Tampa Bay shelter celebrates National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day with adoption specials

National adopt a shelter pet day

An adoption special is happening in honor of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day at Friends of Strays through the weekend. FOX 13's Kailey Tracy reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - As shelters across the country mark National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day Thursday, local shelters are offering adoption specials to help animals find permanent homes.

Local perspective:

Friends of Strays, a no-kill shelter in St. Petersburg, is offering an adoption special that runs Thursday through the weekend. The shelter is offering $25 off adoptions for adult cats and $50 off for adult dogs.

"We work with over 30 shelters throughout the state of Florida," Jessica Salmond, Communications and Marketing Director at Friends of Strays, said. "Florida happens to be one of the worst states in the country for euthanasia rates. So, it's important to us that we pull from those shelters who are at over capacity so we can prevent unneeded euthanasia as well."

File picture of shelter animal. 

The push for adoptions comes at a critical time for local animal welfare. Kennels across the Tampa Bay area have faced significant crowding in recent months, forcing some facilities to temporarily pause pet intake.

Advice for Adopters

Vets urge adopters to prioritize a patient transition, especially for those who already have pets at home.

Dr. Sue Yee Lim, an assistant professor at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, suggests if you have other pets, socialize the animals through closed doors initially.

File picture of shelter animal. 

This allows pets to smell and talk to one another without the risk of physical injury, she said.

What they're saying:

"Give them time to warm up to their new surroundings," Lim said.

She also noted that feeding pets while they are in a crate can help them associate the space with safety. For families with young children, experts emphasize the importance of understanding a pet's temperament before finalizing an adoption.

File picture of shelter animal. 

"Little children are sometimes very affectionate and want to give a big hug," Lim said. "Depending on past trauma that the pet could have, they may take it as, 'Are you attacking me?' So, supervision initially would be important."

"Whenever you're thinking about taking a new animal into your home, it's important to consider your current lifestyle and also just kind of whoever else is in your home, whether you have kids or other pets, to make sure that you find a good fit for both your lifestyle and the rest of your family," Salmond added.

Pets from organizations like Friends of Strays come already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and dewormed.

"When you adopt an animal for Friends of Strays, the benefit is that you are getting an animal who's already gotten all of those things and their adoption fee doesn't even cover most of those costs. So, you're not only saving a life, but you're getting a lot as part of that package," Salmond said.

Friends of Strays is open for adoptions from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.