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The Animal Health Center at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay remains the first and only non-profit animal hospital in Florida to be accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). In July 2016 AAHA accreditation staff visited our hospital for an on-site evaluation and review of our processes and procedures. We are happy to report that we passed with flying colors and our AAHA accreditation has been renewed.

Just two years ago, our hospital became Florida’s first non-profit animal hospital awarded this prestigious accreditation, considered the Gold Standard in the industry. AAHA accreditation involves evaluation on 900 standards of veterinary care and only 12-15% of animal hospitals in North America have gone through the demanding and time-consuming accreditation process with a total of 3,200 accredited practices.

The Animal Health Center provides affordable, high-quality veterinary care to the public seven days a week. Any proceeds from the Animal Health Center will benefit the mission and programs at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Why Accreditation Is Important For Pets

Being accredited by AAHA, you can rest assured that your pet will receive the very best in veterinary care at our facility. Here are just a few reasons why:

• To receive and maintain accreditation, animal hospitals must meet approximately 900 rigorous evaluation standards every three years
• AAHA standards of excellence do not vary between states or provinces (AAHA accredits hospitals in both the U.S. and Canada)
• AAHA accredited animal hospitals are the elite few, with only 3,200 passing accreditation in the U.S. and Canad
• AAHA accreditation is recognized as the standard of veterinary excellence

MEDIA CONTACT: 813-774-4313

WFLA News Channel 8 weighs in on the controversial program.

Donor Privacy Policy

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is committed to the highest standards of ethics and integrity in all fundraising efforts and to maintaining donors’ privacy rights. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay will not sell, share, trade or give our donors’ personal or contact information to any non-affiliated organizations; nor send mailings on behalf of other organizations.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay collects and uses information about donors including name, address, phone number, email address and mailing preferences. In addition, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay keeps a record of each donor’s giving history. This information is kept on file for IRS purposes and is also used by the Development Department to analyze overall giving patterns in order to make more accurate budget projections and plan for the future of our organization.

Information on donors is password protected and may only be accessed by individuals who need such information to perform their assigned duties for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. This includes individuals or companies who prepare mailings, work in a fundraising capacity for the organization, or prepare budgets and tax accountings.

To publicly recognize and thank donors for their generosity, The Humane Society of Tampa Bay publishes an annual report that includes a list of donors’ names in qualifying annual giving society levels. Any donor wishing to remain anonymous in the annual report should notify the Humane Society of Tampa Bay at the time of the gift.

Refund/Return Policy

Donations are normally non- refundable but if you have made an error in making your donation or change your mind about contributing to our organization please contact us at 813.774.4306. Refunds are returned using the original method of payment, except cash donations will be returned via check. If you made your donation by credit card, your refund will be credited to that same credit card.

We offer free exchanges and returns for store credit within 30 days of purchase.  You can return your item for store credit or exchange for an item of the same price.

Please note the following exceptions to our return and refund policy:

• Discounted items are final and cannot be returned or exchanged
• Returned items must have tags still on and be returned in original, saleable condition
• Returned/Exchanged items must have no visible signs of wear or use

For returns, exchanges, or questions, please contact: communications@humanesocietytampa.org

Please allow 5 business days from the date of receipt to process returns for store credit and exchanges

Unless the return is due to our error (such as an incorrect product being shipped), the customer is responsible for return postage. Return all items to us at the following address:

Humane Society of Tampa Bay

Attn: Retail Store Returns

3607 N. Armenia Ave.

Tampa, FL 33607

 

Please retain proof of mailing in case your returned item is lost or damaged.

Al Lopez Park

• 4810 N Himes Ave.
• Tampa, FL 33614
• Hourse: Daily, Sunrise – 9pm
• Cost: $0
• Pets welcome on-leash in regular park
• Pets welcome off-leash in two, fenced dog parks
• Dog parks include separate area for small dogs
• Fenced, doubled gated entry, disposal bags, trash cans, doggie fountains, agility equipment, shade, benches
• Information

Apollo Beach Dog Park & Skate Park

• 664 Golf & Sea Blvd.
• Apollo Beach, FL 33572
• Separate areas for large & small dogs
• Agility equipment (large dog area only): weave poles, concrete tunnels, concrete jumps
• Pavilion with seating and water station for the dogs
• Information

Carolyn Meeker Dog Park

• 122 1st Ave. SW
• Lutz, FL 33548
• Telephone: (813) 635-3500
• lutzdogpark.weebly.com
• Daily dawn-dusk. Fenced, 2 acres, 2 parking areas, large and small dog areas, nature trail, double-gated entry, water, disposal bags, trash cans, benches, shade trees, restrooms, handicapped accessible.

Curtis Hixon Dog Park

• 600 N. Ashley Dr.
• Daily dawn- 10pm.
• Fenced, drinking water, disposal bags, trash cans, agility equipment, no separate small dog area or shaded areas, drinking water, and artificial turf (no shade).

Davis Islands Dog Park

• 1002 Severn St.
• Daily dawn-dusk.
• Fenced, with two areas at the south end of the island: a 1-acre dry area and a 1.5-acre beach with more than 200 feet of waterfront. Both areas have double-gated entries, disposal bags, trash cans and water. Designated off-leash area on the beach.

Gadsden Park

• 6901 S. MacDill Ave., southwest corner of the grounds
• Daily dawn-dusk.
• Fenced, 1 acre, double-gated entry, water, disposal bags, trash cans, benches, tables, shade trees.

Giddens Park

• 5202 N. 12th St. Daily dawn-dusk.
• Fenced, 1 acre, double-gated entry, drinking fountains for dogs and people, disposal bags, trash cans, benches, tables, shade trees.

James Urbanski Dog Park at Al Lopez Park

• 4810 N. Himes Ave.
• Daily dawn-dusk.
• Fenced, separate area for small dogs, double-gated entry, disposal bags, trash cans, benches, tables, shade trees.

Mango Dog Park

• 11717 Clay Pit Road, Seffner, FL
• Sun-up to 9 pm, Closes at noon on Wed
• Fenced, separate small dog area, drinking fountains, shade structures, tables, puppy pools, and a doggy rinse station. Friends of Mango Dog Park are a local community based group that support this dog park.

Ott’s Off Leash Dog Sanctuary

• 2109 S.E. 3rd Avenue, Ruskin, FL 33570
• Thursday – Sunday, 7:30am to Sunset
• Fenced, more than 3.75 acres of natural beauty.
• More Information

Palma Ceia Park

• 2200 Marti St.
• Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-dusk or 7:15 p.m. (whichever is earlier), Sat.-Sun. 9 a.m.-dusk or 7:15 p.m. (whichever is earlier).
• Fenced, acre, double-gated entry, disposal bags, trash cans, benches, tables, shade trees.

Picnic Island Park

• 7409 Picnic Island Blvd.
• Daily dawn-dusk.
• Fenced, double-gated entry, disposal bags, trash cans, benches, tables, shade trees. Designated off-leash area on beach.

Rowlett Park

• 2401 E. Yukon St.
• Daily dawn-dusk.
• Fenced, 1.75 acre, double-gated entry, disposal bags, trash cans, benches, tables, shade trees, separate areas for large and small dogs, agility equipment.

West Park Dog Park

• 6402 N. Occident St.
• Daily dawn- 10pm.
• Fenced, double-gated entry, disposal bags, separate small dog area, benches, tubs of water so the dogs can cool off, trees, patios for shade, and drinking water.

Do you know of a park that isn’t listed? Email us at communications@humanesocietytampa.org

We all love to celebrate Halloween with spooky decorations, crazy costumes and tantalizing treats. While enjoying all the holiday has to offer, make sure your pets stay healthy and safe with these tips:
NO TRICKS, NO TREATS! While it might be tempting to share your cauldron of candy with your furry friends, remember that many substances in the confections can be toxic to pets. Chocolate, dark and baker’s in particular, is dangerous to both cats and dogs. Many candies also contain Xylitol, an artificial sweetener that can prove hazardous to pets. So, skip the sweet treats and give them extra hugs and kisses instead. If you do suspect that your pet has ingested something poisonous, call your veterinarian, an emergency veterinary clinic or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately.

GUARD THE GOURDS Although fall decorations such as pumpkins, hay and corn aren’t toxic per se, they can cause tummy upset and intestinal blockage if consumed. So, keep decorations away from curious canines and cats.
WATCH FOR WIRES Lights and moving lawn figures sure make for a spooky scene, but exposed electrical wires are a definite hazard to our four-legged friends. Chewing on wires can cause burns and even electrical shock, so make sure any wires are kept out of reach!
LOSE THE LANTERNS We’re all for Jack-O-Lanterns, but using real candles to light those ghoulish grins isn’t just a fire hazard. Playful pets who knock over flickering flames could easily get burned. Try battery powered candles instead!
BE COSTUME CONSCIOUS Dressing up is lots of fun for us two-leggers, but many pets find costumes stressful. If your pets don’t enjoy the experience, please just let them be their beautiful, unadorned selves. If you DO have pets who love to don a disguise, make sure that it fits well and doesn’t restrict their movement or ability to breathe, meow or bark. Also, be sure to remove any small, dangling parts that can be chewed off or become dangerously entangled.
DITCH DOOR DUTY Many of our pets love to greet visitors while others strive to keep them at bay. Whether your pet likes to welcome or deter, it’s probably best to keep them away from the door as trick-or-treaters canvas the neighborhood. Not only can the barrage of strangers cause stress and confusion, but frequent door opening gives frightened or overly excited pets the perfect opportunity to bolt and become lost. Keep your pets in another room for the evening and supply them with plenty of comfy bedding, toys and water to make their “time out” pleasant and comfortable.
ALWAYS ID Pets should ALWAYS be properly identified with microchips, collars and tags. If they should become lost, these simple and inexpensive measures can make the difference in keeping them out of the shelter and in your arms!

The following is a response to the article titled “While in-state dogs and cats die, groups rescue from out of state” posted at Examiner.com on June 9, 2015 by Pamela Kramer as well as to those individuals criticizing our Transfer Program through social media.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay (HSTB) is currently being criticized by groups and individuals who question our practice of transferring out-of-state puppies and small dogs into our facility while local animals (Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center, HCPRC) are slated to be euthanized at the county shelter due to lack of space.
Much of the information being shared by these critics is untrue and the result of individuals jumping to conclusions without knowing the full story.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay should not be blamed and criticized for pet euthanasia in this county. The blame for this tragic reality should be placed on irresponsible pet owners who do not spay/neuter their pets or abandon their pets at shelters when they are no longer convenient to care for. *Please note: there are legitimate reasons why some owners have to surrender their pets to shelters. We understand and respect those reasons and are here to help when those unfortunate circumstances arise.
We offer the following points in rebuttal to the accusations we have received thus far:
1. “Why does HSTB take animals from out-of-state when local animals are dying in shelters?”
a. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay takes SMALL DOGS AND PUPPIES from Out-of-State facilities when room allows. Most of the dogs dying in local shelters are large breed dogs, particularly pit bulls. We are notified every day by the county of animals on their euthanasia list and help when we are able. HSTB has limited kennel space for large dogs. We can house 25 large dogs at a time while we can house 125 small dogs and puppies. Our large kennels are normally at 100% capacity as we receive large dogs from the following LOCAL sources: owner surrender, strays and local county facilities such as Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Polk County, Highlands County and Manatee County. IN OTHER WORDS, THE DOGS WE ARE TAKING FROM OUT-OF-STATE ARE NOT TAKING AWAY KENNEL SPACE FROM THE ANIMALS ON LOCAL EUTHANASIA LISTS (large dogs needing large runs). Why should our small cages, that we can’t fill locally, sit empty while puppies and small dogs are dying in other states?
b. WE DO NOT TAKE CATS FROM OUT-OF-STATE, only from owner surrenders, strays and local county facilities. We, like all other rescues and shelters, are inundated with cats. Currently, in addition to the cats in our shelter, we have approximately 125 out in foster homes. If we are unable to take a cat from HCPRC it is simply because we don’t have room to house or foster them.
c. We take local animals, 7 days a week, from owners who surrender their pets to us. More than half of our animals come directly from the public in the form of owner surrenders.
d. We take local animals, 7 days a week, through the acceptance of strays. In November 2014, The Humane Society of Tampa Bay and Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center entered into an arrangement to begin taking in strays and holding them at our facility rather than sending them to HCPRC. The aim was to reduce the intake at HCPRC so their animals would have more days to be adopted and they would be able to euthanize fewer pets. Here are the facts:

• i.

SINCE JANUARY 2015, THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY HAS TAKEN IN 880 STRAY ANIMALS.

• Of those 880 animals, only 118 have been transferred back to HCPRC due to either our lack of large kennel space or bite cases requiring quarantine with the county.

 

ii. According to HCPRC, we have reduced their intake by at least 500 animals since January.

2. “You want them [out-of-state puppies] for profit. You don’t care about the puppies in our shelters.”
a. WE ACTUALLY LOSE MONEY ON ADOPTIONS. We do not make a profit on ANY of our animals, large or small, baby or adult. And we DO NOT RECEIVE MONEY FOR TRANSFERS. We put an enormous amount of money into the medical care (including spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, blood work, X-Rays, microchips, medication, heartworm treatment, etc.) housing, feeding and enrichment of our animals- we do not make that money back when they are adopted. However, finding homes for animals is what we are all about and we gladly pay for their care while they are with us. Even though we don’t make any money on their adoptions, we celebrate each time an animal goes home.
b. CHARITY NAVIGATOR HAS RATED US A 4-STAR CHARITY (HIGHEST RATING) FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS. This shows that we are committed to fiscal responsibility and transparency. 89% of annual monies received goes to our Programs and Services- our animals- which we do not make profit from.
c. Our local county shelters, HCPRC in particular, have ramped up their adoption programs to the point that they very rarely have puppies available for us. The public wants puppies and we want them to go to shelters, rather than puppy mills, to get them. THE ANIMALS BEING EUTHANIZED FOR SPACE AT HCPRC ARE NOT PUPPIES, THEY ARE CATS AND LARGE ADULT DOGS. When HCPRC has puppies in need of transfer, we take them. We also take nursing mothers and their litters from Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Highlands and Manatee Counties when needed.
d. We have already addressed in Point 1 that we take as many large adult dogs as we are able from owner surrender, strays and local county facilities. We can only house 25 at a time making our ability to help limited.
Finally, we’d like to reiterate a point: the animals we are transferring from out-of-state are coming from facilities that will euthanize them if other organizations cannot take them. These are healthy puppies and small dogs that deserve to live just as much as the large dogs and adult cats inundating our shelters in Tampa Bay. We save as many lives as we can. We are deeply saddened that we cannot help every animal in need. Our intake staff have very difficult and emotional jobs and are often heartbroken about the animals we have to turn away. Again, pet overpopulation and euthanasia is not our fault. It isn’t HCPRC’s fault and it isn’t the fault of rescue organizations or other county shelters. The fault lies with irresponsible pet owners. Until our community adopts a culture where pets are routinely sterilized and not seen as disposable, the tragedy of euthanasia for space will continue. We’ll be here to help as many as we can, for as long as we can. We hope you will support us in our efforts.