The Humane Society of Tampa Bay and New Statewide Coalition Take Stand Against Cruel Puppy Mills:

Coalition Urges Families to Adopt Rescue or Shelter Pets this Holiday Season

and Calls for Legislation to End the Puppy-Mill-to-Pet-Store Pipeline

 

December 6, 2023—In response to massive public backlash against a Pinellas County nonprofit shelter providing veterinary services and positive publicity for actors in the multi-million-dollar, cruel commercial dog breeding industry, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay today announces it is joining with a new statewide coalition of animal sheltering organizations working to promote pet adoption and shut down the puppy mill pipeline into Florida. Florida Shelters Together Opposing Puppy Mills (“Florida S.T.O.P.”) asks those looking to bring a new pet into the family this holiday season to make shelter pet adoption their first option and urges state lawmakers to prohibit the retail sale of dogs and cats in 2024.

While puppies in pet stores may look cute, they harbor an ugly, tragic reality: most are trucked hundreds of miles from puppy mills before arriving at the store for resale, their parents remaining behind to suffer indefinitely in puppy mills. Puppy mills put profit before the welfare of the animals in their care, keeping breeding dogs confined in filthy conditions with poor veterinary care, little socialization or grooming, and ceaseless breeding for years.

The retail sale of puppies creates a demand that can only be met by cruel puppy mills. As a result, puppy-selling retail stores obtain their dogs from commercial dog breeders, also known as puppy mills, through a pipeline of breeders and brokers. Consumers who purchase puppies in stores often report that their puppies were ill at the time of purchase or later suffer from congenital disease due to poor breeding practices.

“The Humane Society of Tampa Bay unequivocally opposes the sale of dogs and cats in retail stores and condemns the inherently cruel commercial dog breeding industry that thrives on the retail sale of puppies,” said Sherry Silk, HSTB CEO. “If you are hoping to add a pet to your family this holiday season, please avoid unintentionally supporting cruel puppy mills and instead visit the Humane Society of Tampa to meet one of the many adorable animals ready for loving homes.”

This holiday season, we urge people who wish to bring a new pet into the family to adopt from a shelter or rescue group. For those looking for a particular breed, many shelters, and rescue groups have specific dog breeds available for adoption or can help advise you on finding a particular type of dog.

When adoption is not an option, please ensure that the breeder is a responsible breeder and not a commercial puppy mill or puppy-selling store. Responsible dog breeders do not sell their dogs to brokers or stores for resale. Make sure that you meet the parents of the puppy and visit the premises where the dogs are bred and raised to ensure that the breeder provides high quality living conditions, socialization, and veterinary care for their dogs.

October 9, 2023 – In response to recent media coverage of an animal shelter partnering with a puppy-selling store and broker (puppy mill), the Humane Society of Tampa Bay is reaching out to our community to caution Bay Area residents about the cruel practice and to distinguish our position on the retail sale of dogs in stores.

Make no mistake, puppies in pet stores harbor an ugly reality; most are trucked hundreds of miles from puppy mills before arriving at the store for resale, their parents remaining behind to suffer indefinitely in puppy mills.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay unequivocally denounces the sale of dogs and cats in stores and condemns the inherently cruel commercial dog breeding industry that thrives on the retail sale of puppies. We strongly support state legislation prohibiting the retail sale of dogs and cats in stores.

Puppy-selling retail stores obtain their dogs from commercial dog breeders, also known as puppy mills, through a pipeline of breeders and brokers. Puppy mills put profit before the welfare of the animals in their care, keeping breeding dogs confined in filthy conditions with poor veterinary care, little socialization or grooming, and ceaseless breeding for years. Consumers who purchase puppies in stores often report that their puppies were ill at the time of purchase or later suffered from congenital disease due to poor breeding practices.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay urges people who wish to bring a new pet into the family to adopt from a shelter or rescue group. If you are looking for a particular breed, many shelters, and rescue groups have specific dog breeds available for adoption or can help advise you on finding a particular type of dog.

When adoption is not an option, please ensure that the breeder is responsible and not a commercial puppy mill. Responsible dog breeders do not sell their dogs to brokers or stores for resale. Make sure that you meet the parents of the puppy and visit the premises where the dogs are bred and raised to ensure that the breeder provides high-quality living conditions, socialization, and veterinary care for their dogs.

Thousands of homeless dogs and cats sit in shelters and rescues that deserve safety and care in a home. Please consider adoption.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay was extremely disappointed to read the article titled “Humane Society of Tampa Bay decision to put 40 kittens to death stirs controversy” by Esmé Fox. The reporter took information from a misinformed and disgruntled volunteer who rarely volunteered with our organization, has no medical background, and provided false information.

Our organization knew we had Feline Panleukopenia virus when kittens were dying in their cages just a day after they were playful and appearing healthy. Many kittens were adopted out after being medically checked by our shelter medical staff and were then found dead in their new homes two days later. That is, unfortunately, what happens when this terrible virus breaks in a shelter. Humane euthanasia was the kindest and most responsible course of action to take. This action also protected the other 300+ animals that are in our shelter.

The misinformation that this reporter chose to spread hurts not only HSTB’s mission but the homeless animals in need in our area. We are surprised that the Tampa Bay Times allowed this article to be published, and we expect more from this media outlet. In the future, we are hopeful that the appropriate research will be done before publication and potentially damaging a reputation.

 

Starting July 1st through August 15th, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center will be spaying/neutering 500 owned bully breed dogs and mixes through Operation Pit Stop. Dogs will also receive DHPP and rabies vaccinations, a county license, a microchip, and a bag of dog food courtesy of Chewy.com. We are excited to bring Operation Pit Stop to Tampa and help reduce litters of dogs. Dog owners need to call now to make their appointment.

Hillsborough County has seen an increase of bully breed dogs coming through shelter doors and spending significantly longer than other dogs before getting adopted. This crisis affects kennel space. HSTB is a managed admission shelter known as “No-Kill for Space,” meaning no animal will be euthanized to make room for another. Spaying and neutering bully breeds will help reduce the population of unwanted dogs that will end up in shelter care.

Owners can call the Humane Society of Tampa Bay or the Pet Resource Center to schedule their appointment. Each location will be doing up to 250 surgeries. Owners of dogs sterilized through Operation Pit Stop will be entered to win cash prizes. Five winners will be chosen and awarded $1,000 each.

“We are happy to provide these surgeries to keep dogs healthy and reduce the number of dogs in our kennels,” said Sherry Silk, Chief Executive Officer of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Don’t be left out, to schedule an appointment at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay located at 3809 N. Armenia, call (813) 252-2023 and to schedule an appointment at the Pet Resource Center located at 440 N. Falkenburg Rd. call (813) 301-7387.

 

 

A video from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay showed a person taking a puppy out of the bed of a pick-up truck and then tossing it over a six-foot fence.

Employees at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay said the incident happened when the shelter was closed at around 8:40 p.m. on Saturday. The man tosses the 4-month-old dog over the fence into the play yards.

Staff discovered the injured dog the next day, on Easter morning.

READ THE FULL STORY »

Logan Ryan, RARF Sponsors Month Long Free Dog Training for
Dogs Adopted at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Safety and NFL Animal Welfare Leader Logan Ryan and his wife
Ashley, Support Adoptable Dogs at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Tampa, FL – (July 22, 2022) – Logan and Ashley Ryan, founders of The Ryan Animal Rescue
Foundation (RARF), are sponsoring free virtual dog training scholarships through GoodPup for
dogs adopted from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay starting July 26th through August 26th.

July 26th kicks off Logan Ryan’s first training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Logan
knows that training is the key to success in both football and his other passion, helping pets and
their people!

“So many dogs are surrendered or returned to shelters due to behavioral issues. Training is an
important step in creating understanding between you and your dog,” says two-time Super Bowl
Champion Logan Ryan. “This is a way for us to make a difference for a few hundred dogs here
in Florida and give them a second chance to succeed while helping their new families better
understand their new dog.”

During Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp (7/26 to 8/26), Logan Ryan’s Animal Rescue
Foundation (RARF) will fund GoodPup Dog Training Scholarships for all dogs adopted from the
Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Each scholarship will give adopters 4 weeks of dog training
with a Certified Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainer through GoodPup.

“The use of positive reinforcement training is so important to us and is at the core of RARF’s
Behavioral Assistance Fund.” RARF Founder Ashley Ryan said. “By partnering with GoodPup,
we have been able to expand our ability to assist shelters and rescues with access to dog
training for post-adoption support, foster home support, and surrender prevention. We are
excited to be extending this support to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay!”

Ryan Animal Rescue Foundation was founded in 2017 in Nashville, but has expanded to
provide adoption promotion, financial and educational resources nationwide. Since its inception,
the foundation and the Ryan’s have promoted thousands of animals for adoption and
contributed over $250,000 to the animal rescue community through grants and private
donations.

For more information about the Humane Society Tampa Bay and its mission to provide shelter
for homeless & at-risk animals, adoptions, hospital, and TNVR services for the general public;
which operates independently from the Humane Society of the United States., please visit:
https://humanesocietytampa.org.

For ways to help the animal community through The Ryan Animal Rescue Foundation, please
visit https://www.rarf.org/. Follow RARF on social media at @rarf (Instagram) @rarf_official
(Twitter), and The Ryan Animal Rescue Foundation (Facebook).

GoodPup provides private, one-on-one dog training over live video calls. GoodPup trainers use
science-based, positive reinforcement methods to teach cues, address unwanted behaviors,
and socialize dogs. For more information, visit https://goodpup.com/

###

 

(Download PDF here: HS-Tampa-Bay-RARF-GoodPup-Press-Release)

Pool safety is about more than Fido’s ability to swim. Often we focus on our dog’s swimming skills and sun safety, but fail to consider the chemical dangers that dogs are exposed to while splashing around the pool. Consider the following:

  • Undiluted pool chemicals are extremely corrosive and if ingested, they can cause severe ulcers in the mouth, throat and esophagus which can be life-threatening.
    Warning Signs: drooling, oral sores, mouth pain, vomiting, anorexia and/or bloody vomit or stool.
  • Pool water, while diluted, still contains chlorine and algicides, which when ingested can make a dog sick.
    Warning Signs: mild vomiting and/or diarrhea.
  • Salt water pools and oceans can cause life-threatening hypernatremia (high concentration of sodium ions in the blood) if your pet drinks an excessive amount.
    Warning Signs: extreme thirst, vomiting, dehydration, impaired balance or coordination, tremors and/or seizures.
  • Sunscreens and bug sprays may contain chemicals that can be harmful to pets if ingested or applied topically.
    DO NOT use sunscreens or bug repellants on your pets unless they are labeled as being safe for animals.
  • Alcohol, even in small amounts is extremely dangerous to pets if ingested and can result in death.
    Warning Signs: vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity and/or coma.

 

If your pet is exposed to any of these chemicals, rinse their mouth (or skin) with fresh water and call your emergency veterinarian.

 

 

 

 

Thank you to the ASPCA for providing these important safety tips.

It’s that time of year: hot and and buggy. One of the smallest bugs, with the biggest bites, are fleas.

Don’t be fooled into thinking they are harmless, because sometimes the itching goes deeper than the surface. The most common cause of skin disease in dogs and cats comes from an allergic reaction triggered by the saliva that the fleas inject into our pets’ skin when they bite. They aren’t just annoying, they can actually be dangerous. Fleas feed on human and animal blood. In addition to being gross little vampires, they can actually cause anemia in dogs and cats! Fleas can consume 15 times their own weight in blood. Dogs or cats that lose too much blood may develop anemia (dangerous drop in red blood cells). Puppies and kittens are especially susceptible to anemia caused by fleas.

It’s important to look for signs of flea irritation in your pets because not only is it uncomfortable and unhealthy for them, an infestation on your pets and in your home can happen in just a few days, since fleas can lay 40 to 50 eggs a day. Every flea you see on your pet equates to 100 more in your house because the eggs will fall off of your pet on to your carpets, beds and furniture, and continue multiplying.

Signs of Fleas in Dogs:

  • dark specks (flea droppings) in their fur, white specks in their fur (flea eggs),
  • excessive licking or scratching, and
  • hot spots or scabs on their skin.

 

Signs of Fleas in Cats:

  • dark specks in their fur,
  • excessive scratching, and
  • hair loss.

 

Now that you are itching, let’s protect those pets! Visit the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s Retail Store to pick up topical flea medication, or make an appointment at our Animal Hospital today!


6
Things to Know About Your Bearded Dragon

  • 8 different species of bearded dragons can be found in the wilds of Australia.
  • Males and females both have beards, which they puff out to appear bigger to predators.
  • They use body language with each other including head-bobbing to show dominance and hand-waving to show submission.
  • They were first introduced to the U.S. around 1990.
  • They are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and small insects.
  • They live for 7 – 12 years in captivity. They are relatively healthy lizards and most health issues arise from improper husbandry.

 

Tank Enclosure

The enclosure of a Bearded Dragon should be glass with a screen top. Their tank should measure 4 – 6 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 2 – 3 feet high.

A tank of this size is big enough for this lizard and it will also help the tank from overheating. In general, the bigger the tank the better.

To better replicate their natural environment, there should be rocks and branches in the tank to give them places to hide and shade to cool off after basking.

A Bearded Dragon opening its mouth and “smiling” excessively may indicate that the tank is too hot.

The humidity in the tank should be 30% – 40%, and this can be maintained by misting the tank every 48-hours. The exact humidity and temperature depends on the geographical location and ultimately the species of Bearded Dragon you have in captivity. In general, temperatures should be very high and the humidity relatively low.

There should be distinct climates in the tank, a basking side and a “cool” side. You should keep two thermometers: one in the basking area, and one in the cool side. They enjoy basking in heat and this section of your tank should be 95℉ – 105℉

The rest of the tank should be about 80℉ during the day, but this may be reduced at night. Using heating pads underneath the tank will prevent any rocks in the tank from getting too hot.


What Does a Bearded Dragon Eat?

They are an opportunistic predator that attacks their food when it is close by.

In captivity their diet is easy to maintain.

As a hatchling (less than 2-months-old), they will eat 2-3 times a day.

This diet should consist of 30% vegetables and 70% small crickets. The protein in a dragon’s diet can consist of crickets, superworms or even pinky mice. In all life-stages they should eat the following vegetables:

  • Dandelions
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Beet tops
  • Leafy greens
  • Carrots
  • Squash
  • Zucchini

 

As a juvenile, they should eat daily and have a balanced diet of leafy greens and insects. While greens should be fed every day, insects should be fed every other day.

In their adult stage, a Bearded Dragon should be fed daily. This should consist of mostly crickets and lots of green vegetables.

Calcium and Vitamin D3 supplements should also be incorporated into their food to keep them healthy. The best time of day to feed your dragon is the morning as this allows them to digest their food in the warmest part of the day.

In terms of hydration, they are picky if they have to get their water intake from a deep bowl. Therefore, it is best to offer them water from a shallow water bowl with clean water at all times.

Bathing your dragon is not an absolute requirement, but soaking them in lukewarm water 2 – 3 times per week will help them defecate.

When they shed, they do so in several pieces over a couple days. Frequency of shedding depends on diet and time of year. They are likely to shed their skin in the spring and summer when they are eating regularly. Any abnormal shedding may occur near the digits and tip of their tail. When this happens, they may need to be bathed to avoid any infection.

TAMPA, Fl. (HSTB) – Summertime in Florida can be dangerously hot for humans and dogs alike. Since our pets can’t speak for themselves, we have to be on the lookout for these symptoms that they’re having a heat stroke. Some dogs are more susceptible to heat strokes. Those are dogs with thick fur, short noses or underlying medical conditions. However, even the healthiest of dogs can still get a heat stroke.

(Owner helping his pug on a hot day. Heat stroke prevention)

Symptoms:
• Excessive Panting
• Dizziness/Staggering
• Lethargy/Weakness
• Seizures/Muscle tremors
• Collapsing/Lying down
• Little urine production
• Agitation/Restlessness
• Red/Pale gums
• Bright red tongue
• Increased heart rate
• Vomiting/Diarrhea
• Mental confusion/Delirium

(Jack Russell sitting in front of a domestic electric fan)

If you suspect your pet is having a heatstroke:
• Remove your pet from the hot environment
• Get pet into a cooler area, preferably air conditioning
• Place a cool damp towel on your dogs underbelly, inner thighs or neck – these spots cool your dog down quickest
• Let your dog drink as much cool water as they want without forcing them
• Cool your dog off with cold water by placing a soaked towel on their back
• Put ice cubes in your dogs water to lower the temperature
• Let your pet lay on icepacks
• Apply cool water to their fur/skin (Note: Do not use ice cold water)
• Wet down the area around your pet with cool water
• If symptoms do not get better, take your pet to the nearest Veterinarian

(Dog Cools Head in Bucket of ice)