Q & A

 

Animals placed in our adoption program remain in the adoption program until they are placed into a new home. If an animal does not get placed into a home in two weeks, we call upon our "Adoption Partners". Many people would refer to an Adoption Partner as a Rescue Group. We feel that we have rescued the animals, want to place them into adoption, and sometimes need additional help by like minded groups. Because of this, we form a "partnership" on behalf of the adoptable animals so that together we may place all adoptables into homes. There are two ways that an adoption partner can remove an animal from this facility – either by transferring (at no charge) an animal that will not be going in to our adoption program, or by paying a small fee to adopt animals that have already been in our adoption program for more than two weeks. Transferred animals may have had no health care prior to their transfer, except for implanting a microchip. Adopted animals have had all medical care provided, including vaccines, sterilizations, heartworm treatments, microchip, etc. The Adoption Partner that transfers an animal at no charge must later provide us with proof that sterilization, vaccines and medical care will be provided before adopting out the animal. The nominal fee for an adoption usually represents a significant savings to most rescue groups, who always pay out-of-pocket for all medical care for any animals transferred from the shelter. No group is required to adopt animals from our program –the paperwork just asks for your help in moving or promoting animals in our adoption facility when possible. Some groups assist us by posting pictures of available animals on their own websites; others point potential adopters to our shelter if they know of someone interested; while a few groups are able to pay a small adoption fee.

Pasco County Parks and Recreation operates a dog park at Anclote Gulf Park, 2305 Baillies Bluff Road, Holiday and at Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes. The City of Zephyrhills has a dog park at Meadowood Loop and Alston Avenue. The City ofNew Port Richey operates a dog park in Meadows Park off of Larch Lane.

A county SART (State Agricultural Response Team) is a local multi-agency coordination group that provides critical support to local emergency management efforts. County SART members contribute vast community knowledge and expertise to all-hazard preparedness, planning, response, and recovery activities. Through a county-wide SART, our communities can more readily assess potential hazards, vulnerabilities, and resources. Animal Services organized the Pasco SART. For more information, visit www.flsart.org and www.sartusa.org

 

 

PART (Pasco Animal Response Team) is a group of volunteers willing to help with all aspects of animal-related emergencies under the direction of Pasco County Animal Services. Volunteers could be asked to assist by setting up and staffing Pasco County’s pet-friendly hurricane shelter, training to assist with animal search and rescue operations, educating citizens about the need for disaster planning for pets, or by aiding with mass evacuations of animals or any other animal-related tasks when needed. Animal Services organized PART and is working with other agencies to provide training/credentialing. To join PART or for more information, visit www.pascoart.googlepages.com or contact pascoanimalresponseteam@yahoo.com

 

"The Friends of Animal Services" is a not-for-profit organization of people who share a belief that a modern, well equipped domestic pet animal shelter is essential in our growing community. The group works together to enrich the resources of the Shelter for the benefit of the animals on behalf of all Pasco citizens through fundraising, volunteering, and advocacy efforts.  Visit the “Friends” web site at www.fpcas.org  or c ontact friendsofanimalservices@msn.com .

 

 

 

The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, via a program established in 1984, pays a $40.00 rebate to residents that have their dog sterilized by a participating veterinarian. The dog must have a current Pasco County license prior to being sterilized.

 

Pasco County Government operates one shelter:

Pasco County Animal Services
19640 Lake Patience Road
Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638

There are two private shelters in Pasco:

SPCA Suncoast
7734 Congress Street
New Port Richey, FL 34653

Humane Society of Pasco
14945 Harmon Drive
Hudson, FL 34610

 

Animal Control/Services agencies are usually government operated entities supported by taxpayer dollars. Animal Control agencies are "open admission" which means that they accept animals that may or may not be adoptable. Humane Societies and SPCA’s are privately run shelters supported by donations and may be "closed admission" which means they may not accept all animals to their shelter. Both government and private shelters operate adoption programs.

Because PCAS accepts all 12,000 of the dogs and cats that are brought to its doors every year, euthanasia is performed on some animals. Pasco, like most communities across the country, suffers from a pet overpopulation problem. Sadly, that puts PCAS in the category of "kill" shelters. However, based on the definition used by some "no kill" shelters, PCAS also fits the "no kill" category because our adoptable animals do not have a "time limit". We do not euthanize animals in adoption, however, there are animals that would fit the definition of adoptable and don’t make it into the program due to space limitations. The Adoption Partners help by transferring some of these animals into their own programs but still, there is not a place for all of them. The solution to this national tragedy is incredibly simple: If pet owners would have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered, the pet overpopulation problem would diminish at an astonishing rate.

Pasco County Animal Services is frequently contacted by citizen’s reporting there are problems with stray cats in their neighborhood. The below information provides options which are currently available to help eliminate stray cat problems in your neighborhood.

Pasco County does not currently have a cat leash or license law. There are no cat pick up services currently available. At this time, Pasco County has no ordinance requirements, funding or resources to patrol neighborhoods looking for stray cats. Thus, it is not illegal for a person to allow their cat to roam loose.

In an effort to assist citizens who might have stray cat problems, we developed a "self-help" program, where we loan humane cat traps and transfer cages to the public - free of charge.  These traps can be picked-up at the Animal Shelter in Land O’ Lakes. We recommend that folks call us first, before coming out to borrow a trap, to make sure the equipment is available. We would not want anyone to make the trip out here just to find out that all of the traps are loaned out. The shelter staff can be reached after 12 noon, Mondays through Saturdays, at any of the phone numbers listed below. Do not, however, come to get a trap to capture wildlife or to trap cats that you know have owners*. Wildlife problems are handled by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They can provide you with names and numbers of licensed wildlife trappers to assist you. Their phone number is 1-863-648-3203.

*If you are experiencing problems caused by owned cats, we suggest you discuss the issue with the cat owner, and request their help in resolving your problems. If these efforts fail, individuals have the option to privately litigate to resolve nuisances caused by another neighbor. If there are more than nine (9) cats owned by one individual, that person may be in violation of County Zoning laws. Contact the County Code Enforcement Office to report this type of violation.

Even though there are not any cat leash laws at this time, there are State Statutes and County Ordinances that require cat owners to have their cats vaccinated against rabies. We will investigate reports of violations of these laws. To report a violation, you would need to call our office and provide our staff with your name and address, as well as the name and address of the cat owners.

If you are a person who is feeding "stray" cats, you can be held responsible for them. As the "owner, harborer or keeper" of an animal, you are responsible for compliance with these local and State laws and can be charged for failure to comply. If you have been feeding "stray" cats, but do not want to be held legally responsible for them, we urge you to consider finding homes for the cats, or bring them to a shelter or rescue organization.

 

Pasco Animal Services shelter receives over 6,000 cats per year, which are mostly brought to us by private citizens. Pasco Animal Services shelter is the only "Open Admissions" shelter in the County - which means we do not pick and choose which dogs and cats we will help. We accept them all, sick, healthy, friendly, feral, injured and aggressive. We do not turn people away at our doors, nor do we refuse to accept animals because we are "full". There is no charge for a citizen to turn in animals at our shelter.

Animal Services may occasionally pick up a cat, but under very specific, limited circumstances. If a stray cat has been seriously injured, such as being hit by a car, for humanitarian purposes we will render aid. If any cat has bitten or scratched someone, we will get involved for public health and safety concerns. Staff will try and locate the animal and place it in quarantine confinement, so the human victim will not have to under go rabies shots. We will also investigate cruelty to animal’s complaints dealing with cats.  Call our office to report these types of situations.