Frequently Asked Questions
Listed below are some of our most frequently asked questions. If you don't see your question below, you can contact us via email or visit us on Facebook and send us a personal message. Please keep in mind we work full time jobs and can only check messages a couple times per week. If you have an urgent adoption or rescue inquiry for a cat on our page, please contact the shelter directly at [email protected]. Thank you!
1. Can you transport a cat to me to foster/adopt?
I'm sorry, we don't have the ability to transport. We don't actually take possession of the animals (except when we foster). We promote the cats on Facebook to help locate adopters and fosters. The shelter, as well as local rescues, all require fosters to be local, at least within 1-2 hrs drive of the shelter or rescue. The shelter and most local rescues require adoptions to be done in person. We're not aware of any local rescues who currently do long distance adoptions.
2. How do I adopt a cat on your page?
Thank you for wanting to adopt a shelter cat! The adoption fee is $20. That includes full vetting (spay/neuter, deworming, up to date on shots, FIV/FeLV testing), microchip with lifetime registration, and county registration. To adopt, simply visit the shelter to see all the animals available for adoption. There are many more cats and kittens at the shelter than we post on our page, so going in person is best. If you want to visit a specific cat on our page, bring the cat's ID# with you to the lobby and fill out an adoption application. Shelter contact information and hours are listed below:
Hillsborough County Pet Resources Center
440 N Falkenburg Rd
Tampa, FL 33619
(813) 744-5660
Open 7 days a week 10am-7pm
(Phones answered M-F 8am-5pm only)
To see a full list of adoptable animals currently at HC-PRC, you can also visit Pet Harbor at: http://www.petharbor.com/results.asp?searchtype=ADOPT&start=4&miles=20&shelterlist=%27HLLS%27&zip=&where=type_CAT&rows=10&samaritans=1&imgres=detail&grid=1
3. How do I become a shelter foster and what is the process?
Thank you for your interest in fostering! To save a specific cat or kitten already on the euth list, follow the instructions posted under their picture. For fostering information or to become a foster parent for the shelter (HC-PRC), email [email protected]. Out of county fosters are now being accepted! Medical care for fosters is provided for free by the shelter. Fosters provide food, litter, toys and love. New fosters will need to attend an orientation session, so please contact the shelter for dates/times.
The length of shelter fostering varies. Underweight kittens must be fostered until they reach 2 lbs and can go back to the shelter to be put up for adoption (including mom cat if they have a mom). Fosters get first choice at adoption if you would like to keep any of your fosters. Eligible "Ready To Go" cats at the shelter are already more than 2 lbs and can be fostered up to 60 days until adopted. You are not required to take them to the shelter's monthly adoption events, but you can attend if you want. If not adopted at the event, you would need to continue fostering the cat, because if you leave the cat at the shelter, they will go straight to the euthanasia list!
If you would prefer to foster through a rescue, contact one of the many wonderful local rescues in the Tampa Bay Area to get set up to foster. Different rescues provide varying degrees of support for their fosters in terms of food, litter and medical care (contact the rescue for details).
4. What is pledging and how does it work?
Pledges are promises by individuals to donate a specific amount of money to a 501c3 rescue partner if they save a specific cat. The way pledging works on our page is individuals post a comment on the kitty's main picture thread and state how much they are willing to pay to a 501c3 rescue if the cat is saved. Rescues often cannot pull cats unless they have financial assistance in the form of pledges. However, pledges do not guarantee a cat will be safe if a foster doesn't come forward.
If and when the cat is rescued, we will confirm the cat is safely out of the building and then post the pay-to information where pledges can be sent. UCTB does not collect pledges directly on behalf of the rescues, so it's important that donations be sent to the correct paypal address for the rescue. Only current 501c3 rescue partners with the shelter (HC-PRC) are eligible for pledges on our page. If an adopter or non-rescue partner saves the cat, pledges should not be paid. Instead, you may wish to apply the pledge to help save another cat in danger. (Note: Any unauthorized paypal posts will be deleted and repeat offenders banned. This rule helps protect the cats against individuals looking to make money off cats in danger of euthanasia.) Finally, since we are volunteers and don't have the resources to send private reminder messages, people pledging should find a way to track their pledges. Thank you!
5. How do I become a rescue partner?
Thank you for wanting to become a rescue partner! HC-PRC is VERY rescue friendly. The pull fee includes spay/neuter, vaccines, FIV/FeLV testing, microchip and county registration. Email the rescue coordinator at [email protected] for information on how to become a HC-PRC rescue partner. They will let you know what paperwork is required.
1. Can you transport a cat to me to foster/adopt?
I'm sorry, we don't have the ability to transport. We don't actually take possession of the animals (except when we foster). We promote the cats on Facebook to help locate adopters and fosters. The shelter, as well as local rescues, all require fosters to be local, at least within 1-2 hrs drive of the shelter or rescue. The shelter and most local rescues require adoptions to be done in person. We're not aware of any local rescues who currently do long distance adoptions.
2. How do I adopt a cat on your page?
Thank you for wanting to adopt a shelter cat! The adoption fee is $20. That includes full vetting (spay/neuter, deworming, up to date on shots, FIV/FeLV testing), microchip with lifetime registration, and county registration. To adopt, simply visit the shelter to see all the animals available for adoption. There are many more cats and kittens at the shelter than we post on our page, so going in person is best. If you want to visit a specific cat on our page, bring the cat's ID# with you to the lobby and fill out an adoption application. Shelter contact information and hours are listed below:
Hillsborough County Pet Resources Center
440 N Falkenburg Rd
Tampa, FL 33619
(813) 744-5660
Open 7 days a week 10am-7pm
(Phones answered M-F 8am-5pm only)
To see a full list of adoptable animals currently at HC-PRC, you can also visit Pet Harbor at: http://www.petharbor.com/results.asp?searchtype=ADOPT&start=4&miles=20&shelterlist=%27HLLS%27&zip=&where=type_CAT&rows=10&samaritans=1&imgres=detail&grid=1
3. How do I become a shelter foster and what is the process?
Thank you for your interest in fostering! To save a specific cat or kitten already on the euth list, follow the instructions posted under their picture. For fostering information or to become a foster parent for the shelter (HC-PRC), email [email protected]. Out of county fosters are now being accepted! Medical care for fosters is provided for free by the shelter. Fosters provide food, litter, toys and love. New fosters will need to attend an orientation session, so please contact the shelter for dates/times.
The length of shelter fostering varies. Underweight kittens must be fostered until they reach 2 lbs and can go back to the shelter to be put up for adoption (including mom cat if they have a mom). Fosters get first choice at adoption if you would like to keep any of your fosters. Eligible "Ready To Go" cats at the shelter are already more than 2 lbs and can be fostered up to 60 days until adopted. You are not required to take them to the shelter's monthly adoption events, but you can attend if you want. If not adopted at the event, you would need to continue fostering the cat, because if you leave the cat at the shelter, they will go straight to the euthanasia list!
If you would prefer to foster through a rescue, contact one of the many wonderful local rescues in the Tampa Bay Area to get set up to foster. Different rescues provide varying degrees of support for their fosters in terms of food, litter and medical care (contact the rescue for details).
4. What is pledging and how does it work?
Pledges are promises by individuals to donate a specific amount of money to a 501c3 rescue partner if they save a specific cat. The way pledging works on our page is individuals post a comment on the kitty's main picture thread and state how much they are willing to pay to a 501c3 rescue if the cat is saved. Rescues often cannot pull cats unless they have financial assistance in the form of pledges. However, pledges do not guarantee a cat will be safe if a foster doesn't come forward.
If and when the cat is rescued, we will confirm the cat is safely out of the building and then post the pay-to information where pledges can be sent. UCTB does not collect pledges directly on behalf of the rescues, so it's important that donations be sent to the correct paypal address for the rescue. Only current 501c3 rescue partners with the shelter (HC-PRC) are eligible for pledges on our page. If an adopter or non-rescue partner saves the cat, pledges should not be paid. Instead, you may wish to apply the pledge to help save another cat in danger. (Note: Any unauthorized paypal posts will be deleted and repeat offenders banned. This rule helps protect the cats against individuals looking to make money off cats in danger of euthanasia.) Finally, since we are volunteers and don't have the resources to send private reminder messages, people pledging should find a way to track their pledges. Thank you!
5. How do I become a rescue partner?
Thank you for wanting to become a rescue partner! HC-PRC is VERY rescue friendly. The pull fee includes spay/neuter, vaccines, FIV/FeLV testing, microchip and county registration. Email the rescue coordinator at [email protected] for information on how to become a HC-PRC rescue partner. They will let you know what paperwork is required.
