Humane Society Flooded During Tropical Storm Debby

The animal rescue group is offering discounts to anyone who adopts an animal as the staff tries to get the facility back in order, according to ABC Action News.

The Humane Society of Pinellas was flooded during Tropical Storm Debby, and staff there are asking for help finding permanent homes for pets who are now crowded into smaller quarters, according to ABC Action News. A spokeswoman told ABC Action News that all of the animals are safe, just wet and crowded. The shelter is offering discounts on pet adoptions and is also looking for volunteer foster families, according to the report. Read the full report on ABC Action News. For information on the Humane Society of Pinellas, visit HumaneSocietyofPinellas.org. 

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Things To Do In Largo & Around Pinellas

5 Things to Do This Weekend: June 22-24

Here are our picks for fun things to do this weekend in Largo. Have an idea of your own? Share it in the comments!

1. Indian Rocks Beach Art Reception. Get involved in the regional art scene at this new exhibit opening this weekend. The exhibit includes oil, acrylic and watercolor painting, drawing, photography, digital printmaking and mixed media works from 21 artists. 2. Strikes for Scholarships. Join the Pinellas Education Foundation for an afternoon of bowling and socializing. Proceeds will go toward the Take Stock in the Children/Doorways Scholarship Fund. 3. Pup Pals Reading Dogs. Another fun event to bond with canine friends while helping kids improve their reading skills. 4. Doga. An hour of massage, meditation and stretching with your canine friend. 5. Opera in the Park. A complimentary performance featuring favorite opera, Broadway and …

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Adoptables at Risk: Missy Wants a Family

Missy would make for a great addition to any home!

Patch has partnered with Pinellas County Animal Services to bring our readers Adoptables at Risk, a weekly column that highlights dogs and cats that have overstayed at the county shelter and are in immediate need of a forever home. The shelter has limited space and must get pets adopted in a timely manner to free up kennels. Missy has been at Pinellas County Animal Shelter for around two months. Missy is a big playful pup who loves to romp around and run! She's a high energy girl and would need someone who could pay attention to her. One great positive is that Missy already has house-training, which is a blessing for any rescue dog. How to Adopt Missy is ready to go to her forever home. Adoption costs $35 and includes the first set of …

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Dogs Seized in Hoarding Case Get Groomed in Largo

Some of the 260 animals being pulled from a animal hoarding case in Sarasota County received help in Largo. Volunteers say they need your help to find good homes.

A Largo groomer learned about the animal hoarding case on Facebook and offered to help cleanup and groom some of the dogs. For about eight hours Friday night, a volunteer team from Unleashed Pet Spa helped about a dozen rescued dogs. The rescue. VIP Rescue, based in Clearwater, rescued nearly two dozens dogs from an animal hoarding case in Venice. Late last week, Sarasota County Animal Services pulled out dog after dog in chicken coops and have weighed, examined and catalogued them, said Wendy Rose, spokeswoman for the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. Terri Ensign, with VIP Rescue, transported 13 dogs from Sarasota County Friday. "The vet bills are going to be outrageous," Ensign said. "Every dog will have a bill. They have ear infections…

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County Improves Living Conditions for Shelter Animals

New bedding, treats and music reduce the stress level of dogs and cats at Pinellas County Animal Services.

Piped classical music, a comfortable bed, and a personal chew toy filled with peanut butter are some of the recent improvements, to make life better for dogs at Pinellas County Animal Services. "The increased level of enrichment and care (more walking by volunteers) reduces the stress level of the animals, which improves medical and behavioral health and therefore adoptability," said Caroline Thomas, the Director of Veterinary Medicine at Animal Services. All of the shelter's dogs can now rest on Kuranda beds. The orthopedic beds are chew proof and easy to clean. Plus, each dog gets a personal Kong chew toy, which goes home with the dog when it's adopted. "The beds are easier on the paws and pressure points. They give the dogs somewhere …

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Local Vet Provides In-Home Services for Dying Pets

Gentle Pet Passings provides a comfortable setting at the end of your pet's life.

The bond we develop with our pets is soulful. They enrich our lives and become part of the family. In some cases, the connections we form with our pets are among the longest, strongest relationships in our lives. When a loving pet gets sick and the end is near, pet owners experience the full range of emotions of losing a loved one. Dr. Gayle Burrell is doing something to help. Burrell is the founder and owner of Gentle Pet Passings. She specializes in peaceful, compassionate, at-home euthanasia. She also works closely with several veterinary practices throughout the area. “I see the stress and anxiety the animals and owners have when they come into a clinic,” Burrell said. “The last place animals should be at the end is the place they …

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Animal Agencies Call for Affordable Fix for Feral Cats

SPCA Tampa Bay and Pinellas County Animal Services weighed in on the county's pet overpopulation problem at Tuesday's county commission meeting.

The issue of how to manage feral cats in the county has caused animal agencies and the county commission to take a deeper look at pet overpopulation. On Tuesday, local animal welfare agencies spoke to the Pinellas Board of County Commissioners about proposed solutions to pet overpopulation, which include: Pinellas County has an estimated 500,000 companion animals, but only 160,000 pets are licensed. The estimated feral cat population in Pinellas County is 150,000 to 200,000, according to Animal Services. "I have a heart for all animals," resident Dan Hester told the board. "This issue is a spay and neuter issue. We are never going to reduce the feral cat population unless we get spay and neuter under control." Last year, 17,090 animals …

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Melissa Lattman

9:41 am on Sunday, March 25, 2012

Andrea, thanks for the feedback. Great point, pet overpopulation is certainly a complex issue.   more ›

Volunteer Dog Walkers Help Animals Get Adopted

Pinellas County is looking for volunteers to help with dog walking, straightening up parks, painting, training, office work, fundraising and more.

Do you like to throw a tennis ball or take a walk in the fresh air? Pinellas County Volunteer Services needs you. Anyone 16 or older who is strong enough to handle big dogs can lend a hand at Animal Services. The shelter's dogs need exercise at least two times per day, and preferably three. "If a dog sits in a cage, he's like a rubber band. He gets wound up," adoption coordinator Tyson Youts said. "The dogs need training, socialization and to be able to be more relaxed." Youts said that walking increases a dog's chance of adoption, too, because dogs who get regular exercise are less stressed. Plus, the volunteers provide notes about a dog's personality and information such as whether it knows how to sit or seems to be housebroken. …

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Deputies Try New Approach with Unruly Animals

Pinellas County sheriff's deputies are using new tools to protect themselves and animals when responding to complaints.

Pinellas County sheriff's deputies have to put themselves into a lot of dangerous situations, and some of them involve animals. Deputies now undergo training to show them how to be more effective in dealing with animals, so fewer officers and animals get hurt, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said. Authorities' response to animal complaints was questioned recently when an officer in St. Petersburg fatally shot and killed an elderly golden retriever, and when a Manatee County deputy shot a pet dog in its owner's yard after a mistaken call to 911. The animal had to be euthanized. At the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department on Thursday, deputies demonstrated how they capture and contain animals in their squad cars by using a pole. At a news conference, …

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Court Rules Dogs Have Sentimental Value

A Texas court ruled in favor of a couple whose 8-year-old dog was accidentally euthanized, saying dogs have sentimental value on top of their actual dollar value.