TAMPA, Fla. — As the holiday festivities ramp up, shelters are hosting adoption and pet events around the Tampa Bay area for people interested in getting a new furry friend.
At the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center alone there are more than 250 dogs and more than 60 cats available. Shelters around the area are having holiday themed events for adoption or to benefit their organizations.
Here is a list of the upcoming paw-some events:
- Where: Humane Society of Pinellas
- When: Dec. 1-17 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- What is it: Adopt a pet aged 6 months or older for a reduced adoption contribution of $50
- Where: Humane Society of Pinellas
- When: Dec. 20 -22 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- What is it: Adopt a pet for a reduced fee of $50
- Where: Fitzgerald Subaru of Clearwater
- When: Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- What is it: Adopt a pet and take pet photos with Santa
- Where: Fitzgerald Subaru of Clearwater
- When: Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- What is it: Adopt a pet and take pet photos with Santa
- Where: Zoom Room South Tampa at 2409 E 2nd Ave
- When: Dec. 21 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- What is it: The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is hosting a celebration with lots of pet-related vendors and fun activities.
- Where: 3055 46th Ave. N, St. Petersburg
- When: Dec. 21 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- What is it: Friends of Strays is hosting a free drive-through pet food giveaway on Dec. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon
- Where: PetCo at 136 S Westshore Blvd
- When: Dec. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon
- What is it: There will be an in-store adoption day and staff will also be collecting items of the pet pantry.
The Sjouwerman Adoption Center also just recently opened open housing dogs, cats and small pets at 3040 State Road 590 in Clearwater. They are open for adoptions from Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
If you are thinking of adopting a pet as a gift, exercise caution as many shelters and organizations advise against this. Pets for Patriots, a nonprofit that helps veterans adopt pets, wrote in a blogpost that pets are forever and the recipient may not prepared for a gift that requires a long-term commitment.
Dogs and cats can also be expensive and demanding as they count on their owners for food, shelter and medical care. Pets for Patriots said the chief reason pets end up in shelters is because owners are not able to afford them.
If you want to help adoptable pets in a different way, you can volunteer at a local animal shelter, be a foster parent to a dog or cat or donate goods such as blankets and toys to shelters.
