HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Room is tight at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center. It’s why officials are desperate for people to come in and adopt or foster the animals.
Ashley Jones and her daughter came in Friday to adopt a dog, "I believe he’s going to be a great fit,” Jones said, after signing the paperwork.
He’s freed up a kennel for one of the other 340 dogs they have in their care right now.
"We have more dogs then we have space for,” said Lauryn Postiglione, the program coordinator at the center.
More than 40 of these dogs were freed up for adoption Friday after they were rescued from two separate animal abuse cases.
Of them, 19 were from a case last month where 61-year-old Esmond Peters was charged with 18 cases of improper confinement of dogs. The case is still ongoing, but all of those dogs were turned over to the resource center.
The other 23 dogs came from a case last month against 41-year-old Jarvis Lynch. He was charged with 23 counts of animal cruelty and five counts of baiting, breeding, owning or possessing animals for the purposes of fighting. All of those dogs were also turned over to the Pet Resource center.
"I can’t imagine how someone would do it, it’s very heartbreaking on all levels I mean they’re so innocent and friendly,” said Jones.
Postiglione says the dogs are resilient and happier than ever to be cared for.
"They’re very happy, they’re very loving animals and all they want is to be loved on,” she said.
All of the dogs are vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and micro-chipped and the resource center hopes folks will find it in there heart to adopt or even foster, so they can make room for more.
