care for the animals at the shelter!

Community Spotlight – Kind Kids

Generous Birthday Boy

Wes celebrate his birthday with the animals by holding his party at the shelter. He asked his friends and guests to forego buying him birthday gifts and, instead, to bring in donations for the homeless pets in our care! Thank you, Wes, for your generosity; you make the future look bright!

Stella & Olivia

These sweet sisters held a lemonade stand to raise money for three charities. But, after some deliberation, they decided to donate all of the proceeds to the animals! They were so excited to bring us their donation and spend some time visiting with the homeless pets.

Kindergarten Class at Grady Elementary

These super cool students did a project inspired by the Humane Society of Tampa Bay! The students created a pet parade float by investigating, planning and testing how to make the floats move, which is one of the kindergarten learning objectives! They checked out the HSTB website, picked their favorite adoptable pets and began their creations!

First-grade Class at Carrollwood Elementary

Students at Carrollwood Elementary recently welcomed a new classmate – HSTB alumni England the bunny. He free-roams the classroom, hopping from lap to lap during reading time and hanging out with students on the carpet during STEM activities. England is teaching the students how to care for animals and inspired them to start a garden so that they can feed him fresh veggies! We are so happy for England and know he’s loving his new role as teacher’s assistant!

HERE TO HELP! HSTB takes in 41 animals needing medical care from the island of Dominica

HSTB is often contacted by other shelters when they are facing a crisis. Usually those calls come from organizations in Florida or neighboring states in the southeast, but sometimes we are privileged to help animals in other countries.

In February, local veterinarian Shelley Jensen, reached out to HSTB to help with a rescue effort she was coordinating for Saint Nicholas Animal Rescue on the island of Dominica. This area of the island has limited veterinary care and a large population of dogs and cats that need extra medical attention before being adopted. HSTB enthusiastically agreed to take thirty-eight dogs and three cats so that we could address their medical needs and find them loving homes.

Another HSTB partner, Wings of Rescue, facilitated the transfer by flying the animals from the island to Tampa. HSTB staff, volunteers, board members and donors met the plane at the airport to help unload the furry travelers and drive them to the shelter. The tired, hungry animals were so happy to get a full meal and settle into soft, clean bedding after such a long day.

Over the next few weeks, the Dominica pets received medical treatments, spay/neuter surgery, enrichment and socialization to prepare for adoption.

The Tampa Bay community was so welcoming to these sweet animals who had come so far for a second chance! HSTB is happy to announce that all of them were adopted.

ARCHIE

Archie was brought to HSTB emaciated, heartworm positive, covered in fleas, and with nails so overgrown they had deformed his paws. The HSTB veterinary team addressed his medical needs then gave him a gentle spa treatment, complete with a doggy pedicure. After a nutritious meal the clearly depressed pup went to an experienced foster home to decompress and gain weight.

A month later, Archie was back at the shelter with a heavier body but a lighter spirit! He’d put the past behind him and was happy, friendly and loving. Meanwhile, Genesis was at the shelter ready to add a dog to her family. Archie’s sweet face tugged at her heart and when she heard what he had been through, she began to cry. She knew this brave survivor was the perfect pup for her and that she was destined to ensure he would never suffer again.

OMEN

Omen (aka Roger) was brought to HSTB as a stray around the same time that threeyear-old Kayla’s family was looking to adopt a cat! They fell in love with Omen and he has become a treasured part of the family. He and Kayla have a special bond, napping and playing together all day. Omen has found his forever.

LUNA

Luna was brought to HSTB when her owner developed complications in her pregnancy. The five-year-old cat was nervous, confused and sad. She also had allergies, dental disease and an ocular disorder that required her eye to be removed. Despite these challenges, when Celeste saw Luna on the HSTB website, she fell hard. She rushed to the shelter to meet her and the rest, as they say, is history.

Happy Tails – You Made Possible

SONNY

On the night before Easter, well after hours, a truck pulled into the HSTB parking lot and parked carefully to avoid security cameras. The driver grabbed a puppy from the truck bed, carried him by the scruff of his neck to a play yard then threw him over the 6ft fence! When staff arrived early Easter morning to care for the animals, they heard him crying and found him in the yard covered in feces, starving, and limping from what turned out to be a severely fractured front leg. Thankfully, HSTB’s specialty surgeon, Dr. Justin Boorstein, was able to save the leg by putting screws in the bone to fuse it back together. Sonny, named for his trusting heart and sunny disposition, is strong for such a little guy and came through the surgery well.

He needed a foster home for his recovery period and the Gagnier family from Anna Maria Island was happy to have him! In fact, they love him so much that they plan to adopt him once he is healed. We think the island life is perfect for such a happy pup and are thrilled that he has left his dark past behind!

CHOPS

Chops is a playful and loving pup who spent 129 days at the shelter waiting for a family. The large, beefy, pit bull was passed over time and time again, likely because of assumptions people made because of his looks. No matter how many times he bounced to the front of the kennel with a big goofy grin and tail wagging, adopters kept walking. Eventually, he became so depressed that he just stopped getting up and staff began to worry that he was giving up. Because of this, HSTB’s CEO, Sherry Silk, took Chops on FOX13’s Pet of the Week segment hoping that the perfect family was out there watching ... and they were! The Parres family adored Chop’s personality and thought he’d be the perfect bestie for their dog Macy. They brought Macy to the shelter to meet him and from the moment the pups touched noses, they knew it was meant to be. Sweet Chops is home!

BARK IN THE PARK EXCEEDS ALL GOALS!

Thank you to everyone who fundraised for the animals at the 36 th Annual Bark in the Park at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park on Saturday, February 11 th! It was an incredible day, and all had a wonderful time. Because of our sponsors, packs, and individual fundraisers, all goals for the animals were exceeded! The funds raised will provide much-needed food, medical care, and shelter for homeless animals.

THANK YOU, SPONSORS

TOP DOG

Beasley Media Group Kevin & Valerie Bischoff Anonymous Turning Point of Tampa

BARKING BUDDY

Arbitration Forums, Inc.

BlueGrace Logistics

TAIL WAGGER

Amalie Oil Company

Catalina

Grow Financial Federal Credit Union

PET PAL

Vern & Ann Barclay

Bay Paws Pet Resort

Elite Rewards

Embassy Veterinary Center & Pet Retreat

Fetch Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centers

GoodVets South Tampa

FIDO’S FRIEND

Advil/Excedrin/Voltran

AGoldPhoto Pet Photography

A-Lign

Banfield Pet Hospital

Bayonet Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning

BluePearl Pet Hospital

The Brescia Group –

Your Real Estate Team

Lenny & Cheryl Chew

Demesmin & Dover Law Firm

IN-KIND

3C’s Catering Downtown Dogs

IKEA Tampa

Just Balloons Designs

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Honor Thy Pet Cremation Service & Funeral Service

Hooty Whoo!!

Ink the Bay

Human Potential Healthcare

Julius-K9, LLC

Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church

Sims Crane & Equipment

Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union

Urgent Vet

Zahn Health Solutions

Morgan Import Motorcars

The Barrymore Hotel

Tampa Riverwalk

The Dental Boutique of Westchase

The Fountain Group

Two Shepherds Taproom

Veterinary Emergency Group

Veterinary Emergency GroupTampa

Fairytale Pet Care

Farkas Chiropractic Clinic

Flonase/Flonase Sensimist

Four Rivers Law Firm

Greenacre Properties, Inc.

Just Pull It

LEAGLEASE Professional Solutions

Mike’s Hard Lemonade

James Otts Realtor

PetSuites Carrollwood

Sounds OK to Me

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Wet Nose ‘n Firehose

Pet Supplies Plus Pin Chasers

Pups Pub

Roasted Whisk

Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine

Walton Law & Mediation

Wellcare Health Plans

White Claw

Zoom Room Tampa

THANK YOU, FUNDRAISERS

JOANN HUBERT 2023 Top Individual Fundraiser

2023 1 st Place Pack

PARty ANIMALS

2023 2 nd Place Pack

2023 3 rd Place Pack

JoAnn Hubert is pictured on the right with Ornella Varchi and Sherry Silk

THE BARK SQUAD

Pack representative Ryan Cook is pictured center with Sherry Silk and Ornella Varchi

HSTB PAWSOME VOLUNTEERS

Pack representative Mita Garga is pictured on the right with Sherry Silk

Pack representative Niki Helton is pictured on the right with Sherry Silk

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

What it’s like to Volunteer at HSTB

In 2022 alone, 213,401 volunteer hours were donated to our animals, equivalent to 102 full-time staff positions . HSTB would not be able save as many lives without the amazing individuals and families who choose to give their time and talents to the organization, and they are valued members of the team. Not only are volunteers essential to the well-being of the animals, but they contribute significantly to the success of HSTB’s programs and the health of the organization as a whole. With a variety of positions, there is an opportunity for every interest! To show what a “day in the life” of a new HSTB volunteer is like, we interviewed two members of our corps, Laurie Allen and Kirsten Beard. Here is what they had to say:

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT HSTB?

LAURIE: I have been a volunteer for 7 months.

KIRSTEN: About 1 year.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO?

LAURIE ALLEN Surgery Assistant

LAURIE: I have volunteered in several different positions. I have liked all of them, but my absolute favorite is surgery assistant recovery in the intake department.

KIRSTEN: Recently I started a passion project of mine working one on one with rabbits and pocket pets to socialize them, give them some exercise and enrichment time, and get to know their personalities. From there, I take additional pictures and write up a new profile with more individualized information in hopes that it will help future adopters find their perfect match and better understand the needs of their new family member.

HOW HAS VOLUNTEERING AT HSTB IMPACTED YOU?

LAURIE: Volunteering has made me even more aware of how much animals need our help and how important it is to have our pets spayed or neutered. It is a rewarding job knowing I am helping to make a difference in an

KIRSTEN BEARD Animal Companion

animal’s life. Volunteering has made me happier and given me a sense of purpose that I seemed to have lost when I retired from my job. I am amazed at how hard the staff works and they are friendly and very compassionate with the animals. It is an honor to be able to help them when I can. I always look forward to my volunteer days.

KIRSTEN: I’ve always been an animal lover and volunteering at HSTB has given me the ability to channel that into making a difference in not only animals’ lives but people’s lives as well, either through adopting their perfect match at an event or ... helping owners keep their pets through financial hardships at the Pet Pantry.

WALK US THROUGH A TYPICAL VOLUNTEER DAY.

LAURIE: I arrive at 9 a.m. in the surgical recovery room and make sure all supplies are stocked such as towels, blankets, trash bags and cleaning solutions. Surgeries do not start until around 10 a.m. so I will help in other areas in the meantime walking dogs, washing dishes or helping in laundry. Once the surgeries are underway, I assist the technician in clipping toenails, cleaning ears and waking up the dogs from anesthesia. I then monitor them until they are recovered from the anesthesia and take them back to their kennels. I also wash the intubation tubes in a sterile solution and clean the recovery room kennels and restock the supplies for the next shift.

KIRSTEN: Typically I get to HSTB in the morning and help run the Pet Pantry and Food Assistance program with [staff] and our awesome volunteer team. From there, if we have only one [volunteer] coming in to run the afternoon shift, I stay an extra hour or two downstairs before heading up to work with the rabbits and pocket pets. If I am volunteering on a day when the Pet Pantry isn’t running, I am typically stopping by the shelter to pick up adoptables and supplies before heading out to help at one of our offsite events.

HSTB is proud to be a Points of Light Certified Service Enterprise committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture that welcomes individuals of any race, color, religion, disability status, sexual orientation or gender identity. With a variety of positions, there is an opportunity for every interest.

It is easy to get started, simply visit our website to review program details then follow the prompts to sign up. Initial training can be done online, additional training may be required depending on position desired.

HumaneSocietyTampa.org/volunteer

Humane Society of Tampa Bay presents

Shelter Animal Enrichment

WELCOME TO THE PIG PEN HSTB creates safe space

for adoptable guinea pigs to roam

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay recently celebrated a grand opening for the new “Pig Pen”, a free-roaming area for guinea pigs to play on enrichment equipment, freely burrow and hide, scurry around together, or just chill and lay about!

The “Pig Pen” was born out of the idea that once these cute and quirky pets can free-roam, they will be able to show off their personalities to potential adopters. When families

see how fun and playful they are the pigs will have a better chance of being adopted. The area also gives HSTB the chance to educate the public about the importance of adequate space and enrichment for all pets, not just cats and dogs.

When you visit the “Pig Pen” you’ll notice that guinea pigs love to chatter, making adorable squeaks, cheeps and chirps. They also love to show off their unique move called “popcorning” where they hop up and down in joy. The new “Pig Pen” gives them the space and freedom to do both, whenever they please, without barriers. The guinea pigs absolutely love having visitors and will show off their endearing moves and precious voices for lettuce. Come see them!

HSTB does not expect adopters to create large areas like the “Pig Pen” in their homes. However, HSTB adoption staff is on hand to give ideas on ways to incorporate enrichment into the lives of furry family members. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

813.876.7138 | adopt@humanesocietytampa.org

VOLUNTEER OF THE QUARTER

Ivan Wirbiezcas

The teaching never stops, and learning always prevails when Ivan volunteers! Ivan is an elementary school teacher who has brought his love for molding minds, young or old, to HSTB!

Since 2020, Ivan has been one of HSTB’s most dedicated shelter volunteers and has become an essential team member for training new volunteers, dog companions, and assisting with nearly all of the Humane Education Programs. Ivan has so many wonderful qualities that shine bright. HSTB is most appreciative of his willingness to jump on any task, his dedication to HSTB’s mission and core programs, his compassion for children and animals, his service as a role model for other volunteers, and his overall efforts given to HSTB. Thanks for all you do, Ivan!

JUNE IS NATIONAL ADOPT-A-CAT MONTH Celebrate by adopting a feline friend

If you are thinking about adding a pet to your family this summer, please consider a cat! They make wonderful, clean, low-maintenance companions and there are as many personalities as there are colors. From snuggly to

silly to playful to serious, there is a perfect fit for every family! June is a great time to adopt as it coincides with Kitten Season, a time when we take in thousands of orphaned, abandoned and unwanted cats and kittens (in 2022 we took in 5,000+!). Adopting a cat will not only bring joy to your life, it will also open a space at the shelter for another kitty in need. View

Cats

CORPORATE DONORS, PARTNERS & VOLUNTEERS

2Bayshore Apartments

AdventHealth Carrollwood

Amazon

Amazon TPA2

AmeriCorps

Ampf

Animal Based Charities

Arbitration Forums

Armature Works

Ava Tampa

Bake More Pies

Beacon Hill Technologies Tampa

Beasley Media Group

Berkeley Prep

BluePearl Pet Hospital

Café Dufrain

Cannella Elementary NEHS

Canopy at Citrus Park

Cathy Bellatin

Central Pet and Garden Supply

Cigar City Brewing

Cigna

Citi

Consolidated Nurseries

Dillard’s International Plaza

Downtown Dogs

Elks Lodge #708

Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport

Enterprise Holdings

EZSOFT & COMFORT

FairyTail Pet Care

Fanatics

Feeding Tampa Bay

Franklin Street

GFWC Tampa Women’s Club

GRANTS

Gotta Go Grass

Greystar

Guldmann Inc.

Harley Davidson Brandon

Victor and Sanna Hedman

Henry B. Plant Museum

Hershey

Honor Thy Pet

Hotel Tampa Riverwalk

Humana/CenterWell Pharmacy

Hyatt House

Ink the Bay

Integrity Express Logistics

Junior League of Tampa

Katie Sommers – 93.3FLZ

KB Home

Ladies Sketch Club of Tampa

Legal Ease

Leverage Digital

Marshall Advertising

McKinsey & Company

Meat Market

Meredith Balasco

MJMEC, Inc.

Montessori Academy of Carrollwood

Mosquito Squad

Naples Hotel Group

PAR

PAWS at University of Tampa

PepsiCo

Pet Chef Nutrition

Petco - Westshore

PetSmart Citrus Park

Pfizer

Pinellas Ale Works

Progressive Insurance Foundation

Redstor

Refresco

Reliaquest Bowl

Riverwalk Wealth Advisors

Roland Park Magnet School

Royal Canin

Saint Petersburg Junior Woman’s Club

Sam’s Club

SCOTLYNN

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa

SkyLearn

Smiths Interconnect, Inc.

St. Pete Junior Women’s Club

Straz Center

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Day School

Tampa Gardens Senior Living

Tampa General Hospital

Tampa Prep

The Mortgage Firm Tampa

TICA

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Topgolf Tampa

Trimark USA

United States Military

USCENTCOM

University of South Florida

University of South Florida Athletics

Walmart - Wesley Chapel

White Whale Solutions

Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla

TAX ID: 59-0799907

Bernice Barbour Foundation Dolly’s Dream

Florida Animal Friend Franklin’s Friends

Petco Love Sophia’s Senior Pet Fund

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is a 501c3 organization and does not receive funding from the state, federal government, or any national animal groups, including HSUS and ASPCA. Donate: HumaneSocietyTampa.org/SPRINGMT23 or scan

Hurricane and Disaster Preparedness

June 1 st, the start of hurricane season, is right around the corner and the time to prepare is well before there is a storm on the horizon. Planning ahead helps to eliminate some of the stress when a storm actually forms, as you’ll have everything ready to protect yourself and your pets! The following tips and checklist will help you get ahead of any disaster that strikes this season.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TIPS

Make a plan:

Decide whether you will evacuate or shelter in place.

Google animal friendly shelters near you. Microchip your pet ASAP to ensure that they can get home if they are lost in the storm. Microchips are just $35 at the HSTB Animal Hospital!

If your pet(s) is already chipped, make sure your contact information is current and registered with the chip company.

Stay informed:

Sign up for hurricane updates at HCFLGov.net/HCFLAlert

PET DISASTER KIT CHECKLIST

Your kit should contain important items you’ll need at a moment’s notice, such as:

Current medications

Current medical records

Vaccination records

Food/water (7 days)

Food/water bowls

Poop bags

Trash bags

Toys and treats

Crate/carrier for each pet

Pictures of you with your pet(s)

Microchip ID number information

County License Information

Disposable litter and litter box

Connect with the Animals