I’m excited to share that I have started volunteering at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay to take photos of their adoptable animals. As you may already know, I got my start at the Humane Society of Broward County, which is where I first learned how to take picture of animals. This project was born because I really missed helping homeless animals find homes using photography and digital marketing. I knew I could use photography to educate around issues related to rescue, adoption and animal welfare.
Local Humane Societies are Not Affiliated with Each Other
What you may not realize, I know I didn’t, is that local Humane Societies are not affiliated with one another, nor are they governed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). There is no trademark on the name “Humane Society”, which means I could start the AGoldPhoto Humane Society if I wanted to.
Local Humane Societies are typically funded by private donations and grants, not by the government. I was just as surprised as you are. If you donate to the HSUS, your donation is not going to support local Humane Societies. I’m not saying you shouldn’t donate to HSUS, but if you want your local Humane Society to benefit from your donation, make sure you donate directly to them.
If you’re looking to give back, there are many ways to support your local animal shelter, even if you don’t do it monetarily. You may be surprised how easy it actually is.
Humane Society of Tampa Bay 2015 Statistics
- 7,402 animals saved
- 2,781 transfers from high euthanasia shelters
- 91% save rate
- 34,592 pets seen at the Animal Health Center
- 6,181 feral cats trapped, neutered, vaccinated & returned
- 14,429 spay/neuter surgeries for the public
- 1,528 free pet vaccinations given in disadvantaged neighborhoods
- 189,100 pounds of free pet food given away to keep pets in homes
- 55,000 volunteer hours given
Adoptable Animals from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay 5-21-16
Simba
