Future

Pet Guardianship Program

Through the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s Pet Guardianship Program, you can have the peace of mind that your pet will continue to receive loving, compassionate care if he or she outlives you. The Pet Guardianship Program offers an option that provides for the care and well-being of your pets when you are no longer able to care for them. We will ensure your pets will receive expert medical care and companionship at the shelter with the goal of placing them in a loving home within our adoption policies*.

In return for our commitment to your pet(s), we ask for HSTB to be named as a beneficiary in your will/trust, life insurance policy, IRA, or similar account. If you would like the cost of care to be covered in their new home, we ask for a minimum provision of $10,000 per pet.

If you have questions or would like to set up an appointment in person or by phone, please contact Chief Development Officer, Ornella Varchi at OrnellaV@HumaneSocietyTampa.org.

The Steps to Enroll are easy:

1. Fill out the Pet Guardianship Program agreement.
2. If you haven’t already, include the Humane Society of Tampa Bay as a beneficiary in your will/trust, or as a beneficiary of your life insurance, IRA, 401K, Donor Advised Fund, or other account.
3. Specify in your will/trust that your pet(s) are to be entrusted to HSTB.
4. Complete a Pet Profile for each pet you wish to enroll. You can update the Pet Profile as often as necessary. If a pet is originally enrolled in the program pre-deceases you, or a new pet is adopted into the home, contact us to update our records, and enroll your new pet in the program by creating a new Pet Profile.
5. Mail or email a copy of all documentation to us using the contact information to the right.
6. Designate a friend, relative, neighbor, or executor of your estate to bring your pet to HSTB. Instruct them to call HSTB at (813) 876-4150 in advance to notify us that they will be bringing in a Pet Guardianship Program pet so we are prepared for their arrival.
7. We will mail/email a confirmation of your enrollment in the Pet Guardianship Program. There may be times before finalizing the enrollment when HSTB will need to set up a meeting with you to further discuss the process.
8. Keep us updated if your pet’s health changes, if you change your veterinarian, or if your pet passes away.

Contact Information:

Humane Society of Tampa Bay

Attn: Ornella Varchi

3607 N. Armenia Ave.

Tampa, Fl 33607

OrnellaV@HumaneSocietyTampa.org

*The Humane Society of Tampa Bay finds new homes for more than 11,000 animals each year. HSTB guarantees the care of your pet until a permanent home can be found and for as long as finding the right home may take. Please be advised that there can be rare and extreme circumstances where an animal is severely ill and suffering or is displaying irreversible aggression making it unsafe to rehome them. In these cases, HSTB will proceed with humane euthanasia.