Bandit is a 1-year-old male tuxedo kitty. He is very sweet, friendly, gentle and loving. He gets along well with other cats. He is neutered and current with his vaccinations. For more information on adopting Bandit, call Pat at Second Chance for Strays, Inc. at 535-9154. Visit www.secondchanceforstrays.petfinder.com.
Duncan and Dudley
Duncan and Dudley are gray tabby brothers who were born in April 2003. They are very close and will need to be adopted together. They have been in a Save Our Strays foster home since mid-January and they are friendly, relaxed, and loving. Call Save Our Strays Inc. at 481-5262 for information on adopting Duncan and Dudley.
Deuce
Deuce is a handsome retriever mix who is not quite 1 year old, but quite a big boy. He loves to give kisses and speak. He is a sweetheart who loves other dogs and humans. He has a playful personality and a heart of gold. Adopt Deuce at the Humane Society of Pinellas, 3040 State Road 590 in Clearwater. Call 797-7722 or visit www.humanesocietyofpinellas.org.
Grace
Grace is a 5-year-old pit bull terrier mix who weighs 70 pounds. Even though she’s a big girl, she is very obedient to commands and easy to walk on a leash. Found as a stray, she’s looking for a new forever family. If you bring this article with you to Pinellas County Animal Services, Grace can be adopted for just $25. Animal Services is at 12450 Ulmerton Road in Largo. Call 582-2600 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/animalservices/.
Jazz
Jazz is a 1-year-old girl who has lived with both children and another cat. Jazz enjoys her quiet moments in her own special spot. If you are looking for a young cat to help become a loving, lifetime family member, come to the SPCA Tampa Bay and meet Jazz. The SPCA is at 9099 130th Ave. N. in Largo. Call 586-3591.
Abu
Abu is a 1 ½-year-old male tuxedo cat that is a playful, lap cat. His adorable personality and expressive face are sure to win your heart. Call Friends of Strays at 522-6566 or stop by the shelter at 2911 47th Ave. N. in St Petersburg. Visit www.friendsofstrays.com.
Foxy
Foxy is a very sweet and fun, 6-month-old tortoiseshell kitten that's everything you’d expect a kitten to be. She purrs as soon as you pick her up and if you ask her to play, she's more than happy to do that too. She's also a little escape artist who is so smart a little extra security had to be added to her cage to keep her from letting herself out to visit with everyone. Adopt Foxy at the Suncoast Animal League in Palm Harbor. Call 786-1330.
There’s a lot to be said for seniors. They are more calm, patient and even-tempered than the young. Perhaps more importantly, they are usually housebroken.
But despite their positive attributes, the older residents of Pinellas County Animal Services are less adoptable than the puppies and kittens that share the shelter space in the adoption center.
Until now.
The Senior-to-Senior Program was initiated at Animal Services three months ago with the goal of getting more mature animals adopted by matching them with pet owners who are at least 50 years old. This benefits both companions. The pet gets a home for the rest of its life, and the human gets an animal with a lifetime of love to give as well as the proven health benefits of pet ownership.
The program has proved successful at Pinellas County Animal Services: an average of two senior pets that are now being adopted each week.
Tyson Youts, who coordinates volunteers and adoptions at Animal Services, said the program started because of the difficulty of trying to get older pets adopted. He has seen firsthand that, despite their sweetness, older pets are harder to get adopted.
“Historically, older animals that are otherwise adoptable are turned away or euthanized by the majority of animal shelters,” he said. “This is the kind of thing that makes your heart ache at night.”
All of the participants in the Senior-to-Senior Program have age requirements: cats and small breed dogs must be 8 years old, large breed dogs, 6 years old, and humans in the program are at least 50 years old.
Save Our Strays, Inc. a no-kill, all-volunteer organization that finds homes for abandoned cats is dealing with a disposable cat dilemma; cats that have been adopted and now are being returned for any number of reasons. The organization is seeking volunteers willing to foster these displaced cats while they await their forever homes.
Foster participants must be able to drive, have their own transportation and be available for a home visit from a current volunteer prior to fostering. They are also looking for families that will provide a home for older cats that are likely not adoptable. In these cases, Save Our Strays pays for any required veterinary expenses.
CLEARWATER - The Clearwater annual Pet Festival is set for Saturday, March 24, in the Cleveland Street District downtown. Organizers are seeking submissions for the Coolest Pet Photo contest that will be announced at the festival.
The contest will award three people who submit the best photograph of their pets to a local photographer. The contest is sponsored by Rebecca Brittain Photography and is open for submissions through Monday, March 19, at midnight.
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