Animal Shelter Celebrates New Schedule With Yappy Hour Event

On Thursday, Nov. 1, Hillsborough County Animal Services will kick off  “Newvember”and its new 10-7-7 schedule for shelter hours with a festive Yappy Hour from 5 to 7 p.m. at its shelter on 440 N. Falkenburg Rd. in Tampa.

Yappy Hour patrons can talk with new Animal Services Director Ian Hallett about his vision for the department, meet shelter animals and enjoy some refreshments to celebrate the new shelter hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

The goal of 10-7-7 is to offer more shelter hours, which can lead to more pet adoptions, lost pet searches by owners and transfers of homeless animals to adoption partners. The new shelter hours will also also will give residents more opportunities to purchase pet registration tags, expedite vouchers for the county's low-cost spay/neuter voucher program, become a pet foster parent or volunteer to help shelter animals.

On Veterans Day Nov. 11, the shelter will be open and will offer all active and retired military members half-priced pet adoptions.

An orientation for volunteers interested in doing customer service work at the shelter will be held Nov. 14 at 5:30 p.m.

For those wishing to perform other volunteer duties, such as helping to bathe and groom animals, exercising dogs, helping with veterinary exams, taking photos of the pet for the website and escorting lost pets to their owners, an orientation is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 10 and Dec. 8 at 10 a.m.

To register, contact Terrie DiSalvo at disalvot@hillsboroughcounty.org or 813-612-8416.

Volunteers must be at least 16 years old. You must be 16 years old to volunteer. Minors must be accompanied to orientation by a parent or legal guardian. A volunteer application form can be found on the Friends of Hillsborough County Animal Services website.