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| Tampa has made a commitment to reduce the numbers of cats and dogs euthanized each year by boosting pet adoptions. |
As one of the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animal’s Mission: Orange communities, Tampa has made a commitment to reduce the numbers of cats and dogs euthanized each year. To that end, the Hillsborough County Animal Services animal shelter recently reported that dog and cat adoptions have increased by 37 percent from February to July 2007, compared to the same period in 2006. In the last three months alone, pet adoptions have increased by 51 percent.
The reason for the success is a more focused emphasis on adoptions, according to shelter director Bill Armstrong. Hillsborough County Animal Services works with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, the Animal Coalition of Tampa and No More Homeless Pets Hillsborough County. Healthy, adoptable cats and dogs are routinely transferred out of the HCAS shelter to these shelters and local rescue groups, who are equipped to help find homes for the animals. A volunteer program is now in place to help boost adoption numbers.
A recent fund-raising event at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay helped increase awareness and led to more animal adoptions. The 8th Annual Pet Telethon, held Aug. 4-5, raised more than $160,000 for animal shelters and helped place 84 cats and dogs in new homes.
“We’re extremely proud of what our Tampa partners—indeed, the entire community of Tampa—have accomplished in such a short time,” said ASPCA president and CEO Ed Sayres. “Tampa’s continued efforts to improve the lives of animals make it a model not only for ASPCA Mission: Orange communities but also for the entire nation.”
In addition to Tampa, other communities picked to join the program this year are Austin, Texas; Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.; Philadelphia; and Spokane, Wash. The ASPCA will partner with the cities for three years, and begin to search for other communities to join the program in 2008.