Hillsborough County PRC claims to be a “no kill” shelter, but the data and reports from volunteers tell a different story. Healthy, adoptable animals are reportedly being euthanized due to overcrowding, lack of resources, and facility limitations. Key Facts Live Outcomes Are Declining FY2020: 95% of animals left the shelter alive FY2025 YTD: 91% left alive Trend shows an increasing number of animals dying or being euthanized, despite the “no kill” claim. Euthanasia Numbers Are Rising August FY24: 55 animals euthanized August FY25: 68 animals euthanized Reports indicate that healthy, adoptable animals are scheduled for euthanasia. Owner Surrenders and Strays Are High Dogs surrendered: 62 → 107 (Aug-24 → Aug-25) Cats surrendered: 32 → 44 Over 1,500 strays YTD in FY25, adding pressure on the shelter. Rescue Transfers Are Increasing Animals are being sent to rescues, but live outcomes are still declining, showing resource or policy limitations. Why This Matters Shelter animals are reportedly living in kennels without functioning AC or proper heat mitigation. “No kill” should mean every healthy, treatable animal has a chance at life. Healthy animals are being euthanized not because of medical or behavioral necessity, but for space—something that can be addressed with proper planning and resources. Practical Solutions Temporarily halt intake for non-emergency, owner-surrendered animals. Use transportation budgets to transfer animals to other shelters, rescues, or foster networks. Prioritize emergency intake only (strays, injured, public-safety cases). Increase transparency: release weekly euthanasia logs with reason codes and budget allocation details. Support multiple sanctuary-style facilities instead of one large shelter: Smaller, distributed sanctuaries reduce overcrowding, stress, and disease spread. Animals can live in more home-like environments with individual care. This approach allows better use of existing resources, maximizes adoptions, and prevents unnecessary euthanasia. Building a second large shelter in 2027 is not a sufficient solution if current policies and resources are mismanaged. Key Point: These resources could fund transporting animals to multiple sanctuaries or rescue partners, avoiding unnecessary euthanasia. Moral and Ethical Imperative Humans facing emergencies often receive exceptions and alternative solutions. Animals, as sentient beings, deserve the same care, creativity, and commitment to life. PRC must align its policies with its “no kill” claim, ensuring that every healthy, adoptable animal is truly given a chance at life. Call to Action We are asking Hillsborough County to: Immediately implement temporary intake halts for non-emergency animals. Leverage existing transportation budgets to transfer animals safely. Develop multiple sanctuary-style facilities rather than relying solely on a single large shelter. Provide full transparency on euthanasia and budget allocations. Ensure humane shelter conditions, including functional AC and heat mitigation. Sign and share this petition to demand humane treatment, accountability, and a true no-kill commitment for all animals in PRC’s care. PRC Has the Resources Pet Resources’ FY25 budget includes ample funds for transportation: