making tracks fall 2009

Newsletter of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay Fall 2009

Cats Fighting for Survival Page 3A Successful Tuxes and Tails Page 6Wellness Clinic Now Open 1 Heartworm Disease Page 12

InsIde ThIs Issue

Fighting for Survival...

Discarded like Trash...

Heather, Howie, Humphrey and Harriet waiting for a home.

Thin, hungry and infested with fleas.

Safe at The Humane Society of Tampa Bay

Making Tracks • Newsletter of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay

Sherry SilkExecutive Director

[email protected](813) 774-4309

Board of DirectorsPresident:

Holly O’Brien

Co-Vice Presidents:Curtis Brown

Joanne Spurlino

Treasurer:Audrey Hirst

Secretary:Cynthia Sarff

Mary BirrellTrenton H. Cotney

Tara HoodConnie Johnson

Linda ReitzJoanne Rice

Advisory Board:Victoria J. Alvarez, P.A.

Councilman John DingfelderCommissioner Rose Ferlita

Shelley Harper, D.V.M.Callum Hay, D.V.M.Dennis McCullough

Dominque MellowMelissa Mueller, D.V.M.

Karyn RinghaverBillie Valloreo

Bill Zingalie, D.V.M.

Editor:Lisa Knight

[email protected](813) 367-2078

Contributors:Sherry Silk

Pam BackerCathy BellatinBrandi BurketNancy McCallBen Moehnert

Dr. Terry Spencer

Layout & Design:DebraRobertsDesign,LLC.

Making Tracks is a newsletter published quarterly

free of charge to our donors by the Humane Society of

Tampa Bay located at 3607 N Armenia Ave, Tampa FL 33607 For further information please contact the Editor: Lisa Knight

813-367-2078

I really love cats. I share my home with several. Cats are in crisis in Florida and in most of the country. There are just too many and they are not valued by much of the public. Many people think they can move away and leave the cat behind to fend for himself. I guess they think that cats can hunt for their own food and will survive but many of them don’t. Case in point the kittens in the box on the front of the newsletter. When we arrived at the shelter, we found this box of sickly, thin kittens by our dumpster. Two of them had managed to get out of the box and wandered on to Armenia Avenue where they were struck by a car and killed. The remaining 4 were brought in to our shelter and nursed back to health by Jeanette Wilson, our Development Assistant. They have since been adopted in to great homes.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is passionate about all animals and many of our programs involve cats. We offer low cost spays and neuters for $40. We also have an aggressive trap/neuter/return program so that we sterilize trapped feral cats at a reduced price. We offer affordable shots at our Wellness clinic as well. We have a great adoption package and keep our adoption price low to do more adoptions. Yet cats still sit in our shelter for a long time because people can always find a “free cat” somewhere.

Last year over 16,000 cats were euthanized in our community. Millions more are euthanized in the country for being unwanted. We are trying to do our part to bring that number down. If you know of anyone who has a cat that isn’t sterilized, please send them our way. If you know someone who has feral or stray cats, have them check out our website for more information on feral cats. If you know of anyone looking to adopt and save a life, please send them to our shelter. Cats need all of our help to speak up and let the world know what wonderful, loving, funny creatures they are and how they can enrich our lives. They certainly enrich mine.

Sherry SilkExecutive Director

Letter from the Executive Director

By Pam Backer, Director of Shelter Operations

What do you say to someone that wants to give you 91,000 lbs of free cat litter but you have no place to store it, no forklift, no commercial truck to transport it and no driver to drive the large truck? Well, when you’re an animal shelter taking in thousands of cats and kittens each year while surviving on a very tight budget, you say…..”How soon can we have it”? When Nestle Purina called us with this incredible offer we jumped at the chance but had to figure out for ourselves how to transport it. Transporting 42 pallets of litter is harder than it sounds.

91,000 Pounds of Cat Litter Donated to HSTB!!

Continued on page 4


Fighting to Survive...By Sherry Silk, Executive Director

Many people never see them, but true animal lovers know they’re out there. It’s estimated there are over 200,000 homeless cats living among the streets, back alleys and woods of Hillsborough County. Every day is a struggle to survive as they face starvation, disease, automobiles and people with bad intentions. Many of these cats were once someone’s pet. Once loved, now discarded as trash, they are left to fend for themselves.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is well aware of the plight that cats face in Hillsborough County. Of the estimated 22,000 animals euthanized in our community during 2008, 16,000 were cats.

What can be done to help the cats in our community?

First, as a community we MUST change our mentality towards discarding cats. It is illegal to abandon ANY animal in Hillsborough County!! While many people feel sad at the thought of abandoning a dog, many of those same people think nothing of abandoning a cat. It is against the law and if caught violators face up to a $5,000 fine.

Second, we must encourage all pet owners to spay or neuter their pets. An unaltered female cat living in a warm climate can have up to 4 litters of kittens per year and each of those litters can easily have 5 or 6 kittens. Unfortunately there are just not enough homes to adopt all of the unwanted cats and kittens. Spay/neutering pets is the only way to decrease the number of unwanted cats in our community. At The Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s spay/neuter clinic, a cat can be spayed/neutered for just $40.

Finally, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay encourages TNR (trap/neuter/return) for feral cats in our community. Experts estimate that approximately 75% of the kittens born in our country are born to feral cats. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s clinic offers low-cost spay/neuter for feral cats every Monday. If you need further information on sterilizing feral cats, please contact Petra Gearhart, TNR Coordinator, at 813-625-0910.

What YOU can do

If you’re reading this newsletter you are an animal lover. Please educate your friends, co-workers and neighbors about the plight of cats in our community, in the State of Florida and in the country. Cats are not to be discarded if they are no longer wanted. If you see someone abandoning a cat, please contact HCAS at 813-744-5660 and report them. And if you can talk someone into sterilizing their cat, you have just helped save countless lives!

Bruno was found as a stray, limping and in severe pain. After having his leg amputated at our Spay/Neuter Clinic and a period of healing, Bruno was adopted by a wonderful cat lover.

Lucky was abandoned outside by his owners. Some unkind people found him and dipped him in glue. Here he is after having the glue combed and shaved off by HSTB staff for over an hour.

One of the many feral cats waiting for surgery on Feral Cat Spay Day. No more kittens for her!


Fun Cat Facts For You and Your Cat…

Nestle-Purina – 91,000 lbs of Tidy Cat LitterMary Ann O’Donnell – Free Storage facility

Dave Backer – Coordinator and muscleRoy “Woody” Woodside – Driver

Ben Moehnert - Muscle

Sandy & Tom Roe – Warehouse SpaceT.J. Sill - Muscle

Tim Folkerth - MuscleArlene Alderman - Ryder Truck Rental

Since we received such a fabulous gift we felt it was only fair to share the wealth and gave 23 pallets of the litter to several local cat rescue groups. Finding homes for the thousands of cats in our community is a group effort and we believe in supporting them whenever we can!!

Special Thanks go to the following folks for their generosity and kindheartedness for makingthis happen over a long, arduous 2 day period:

A cat can jump FIVE TIMES as high as it is tall! But although cats are

pretty talented at landing on their feet, cats can get hurt from falling out of windows, balconies and porches.

Ø The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human. Ø A cat’s heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats per minute. Ø The oldest cat on record was Puss, from England, who died in 1939 just one day after her 36th birthday. Ø Give your cat a quality scratching post to deter her from scratching your furniture. Still scratching? Try putting lemon scent or orange scent on the area. Cats hate these smells. Ø Cats can see up to 120 feet away. Their peripheral vision is about 285 degrees. Ø Cats spend 30% of their waking hours grooming themselves. Cats always want to look their best! Ø The domestic cat is the only cat species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. All wild cats hold their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking. Ø Backward-pointing spikes on a cat’s tongue aid in their grooming. Ø Cats are more aggressive when they are not neutered or spayed. Another reason to have your kitty spayed or neutered! Ø Cat’s sense of smell is 14 times stronger than a human’s. That’s why they demand a clean litter box! Ø Cats only sweat from the pads of their paws. If your cat pants, it means he’s stressed or overheated. Ø A cat’s jaws cannot move sideways. To drink, a cat laps liquid from the underside of its tongue, rather than the top.

Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning

when they lost a beloved cat. A single pair of cats and their kittens can produce THOUSANDS of kittens!

PLEASE SPAY & NEUTER

91,000 Pounds of Cat Litter Donated to HSTB Continued from page2


By Sherry Silk, Executive Director

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay has broken ground on an exciting expansion project as we have totally outgrown our space!

As we continue to take animals from Animal Services and other open admission shelters to save more lives, we are finding we just don’t have enough cages. Therefore, we are turning the parking pad currently used for the MAC and van into an outdoor, covered kennel area for medium and large sized adult dogs.

Also, we are creating a cat-only ward. A cat holding ward will mean that cats no longer have to be housed with dogs, which is currently the best practice for shelters. This will dramatically reduce their stress levels. We will also have a separate cat sick ward for cats recovering from upper respiratory infection, etc.

Additionally, we will be removing the wall between our shelter surgery suite and one of our get acquainted rooms. This will allow us to expand our surgery area and add another surgery table so that our veterinarian can work between two tables, which will be more efficient and allow her to sterilize more shelter animals. The extra space will also help with storage.

Finally, two outdoor, enclosed, get acquainted areas will be added for dog visits outside of kennel two.

We are certain with these improvements and addition of kennels and cages, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay will be able to save even more animal lives. If you plan to visit us soon, please bear with us as we hope to have all of the expansion projects completed by the end of September.

Here We Grow Again…

A special thank you to Brad Spring of New Earthtones, Inc. for donating his time and services on our remodeling project!

By Sherry Silk, Executive Director

We Floridians love our pets. However, during these tough economic times, many people cannot afford to take their pets to their veterinarian for preventative care such as vaccinations or heartworm prevention. Florida shelters, including HSTB, get many pets turned in due to the economy and people not being able to afford to feed or provide medical care for their animal.

HSTB has once again initiated a program that will help people keep their pets. We have started a wellness clinic open every Saturday. The clinic is available by appointment (call our spay/neuter clinic at 813-870-3304 to schedule an appointment). Walk-ins are also accepted but expect to wait. There are package prices which include shots, deworming, and of course, a heartworm test. Prices range from $45 to $65 for the packages. If the heartworm test is negative, you can buy preventative to give to your dog each month to protect him from getting heartworms. The price for this preventative is less than $6.00 a month. We do this so that all dogs can be protected from this disease which kills thousands of dogs in Florida.

If your pet is sick or injured, you need to find a veterinarian. If you need preventative care for your pet at a very affordable price, please call our clinic to set up an appointment. You can also check our website for the various packages.

Checking in at the receptionist desk.

Dr. Yeruva listens to a patient’s heart.


Tuxes and Tails 2009

The seventh annual Tuxes and Tails “Star Studded Tails” was a great success, raising more than $170,000 for the animals. Guests made their way across the red carpet for this sold out “Star Studded Tails” event that included a sumptuous dinner, silent and live auction, a celebrity and pet fashion show and casino. Celebrities such as Stylez G. White and Greg Peterson from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers both hit the catwalk with their beloved pets Blitz and Mia. Five of the adorable adoptables and one fearless cat that walked the runway found their forever homes. We would like to recognize our masters of ceremony Cynthia Smoot and Russell Rhodes from Fox 13 for their continued support. A special thank you to our “Best in Show” sponsor Talk Fusion. Bob Reina, CEO of Talk Fusion surprised Sherry Silk, Executive Director of HSTB, with a $50,000 check that evening. Thank you to Tara Hood, Karyn Ringhaver, Danita Dickman and the entire “Star Studded Tails” committee for their hard work and dedication.

We would not be able to continue all the services that the Humane Society of Tampa Bay provides to our community without the help of so many wonderful supporters. Thank you to all of our sponsors:

“Best In Show”Talk Fusion

“Catwalk”Karyn and Lance Ringhaver

“Pretty Paws” Greg Gruendel and Holly O’Brien

“Bark of the Town” Glenn Rasmussen Fogarty & Hooker,

P.A.Tailored Pet Sitting

Urette Family Partnership, LTD.Tampa Palms Professional Center, LTD.

Fifth Third BankDowntown Dogs

Media SponsorsSt. Petersburg Times

tbt*Tampa Bay Metro

Wine SponsorsRemy Cointreau USA

Bacchus Wine

Décor SponsorGrand Events of Florida

Floral SponsorGrymes Cannon Floral Designs

Sherry Silk- Executive Director and Bob Reina, CEO Talk Fusion

Star Studded Tails Fashion Show

By Cathy Bellatin, Director of Special Events


Tuxes and Tails 2009

Cathy Bellatin- Special Events Director, Stylez G. White and Greg Peterson from

the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Linda McClintock and Rose Ferlita and with their best buddies Holly

and Murray.

In-Kind SponsorsPepin Hospitality CentreFlorida Casino Company

Corporate Table Sponsors:American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

(ASPCA)American Traditions by Tara, Inc.

Charles and Carol FunkDanita and Glenn Dickman

Downtown Dogs and JB Hanauer & Co. Comprehensive Wealth Management

John and Stacey JaebLewis Trading

Tampa Electric CompanyTara and Steve Hood

TomCatVeterinary Surgical Services and Hyde Park Veterinary Clinic

Wood Asset ManagementSubaru of America

Photography By:Tanya Sharkey Photography

Fashions by: Anthropologie, Brooks Brothers, Kits Well Heeled and Well

Dressed, Paradise Island Boutique, Tommy Bahama, Jules Burt Original and Downtown Dogs

Invitations, Program and Video:Talk Fusion


Thank You!So many groups and businesses help us with our mission. We couldn’t do so much for the animals without their help!

AMERIGROUP Community CareColumbia Restaurant

Dave BackerHoneywell

Mary Ann O’DonnellMemorial Middle School – Students of Sherry Reber

Nestle-PurinaPondscapes

Pooch Smooch Gourmet Dog TreatsRyder Truck Rental

Skipper’s SmokehouseBrad Spring

Tampa JayceesTaste of South Tampa

West Central Florida PBARoy “Woody” Woodside

Thank you to the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce for donating a portion of the proceeds from the 2009 Taste of South Tampa event held in April. We are grateful and fortunate to have the support of the Chamber and the Taste of South Tampa Committee.

In April of this year Pondscapes hosted an open house, donating proceeds to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. We would like to thank and recognize Pondscapes for their continued support. Donations from individuals and organizations like this are the key to keeping us up and running. We couldn’t do it without you!

Once again Skipper’s Smokehouse helped raise much needed funds for the animals by hosting the 13th Annual Scratch My Back Concert. Scott Peterson organizes this event every year for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay as a reminder not to leave pets in parked vehicles with no source of cool air. Thank you Skipper’s Smokehouse, Scott Peterson, The Third Band, Johnny G. Lyon Band, the Coo Coo Ca Choo Band, emcees Marti Ryan of Hillsborough County Animal Services and Steve Otto of the Tampa Tribune for making it a night to remember.

Thank you to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office for donating nearly 2 TONS of pet food to HSTB’s Food

Assistance Program!

Thank you to Tampa Jaycees and Pooch Smooch Gourmet Dog Treats

for their pet food drive donations.

Scratch My Back Concert held at Skipper’s Smokehouse.


“We are so thrilled to have Precious in our home! And I think she feels the same way! She has really come out of her shell....she comes to us looking to play and looking for loving. She gets along with my other two kitties, they play together a lot. When we sit and watch TV, I call her and she comes running to be petted. Her two favorite places in the house are in any window and on top of the six foot tall cat condo. She is such a happy loving little kitty that and loves to play! Thank you for allowing us to bring her into our home and our hearts!” Sincerely,The Aprils - Sandi, Eric, Starz, Peachz, Precious, and Soxie.

Successful Adoptions…

“On February 22, 2009 you helped us to adopt “Rosa”, a 3-month old lab-mix. (We re-named her “Lexi.”) Lexi is now almost 5 months old and has settled into her new home with our 8 yr old dog Griffin and our 5 yr old cat Layla. She’s doing very well with her house-training and has been remarkably non-destructive for a puppy (knock on wood). OK, so she still chases the cat...but we see how Layla taunts Lexi and we think she really enjoys the attention. We just wanted to share a few recent photos and to thank you for allowing Lexi to join our family.”

Regards,Leanne and Michael Flewelling

“I just adopted Harper last Wednesday and I wanted to send you a picture to show you how well he is fitting in. He loves the barn and all of the kids and horses. Like everything else so far, he welcomed the new environment with great enthusiasm. My husband has decided that my new puppy is his and everyone loves him to death. He is so smart that already he can sit and lay down. Thanks again for the wonderful addition to our family!”

Misty Smith

“Here’s kiki, kiboy, kilo...... formerly known as “Panhead”!! Thanks again for such a great facility with good animals, staff, and prices!!! I recall you guys had mentioned pictures were appreciated, so I figured I’d send some pictures to you guys again! I hope you enjoy!! Thanks a ton for our pal, my fiancée and I love him very much,”

Sincerely, Joseph Azersky and Maude Beaudry

Precious enjoying the view

Lexi looking to play

Harper and his favorite horse

Kiki and his new family. Note, the cat is not interested!


The Heartbreak of Heartworm Disease

By Dr. Terry Spencer, Humane Society of Tampa Bay Shelter Veterinarian

When a pet is diagnosed with heartworm disease, it is indeed a heartbreaking event. It can also become a wallet-breaking event. Wonder how you can prevent ever having to deal with this devastating disease? Here’s what you need to know.

Pets kept in Florida are at risk year-round for contracting heartworm disease. Both indoor and outdoor dogs, cats, and ferrets that are not kept on a monthly prevention will become infected with the parasite—in just a matter of months. Early in the disease process, pets will show no outward signs of infection. Months later, the disease will be fatal.

Pets should be tested every year for exposure to heartworm disease by undergoing a simple blood test performed in your veterinarian’s office. Your veterinarian will then prescribe a medication to give to your pet monthly to deworm the pet for heartworms as well as other parasites. The cost of the veterinary exam, blood test, and prescription might seem expensive. However, the cost of prevention is many times less than the cost of treatment. (Please see the article on our new wellness clinic).

Mosquitoes carry heartworm disease. When a mosquito feeds on the blood of an infected animal and then bites your pet—the microscopic larvae are transferred to your pet. The microscopic larvae then circulate throughout the blood stream, eventually lodging in the heart and lungs of the animal where they mature into long, spaghetti-like worms. Blood tests check for the presence of these adult worms. If a blood test is positive, then your veterinarian will initiate a treatment that must kill the worms living in the heart and lungs without causing further damage to the pet’s organs. The treatment can have life-threatening complications and will not reverse any damage already present at the time of diagnosis. Treatment is expensive. Prevention is relatively inexpensive.

Monthly preventions come in the form of pills, chewable treats, and liquids to apply to the skin. Preventions are designed to kill the microscopic larvae before they can mature into adult worms. Preventions just prevent. They are not a 100% guarantee that your pet will not become infected—just as getting a flu shot does not guarantee you will not later develop the flu. People sometimes forget to give a monthly prevention, or they are late in giving it, or they don’t realize that their pet is spitting out the pills behind the couch! That is why it is important for your veterinarian to annually retest your pet for exposure to this deadly disease.

Even if you are faithfully giving the prevention every month, have your pet retested annually. Some drug companies actually guarantee their products—so if you purchase the prescription regularly from your veterinarian and your pet later develops heartworm disease, the drug company might pay for the heartworm treatment.

Outside dogs are much more prone to mosquito bites.


Volunteer of the QuarterBy Ben Moehnert, Volunteer Coordinator

Our volunteer for this quarter is Spencer Bard. If you are a volunteer who is here often you probably know Spencer or have heard his name. Spencer volunteers for the shelter doing animal companion, adoptions, special events, visits and fostering. He is also heavily involved in the transition program at Hillsborough County Animal Services. Spencer has been with HSTB for a year and a half. In this time his passion for animals has grown immensely and he has started to make a huge difference for animals in Tampa Bay. Spencer quickly graduated to working with animals that were not up for adoption yet. He is especially gifted in working with animals that are fearful. We have seen animals that we didn’t think were adoptable go home with Spencer and come back as different dogs.

He has literally saved countless animal lives by opening up his home and his heart to give them a chance. He hasn’t had it easy by any stretch, and has lost some fosters that he was very attached to. He has come a long way and is still growing and learning everyday, and teaching us some as well. His motto is “Faith and Fun”. He says to have faith that volunteers and staff are making a difference and doing their best for the animals and to enjoy what we are able to do and celebrate the good stories and successes. Spencer is an inspiration that one person can make a difference. We are lucky to have him as a volunteer and so are the animals! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Spencer and keep up the good work.

Yorkies and more YorkiesIn June, if you were around a television set, you probably heard the stories of HCAS raiding 2 homes and confiscating 62 purebred yorkies. There was a mother and son who had a family owned breeding business. They were making money off the backs of these precious little dogs. They were in terrible, unsanitary conditions and many of them had untreated medical problems. Animal Services confiscated those dogs and there is a case pending. Once the dogs were stabilized, 13 of them were transferred to HSTB where they were medicated, sterilized and adopted in to homes. This is one more example of the wonderful working relationship between the two agencies!

Deplorable living conditions where the dogs were seized.(Photo used by permission from Hillsborough County

Animal Services)

Linda Cating takes “Sandy” home!

Dedicated to ending animal homelessness and providing

care and comfort for companion animals in need.

Humane Society of Tampa Bay

3607 N Armenia Ave.Tampa, FL 33607

(813) 876-7138

Adoption Hours:Sunday

Noon - 5:00p.m.MondayClosed

Tuesday & WednesdayNoon - 7:30p.m.

Thursday, Friday, SaturdayNoon - 5:00p.m.

Spay/Neuter ClinicMonday - Friday

7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.(813) 870-3304

Call for an appointment

August, 20093rd Annual Bark at the Ballpark

Saturday, August 29th at George M. Steinbrenner FieldBring your whole family, including your four-legged friends to the baseball game! Come a little early to visit the pet-friendly vendors from 5:30pm-7:00pm.

The Tampa Yankees game starts at 7:00pm.

September, 2009Columbia Restaurant Community Harvest

During the entire month of September Columbia Restaurant will donate a contribution equal to 5% of your bill to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay if you select us as the deserving organization. Locations: Flagship restaurant in Ybor City, St. Armands Circle

in Sarasota, the historic district in St. Augustine, The Pier in St. Petersburg, Sand Key in Clearwater Beach and in Central Florida’s town of Celebration.

September 26, 2009 from 9am – 1pmFree Shot Clinic

International Independent Showmen’s Association6915 Riverview Dr.

1,000 free vaccines available for cats and dogs in need.

Hyde Park Village Live Music SeriesWednesday, September 30th from 6p-9p

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is one of the benefiting charities for the great line-up of music acts in 2009.

October, 20098th Annual Pumpkin Patch at Hyde Park Village

Dates: Saturday, October 17th - Saturday, October 31st For three weeks, you will find plump pumpkins, decorations and pets in costumes. Hours are: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 5pm-8pm

Thursday and Friday: 12noon – 8pm Saturday: 10am-8pm and Sunday: 12noon-6pm

Pet Masquerade at the Pumpkin Patch Hyde Park Village

Date: October 24, 2008Registration begins at 10:00am and the contest begins at 10:30am. Prizes will be awarded for costumes in the following categories: most original, scariest and funniest.

November, 2009Hair of the Dog Part 5 at MacDinton’s

405 South Howard AvenueSunday, November 1, 2009 5:00pm-7:00pmCome join us as MacDinton’s goes to the dogs! Bring your four-legged best friends and enjoy an

afternoon of live music, drawings and great prizes at one of South Tampa’s best Irish Pubs!! Proceeds

benefit the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Pet Adoption ExpoFlorida State Fairgrounds

November 14, 2009 from 10am-4pmDozens of rescue groups with hundreds of adoptable animals looking for their fur-

ever homes! A great family event.

Calendar of Events

making tracks fall 2009

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