Pets and Animals

Betty White Challenge: Hillsborough Pet Resource Center waiving adoption fees

Hillsborough County is waiving the adoption fees for 100 dogs and cats in honor of Betty White's legacy.

January 13, 2022 8:22am EST

Hernando deputies search for person who cinched zip-tie around dog's neck

Disturbing photos show the moments before and after Hernando County Animal Services removed a large white zip tie found tightly fastened around a dog's neck. Animal services found him after multiple Brooksville residents called to report what they saw.

January 12, 2022 11:24pm EST

Hillsborough County commissioners hold off on rabbit sales ban

A ban on retails sales of pet rabbits will not happen in Hillsborough County anytime soon, but commissioners agreed to move forward with a public education campaign, warning well-meaning pet owners of the responsibilities of pet rabbits.

January 12, 2022 10:44pm EST

Magawa, 'hero' rat who found over 100 land mines, dies in retirement

A “hero” rat named Magawa, who sniffed out over 100 land mines in Cambodia and saved countless lives in the process, has died.

January 12, 2022 11:07am EST

Bearded dragons: Salmonella outbreak in 25 states linked to pet lizards, CDC says

Bearded dragons have been linked to a Salmonella outbreak in 25 U.S. states, the CDC warned this week. Here’s what pet owners should know.

January 12, 2022 7:21am EST

Betty White Challenge: How to donate to animal shelters, organizations in her honor on Jan. 17

The Betty White Challenge is enlisting fans to honor the late actress on Jan. 17 — what would have been her 100th birthday — by donating to an animal shelter or rescue mission in her name.

January 10, 2022 9:00am EST

20 Yellowstone wolves killed by hunters after roaming from park

Hunters shot and killed a record number of Yellowstone National Park's renowned gray wolves that had roamed from the park in recent months.

January 8, 2022 4:38pm EST

New Hillsborough sheriff's K9 named after sergeant killed in line of duty

K9 Roy is named after Sergeant Brian LaVigne, taking the late sergeant's middle name. HCSO said their K9 unit named Roy together with the LaVigne family.

January 6, 2022 11:01am EST

Hound goes to forever home after being Tampa Humane Society's longest resident

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay says the average time a dog spends in the shelter before being adopted is about a week. But it took six long months for a six-year-old hound mix named Rover to find his forever home.

January 5, 2022 11:04pm EST

Pet owners resort to making cat food as supply chain issues leave shelves empty

For the finicky feline – and their humans – the problem is frustrating. Meanwhile, for the Tampa Bay Humane Society, it's becoming a concern.

January 5, 2022 5:57pm EST

Pope criticizes couples who adopt pets instead of children: 'a form of selfishness'

Pope Francis on Wednesday branded couples who adopt pets instead of children as "selfish" as part of a call to resolve the "demographic winter" that the West faces.

January 5, 2022 2:07pm EST

I-95 Virginia shutdown: Stranded drivers walk dogs, run out of food and water

“There are no people stranded still on I-95." the Virginia Department of Transportation tweeted Tuesday evening.

January 5, 2022 12:31pm EST

Dog escapes rollover wreckage to find help, leads cops back to injured owner on Vermont highway

When police in New Hampshire saw the dog on the highway, they initially thought she was lost -- but the pup kept trying to lead officers north. "The dog was trying to show them something," one officer said. "It was kind of, "Follow me, follow me." The hero dog ended up leading them to her owner's rollover crash.

January 5, 2022 9:51am EST