TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s been one week since more than 300 dogs were seized from a Tampa breeding facility.
8 On Your Side visited the Pet Resource Center, whose staff is taking care of these dogs, to get an update Monday morning. We learned that some dogs are having medical issues that might require visits to a specialist, but the general population of the 300 plus seized animals is doing well.
“They seem to be really interacting more with staff that are cleaning and taking care of them. It’s a new kind of experience for them. They have beds in there,” said Lauryn Postiglione, program coordinator of the PRC.
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Postiglione confirmed to us that the number of dogs in their care is climbing.
“We’ve had some moms that have had puppies since they’ve come in to us, so our numbers have risen a little when it comes to that. But we did anticipate that so we are making sure to take care of them,” she said.
The moms and pups have their own “maternity ward,” keeping them separated from the rest of the large group of dogs. Other seized dogs in PRC care are also waiting to give birth.
Postiglione was happy to report the dogs are warming up to staff members and each other.
“Their tails are wagging. They get really excited when they see staff when they come to feed them and clean them. Before a lot of them would run away, now a lot of them will run up to you,” she said.
The Pet Resource Center is grateful for the community support, which isn’t just coming from the Tampa Bay area, but around the country.
“We’ve gotten donations of blankets and beds and toys, so they’re all starting to get more of those enrichment type items, things that you would have for your pet at home that they’ve never had, they are getting because of the wonderful donations from people,” Postiglione said.
After reports, including an 8 On Your Side report, about the overcrowding in the shelter’s general population, 60 dogs were adopted from the PRC the first day they were open last week.
Adoption numbers did dwindle in the following days; however, adoption fees are still waived on dogs and cats available in the facility.
Staff worked Monday to inventory 33 boxes of donations that had come in that morning. When that is complete, the shelter’s Amazon Wish List will be updated to reflect what is still needed.
In addition to monetary donations, Postiglione confirmed the shelter is always looking for dry dog food donations.
“If we can have people [who are] willing to donate all-natural food, right now I know we have a lot of Blue Buffalo people have sent in which is wonderful. But any type of dry food like that would be great, ‘cause we can make sure, that will just help us to make sure to keep feeding them a high-quality food like we do feed them now,” she said.
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