VIDEO: Hedgehogs, Bearded Lizards, Mice and More Available for Adoption

The SPCA Tampa Bay has hundreds of exotic animals available for adoption, including many seized from an Oldsmar home earlier this month.

Some of the more than 300 animals seized from an Oldsmar home Jan. 6 are now available for adoption in Largo. The animals were discovered when Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call about a missing child. For about two weeks, the SPCA Tampa Bay in Largo has been caring for the exotic menagerie of around 340 animals, which has doubled its normal census. Now the hedgehogs, bearded dragons, geckos, hamsters, mice and rats are ready for adoption.  SPCA Tampa Bay CEO Martha Boden showed Hester the hedgehog to visitors Tuesday. She explained hedgehogs live alone but are quite social. They are nocturnal animals, so if you play with them during the day they may be a bit sluggish. They need a varied diet, which includes cat food…

• Photos (4)
• Videos (1)

300 Confiscated Animals Now at SPCA Shelter

The nonprofit SPCA Tampa Bay is putting the call out for supplies to help care for and shelter the menagerie of neglected animals that arrived from Oldsmar.

From a pair of Yorkies to three turtles and nine hedgehogs to 114 rats, the neglected animals confiscated from an Oldsmar home were given medical exams at the SPCA Tampa Bay shelter Tuesday. Their numbers keep growing, too, as some of the confiscated pets have since given birth to litters. SPCA officials don't remember ever receiving this many animals or this variety of animals at once. Rats, snakes, rabbits, hedgehogs, dogs: more and more animals seemed to appear in every corner at Largo's SPCA Tampa Bay. Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies found the animals while responding to an emergency call concerning a child missing in Oldsmar. It's like "a pet store. It sounds like that's what the family was doing, selling pets at flea markets... a …

• Photos (8)

Won't You Give This Wonderful Family Dog a Home?

This pretty gal already knows how to sit, shake, lie down and come when asked. She just needs a chance for a forever home.

Meet Wesson! Not only is she beautiful, she is smart as well! Wesson is a 4 and a half year old Pointer/Boxer mix with a lot of love to give. This pretty gal already knows sit, shake, lie down and come when she is asked. Wesson takes treats very gently and she is housetrained! Her favorite game of all-time is Fetch! She loves to chase her ball (especially if it squeaks) and will bring it right back to you dropping it gently at your feet while she sits, and waits for you to throw it again! She does very well with other dogs and children. Wesson is a bit shy at first, but once she warms up she will be ready to show you all the neat things she knows! Wesson will make a wonderful family dog, adopt her today for $75. Adoption fee includes spay …

• Photos (1)

Puppy Loses Leg After Severe Beatings

SPCA investigators are trying to find those responsible for beating five-month-old Beau. The puppy's leg was amputated in emergency surgery after it was was broken twice.

The SPCA is investigating a case of animal abuse involving a five-month old puppy beaten so severely that his skull was fractured twice. The puppy had a broken jaw, fractured ribs and his front leg was amputated in emergency surgery after it was broken twice. Animal officials say five-month-old Beau is recovering – and lucky to be alive. Now they are asking the public for help. The SPCA is hoping that anyone with information on the animal cruelty case will step forward. There is a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the suspect or suspects involved. The beatings took place in the neighborhood of 46th Street North and 57th Avenue North in St. Petersburg, according to the SPCA. The SPCA has had an open cruely…

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Rescue Me

How the Little Dog I Rescued Saved Me

I learned more about love and devotion from my battered little dog than anyone or anything else in my whole life.

Last week, I brought you a story about Murphy, a dog who was going to be put to sleep because of aggression. Luckily for Murphy, a gentleman was there, and he saw something in Murphy's eyes.  Years later, the gentleman needed Murphy as much as Murphy needed him the years before. The gentleman was nice enough to share the story of how he acquired Murphy, and how Murphy stood by his side during his time of need. This is their story. One fateful Christmas holiday weekend day, I was assisting with a tragic bird rescue at the SPCA Tampa Bay. They busted a bird breeder and seized over a hundred parrots that had been starved, abused and stuffed into small cages with no perches, food or water. We spent hours cleaning, rehabilitating, feeding and …

• Photos (1)

Rescue Me

From Dog-Fighting Bait to Rescue Pup

Murphy grew up under attack and was labeled too risky for adoption after he was taken in. But one SPCA volunteer saw potential for love in the frightened pup.

Murphy, a Rottweiler mix, was recently rescued and taken to SPCA Tampa Bay. He was a “bait” dog.   What is a bait dog? Well, in dog-fighting rings, the dogs do not start off fighting each other; they start off fighting dogs whose jaw power is not strong enough to hurt them. Murphy was one of those dogs. The fighting dogs would attack, bite and try to kill Murphy. The people who owned him could have cared less. All they cared about was making their dogs meaner so they would win fights. The sad thing is, those dogs were made to fight and be mean. Murphy was picked up and taken to the SPCA, but his fight for life wasn't over. The shelters do not have much room, so they do an aggression test on the dogs when they arrive. The process is …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (3)