A local shelter needs your help, as it is overflowing with furry friends who need forever homes.
Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center (PRC) is at record-breaking capacity for cats, and officials are urging the public to adopt, foster, donate or volunteer to help relieve the strain.
The shelter is designed to hold 56 cats, but is housing 352 as of Thursday – 628% over capacity.
Senior Program Coordinator Lauren Marshall hopes people who don’t plan on adopting will come in to visit the animals and fall in love with them.
“I’ve had people come in just to look and then take home a dog, take home a cat,” said Marshall.
If you can’t take a cat or dog home long-term, you can foster one.
“Take one for two weeks, three weeks, that opens up a kennel space for a stray coming from outside,” said Marshall.
The county-operated shelter is the only open-admissions facility in Hillsborough. They cannot turn away any animal brought to their doors, regardless of health condition, age, size or breed.
The overflowing cat population comes from stray drop-offs, owners surrendering kittens and hoarding cases. In one such event last month, the shelter took in 60 cats from a single home.
“We still have over 40 of them here,” said Marshall, who is allergic to cats herself. “They are friendly, they might be shy and shut down, but they like people interaction.”
The center has a “Working Cats” initiative that allows cats who may not thrive indoors to be adopted out for free or at reduced cost to outdoor environments where they can serve as natural mousers.
PRC houses dogs as well, which are at 140% capacity. If you can’t adopt, their “Adventure Tails” program allows you to take a dog out for a day of fun.
“Take them to a park downtown, to the Riverwalk, to go get a pup cup,” said Marshall.
The center’s adoption fees are waived through the rest of October.
You can visit the PRC Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 440 N. Falkenburg Rd., Tampa, FL 33619. To see adoptable animals with their medical and behavioral records, visit Adopt a Dog or Cat | Hillsborough County, FL.
