Can you imagine being shoved out of a car window and abandoned on the side of the road as a baby? At just 8 weeks old, three pointer/hound mix puppies were thrown from a moving car onto a dead-end street off Bearss Ave in Tampa late in the night on Wednesday, February 21, reports the Humane Society of Tampa Bay (HSTB). All three puppies survived the initial impact; however, a second car ran over and killed one of the puppies, a mostly white male. The HSTB decided to name him Paolo, which means humble and small. The other two, a male and a female with brown spotted coats, were named Luke and Leia. The surviving siblings remained with Paolo through the night until a local found them and called the HSTB onto the scene. Once rescued, Luke and Leia were assessed by the HSTB medical team, which found several broken bones and other minor injuries between the two. Medical care for Luke and Leia is currently ongoing, and they will likely be up for adoption once they have healed from the physical trauma. In an official statement, the HSTB expressed its dismay about this situation. What happened to these puppies is considered animal cruelty and is illegal in Florida. According to HSTB, violence committed against animals is often directly linked to an escalation to violence committed against other people. As such, the HSTB is offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who can provide any information that will lead to the arrest of the person responsible for the violence committed against Luke, Leia, and Paolo. If you have any information, the HSTB encourages that you reach out and call 813-625-0910 or email [email protected]. Even if you do not know anything about this incident, you can still help. The HSTB offers a wide array of opportunities to get involved. Long-term volunteering is ideal for those who want to regularly commit to volunteering for six months or longer. All ages are welcome, but anyone under 16 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Four hours of online and in person training must be completed prior to starting, but volunteers can earn service hours for work or school through this program. Short-term volunteering is a better option for those who only want to volunteer once or for less than six months. This program is only open to volunteers who are at least 16 years old. Minimal training is required beforehand, and this program can also be used to gain service hours. Group volunteering is available for up to 12 volunteers at a time from schools, local organizations, or corporate groups. Volunteers must be 16 years old or older, and they can earn service hours from this program as well. An enhanced experience, Teambuilding for Tails, is also available for groups. For kids, the HSTB also has a Teen Program, a volunteer camp, and camp counselor positions, all of which allow the young volunteers to acquire service hours. In addition, people who have to complete court appointed service hours are able to do so at the HSTB if they are 16 years old and over. A more involved alternative to volunteering is fostering, which allows you to take home and care for an animal that is not quite ready for adoption yet. Foster parents must be at least 18 years old, have an extra room in their home to keep the foster animal separate from other pets, and can accrue service hours for school or work. At this time, the HSTB reports that its cats and kittens have the greatest need for foster homes. Adoption is a step up from fostering and allows you to take the pet of your choosing home forever. The HSTB has a variety of adoptable pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Prices typically range from $20 to $250 depending on species and age, and adopters 65 years old and older receive a 50% discount on any adoption fee. If you still want to help but volunteering, fostering, and adopting are not for you, then donating is another option. You can donate once or on a recurring basis, leave special instructions or a note about your donation, and invite your employer to match your donation here. Furthermore, you can take your pet to the HSTB’s full-service Animal Hospital, also referred to as the Animal Health Center, for its veterinary needs from routine vaccinations to special surgeries. As of 2014, the Animal Health Center is Florida’s first accredited non-profit animal hospital, and it is open to the general public to treat private citizens’ pets in addition to homeless pets. Any profits made by the Animal Health Center go back into funding the HSTB’s mission. Visit the HSTB website here for further information on volunteering, fostering, adoptions, and donations, and more. Article by Ema Tibbetts
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