ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Gracie works at Pet Pal Animal Shelter in St. Pete. She does her daily check-ins that start in the medical ward, where dozens of dogs and cats receive care.
These are animals that could come be surrenders or come from animal services, and whether it's heartworm or kennel cough, this is where they get better before finding a new home.
“We put a lot of work in these animals and put a lot of love in them. And we don't want them to go back to anything bad,” Gracie said.
Gracie has overseen operations at Pet Pal for 11 years. She has even welcomed a few rescues into her home, and mostly spends time fostering.
“Some of our foster parents don't have any animals because they dedicate and devote their time and their home to fostering for us,” Gracie said.
It's a full house at Pet Pal, just like it is at many other Bay Area shelters. Gracie’s emphatic to cut down on shelter populations, which means more pets need to be spayed and neutered.
“We have to remember that, you know, there's a mission, and if we took every single animal and didn't have a place for it, we're not doing justice for the whole situation,” Gracie said.
But your heart can rest easy. Everyone here is doing just fine, thanks to people like Gracie.
Don’t forget to share your rescue dog or cat stories on the Tully’s Tails Facebook Page. We might even share it on Good Morning Tampa Bay.
