SPCA Tampa Bay Provides Community Resources for Pet Owners in Need
SPCA Tampa Bay has recently launched a community impact initiative to provide pet owners in Tampa Bay with new resources to assist in caring for their animals. Some of the community resources include pet food banks, vaccine clinics, and grooming clinics. The goal is to help pet owners who are experiencing financial hardship with pet care resources so they can keep their animals.
There are seven popular pet food banks throughout Pinellas County, three of which are run by SPCA Tampa Bay. Caring for your pet shouldn’t be a challenge and SPCA Tampa Bay is here to help. Pebbles Pet Food Bank is located on-site at SPCA Tampa Bay’s For-All shelter in Largo and is available to the public every Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. This pet food bank provides free pet food for dogs and cats to Pinellas County residents who need a bit of extra help feeding their furry family members.
“We offer free dog and cat food to members of the community who are in need of it. Our hope is that with the help of Pebbles Pet Food Bank we are able to help people to keep their pets during times of financial hardship,” explained Anita Rothenstreich, Receptionist at SPCA Tampa Bay.
SPCA Tampa Bay operates two additional pet food banks at other locations in Pinellas County. The first is located at Pasadena Community Church in St. Petersburg and operates from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. Community members should register with Pasadena Community Church to receive human and pet food on an as-needed basis. The second is the Paul Balle Memorial Pet Food Bank located at Hope Villages of America in Clearwater and operates during the first two Tuesdays of each month from 12:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Pinellas County residents must register with the human food pantry and are eligible to visit the pantry for human and pet food once a month.
“We are trying to provide pet food for as many folks as we possibly can through our network of pet food pantries in Pinellas County,” said Emily Bernhart, Mission Programs Manager at SPCA Tampa Bay. “It is becoming more and more expensive to take care of pets in Florida. Families can come to any of these three locations to get pet food from us, we have both wet and dry dog and cat food, along with treats and other goodies.”
In addition to the pet food banks, SPCA Tampa Bay is also providing community pet vaccine clinics for Tampa Bay area residents in need of pet health care assistance. The next clinic is scheduled for Saturday, July 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at SPCA Tampa Bay’s shelter in Largo and will provide low cost ($10 per) vaccines and microchips for dogs and cats. All fees will be waived with proof of government assistance. To skip the wait day-of, please register online at spcatampabay.org/vaccine-clinics. Space is limited and spots are available first come, first served.
SPCA Tampa Bay will be facilitating more low-cost pet vaccine clinics in the coming months, along with grooming clinics this fall. For a full list of SPCA Tampa Bay’s community resources, including all pet food bank locations, upcoming vaccine clinics, and more, visit spcatampabay.org/community-resources.
To view some video stories featuring SPCA Tampa Bay’s community resources, please visit https://www.youtube.com/@SPCATampaBay/videos.
For press inquiries, please contact Kristen Davis, Director of Marketing and Communications at 727-499-0370 or kdavis@spcatampabay.org.