Alternatives to Surrender

You Have Options

The Humane Society of Pinellas strives to keep animals in their loving homes, and because of our dedication to this mission, we have provided resources that may help pet owners remain united with their pets.

Navigating animal welfare information online can be intimidating. HSP can help guide you through all the assistance options Pinellas County has to offer. This page contains an abundance of information about pet-friendly housing, assistance during financial hardship, behavior training services, and more! Our goal is to reduce the number of pets surrendered to shelters in Pinellas County.

Behavior Concerns

If you’ve experienced behavior issues with your pet, all hope is not lost! At HSP we have a wonderful Behavior Helpline and several behavior help services to which we can direct you.


Financial Hardship Assistance

Affordable medical care can be difficult to find, but the Humane Society of Pinellas has low-cost options available for our community. Please visit our Pet Hospital pages for more information!

Please note, the Humane Society of Pinellas does not receive any government funding and relies solely on donations . While we can provide low-cost services and work with low-income families, we cannot provide free medical care.


pet food pantry – Pet Food Assistance

The Humane Society of Pinellas offers a free pet food program that may be able to help you with feeding your pet. There are also local pantries that can assist.The Humane Society of Pinellas manages a free Pet Food Pantry, which provides food to pet owners in need. While some owners need pet food on a short-term, emergency basis, we also provide pet food long term to individuals that may be unemployed, disabled or on government assistance. 


Senior Pet Connection PROGRAM

We want to keep our seniors with their pets too. Our Senior Pet Connection program helps our senior community members with feeding their pets and providing preventative and other veterinary care.


Housing Restrictions

A common reason for pet homelessness is related to moving and being unable to get pet-friendly housing. Many landlords and property managers do open their residences and communities to responsible pet caretakers. Please consider the following advice when seeking a lease or purchasing a property where pets are allowed:


Emergency Situations

We understand that emergency situations arise that can cause you to consider surrendering your pet to the Humane Society of Pinellas. The following information may answer some of your questions and guide you to your next steps.


Care for Life: Housing For My Pet When I Pass Away

Humane Society of Pinellas’ Care for Life program – plan for your pet in case you pass away – Call call 727-797-7722 ext 238 to speak to a member of our staff or email: [email protected].


Hold for Home: Emergency (Temporary) Boarding

We realize that sometimes emergencies occur that may prevent you from being able to care for your pet temporarily; however, your commitment to your pet prevents you from wanting to proceed with surrender. In certain circumstances, the Humane Society of Pinellas’ Hold for Home program is able to temporarily provide housing for these pets. Please note HSP is a very small facility with limited housing capacity, so we FREQUENTLY cannot accept pets for temporary boarding. Maximum length of boarding is seven (7) days. Alternative options should always be explored while your application is being reviewed.

Each application is evaluated by our Pet Resource Team and individuals must qualify for our Hold for Home Program. For more information, please contact our Pet Resource Office at 727-797-7722 ext. 232 or complete an application now.


Home to Home: Rehoming Your Pet

The Humane Society of Pinellas’ Home to Home Program provides an outlet to advertise your pet for rehoming. This program exists for individuals who are unable to surrender to the shelter because of any number of reasons, yet are open to keeping their pet in their home until someone can adopt them.

Out of Options?

We understand after even going through all the options, an animal surrender can be necessary. Contact us if you need to chat or continue on to our Pet Surrender page.

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