Pitbull Ambassadors, Mission Orange and More

Recently, The Tampa Tribune featured a story on a Thontosassa man who was charged with animal cruelty after his pitbull named "Dog" was found emaciated and weak, suffering from an easily treatable parasite. Seven other dogs were removed from the same household. The puppies will be available for adoption, but as I've learned in my research of fighting dogs, adult pitbulls are not always regarded as good candidates for adoption. Some places actually ban pitbulls from rehoming. But Hillsborough County Animal Services, who is now sheltering "Dog," believes pitbulls are unfairly maligned. In fact,"Dog" is being considered for their Pitbull Ambassador Program, one of the ways that HCAS is working to make lives better for animals. The mission of the ambassador program is to fight misconceptions about the Pitbull. Three dogs are selected at a time based on their suitability. They must be healthy and are put through behavioral and temperament testing by veterinary staff who have been trained by Oakland, California's BADRAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls). HCAS continues an association with BADRAP through ongoing education of their own staff and the public. Dogs who are chosen to be ambassadors become special adoptions, requiring home visits and screening before placement.

Recently, Jagger Park was dedicated on the HCAS grounds to benefit canines like "Dog", who are being held for investigations of abuse and neglect. Many of these dogs are pitbulls. They are kept separate from the public and aren't available for adoption while their cases are being settled, which can take months to years. Previously these dogs had no place to run freely and play. Jagger Park gives them their very own space to roam. You can read more about this worthy project at tbo.com.

FDLE has documented HCAS as having the highest rate of animal cruelty enforcement in the state. They take in one hundred animals or more a day and have staff working seven days a week. They are a partner in ASPCA's Mission Orange, which has chosen Tampa as one of four target areas in the nation this year. Mission Orange strives to aid animal welfare efforts and education in target areas in hopes of eliminating euthanasia of adoptable animals due to lack of resources or awareness. They commit to chosen communities for three years.

HCAS has a vibrant volunteer force that is helping to make a difference in an agency that has overwhelming needs. Along with being the only "open admission" shelter for the county, HCAS helps low income residents to attain reduced cost spaying and neutering, provides hurricane preparation for pets, and a rescue/foster program that coordinates with many of the rescue groups in the area. My sweet girl, Ella was a dog who benefited from HCAS' affiliation with rescue groups. She was a resident at HCAS for almost two months before being passed on to a local rescue group. I'm so grateful they made the effort to give her that extra time.

Marti Ryan, Media and Community Relations person for HCAS provided most of the information for this article. Marti offers expert advice to pet owners. Microchip your animal friends and keep ID tags on them. Pets brought into the facility with chip or tags are held twice as long, as well as providing staff with a method to track down the owners. Nevertheless, it's imperative that you visit the shelter in person quickly after your pet goes missing. It's an unfortunate fact that shelters like HCAS fill up quickly and are constantly battling maximum capacity. It's heartbreaking to know that so many unwanted animals are euthanized each year. But hearing about the efforts that are being made at HCAS gives me hope.