October Eat at Joe’s Invites Public to Smooch a Pooch

TAMPA, FL – Attendees of the next Eat at Joe’s event in downtown Tampa will be able to queue up for big, wet, sloppy kisses -- and maybe even take home the object of their affection.

On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Eat at Joe’s will be going to the dogs when the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center will present a doggie kissing booth at Joe Chillura Courthouse Square. All of the smooching pooches will be adoptable dogs from the Pet Resource Center.

The kissing booth is in honor of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. All the dogs at the event will be microchipped, vaccinated and spayed or neutered. The dogs will be in their booth from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eat at Joe’s lasts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Pet Resource Center, located at 440 N. Falkenburg Road, is the only open-admission facility in Hillsborough County. The center accepts any domestic animals regardless of breed, size or medical condition.

Services offered at the center include pet adoptions, pet fostering, spay and neuter voucher programs, shelter for lost pets and volunteer opportunities.

The Pet Resource Center was recently awarded a Maddie’s Hero Award for its programs to rescue and save lives of would-be pets. It was one of nine operations to be honored with the award this year and the only government-operated shelter to earn the honor.

Hillsborough County officials used the accompanying $10,000 grant to plant trees in a play area for animals outside the shelter.

The Pet Resource Center is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call (813) 744-5660 for more information or visit http://hillsboroughcounty.org/en/residents/animals-and-pets/pet-adoption/adopt-a-dog-or-cat to view online photos and details of adoptable dogs and cats.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham created the Eat at Joe’s lunchtime event to increase patronage in and around downtown Tampa’s Joe Chillura Courthouse Square at the corner of Pierce Street and Kennedy Boulevard. Downtown workers, residents and visitors are invited to bring their own lunch or buy it at a local restaurant or food truck, and enjoy a break in the park.

Image via Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center adoption page