Hillsborough Pet Resource Center Shelter Near Capacity

TAMPA, FL – While “kitten season” may sound to some like a great time of year, it’s a serious problem for animal shelters across the country. The Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center is no different.

The Pet Resource Center, located at 440 N. Falkenburg Road, is Hillsborough County’s only open admission facility. This means the shelter accepts dogs and cats, regardless of breed, size, age or medical condition.

The shelter’s population of dogs and cats historically rises in the spring, and the number of dogs, puppies, cats and kittens housed at the Pet Resource Center has been steadily rising since early April.

Hillsborough County has requested help from the community to adopt its shelter pets to reduce the overpopulation the Pet Resource Center has been dealing with this spring. The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week, and its roster of adoptable pets is available online at http://hcflgov.net/en/residents/animals-and-pets/pet-adoption/adopt-a-dog-or-cat.

As of Tuesday, May 16, the shelter’s dog kennels were at 98 percent capacity. Spring is also kitten season, when the shelter takes in dozens of cats and kittens each week during this time of year.

“Kitten season” is a phrase used throughout the shelter industry, based on the fact the majority of kittens are born during the warmer months of the year, according to Scott Trebatoski, director of the Pet Resource center. Trebatoski said shelters in Florida usually see this influx between April and August.

“More traditionally nationally it is April/May to June/July depending on the temperature – colder years have shorter ‘seasons’ in northern area,” he said. “Unfortunately in Florida we do not get cold enough to shorten our ‘kitten seasons.’ ”

Aside from the increased births in kittens, Trebatoski said there are a number of other factors that has caused the shelter’s overall population increase.

“There are a number of seasonal factors that take place,” he said, “beginning with lifestyle changes that also tend to take place during this time like moving, divorce and vacations. We have seen a marked increase in the number of pets dropped off by owners. The increase happens every year at some point during the spring or early summer.”

All of the shelter’s ready-to-go pets are $20 to adopt, which includes spaying or neutering, vaccinations, microchipping and registration.

Trebatoski said there were other ways Hillsborough County residents can help the Pet Resource Center aside from adopting an animal.

“We definitely need dry and wet dog and cat food, cat litter, plastic toys or other enrichment and Milk-Bone treats,” he said. “And of course, money helps us by some of the medications and other things that can’t be donated.”

Monetary donates can be made through the Hillsborough County Pet Resources Foundation at www.hcprfoundation.org.

The shelter is looking for pet foster parents, who help keep the shelter’s population down by housing adoptable pets at home. The volunteers also help give special care and attention to particularly vulnerable animals. For more information on the pet foster parent program, call (813) 744-5660.

For more information on the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center, visit http://hcflgov.net/en/residents/animals-and-pets.

Image via Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center Facebook page