(Furry) Babies in Need

I had an NPR Driveway Moment the other day as I pulled into the Humane Society parking lot. I was there bright and early to interview animal-loving volunteers on why they work away their lives for free.

The NPR story began with weekday host Steve Inskeep interviewing weekend host Scott Simon on his new book, Baby We Were Meant for Each Other.

The lives of both men have been touched by adoption, and Simon was choked up throughout most of the interview as he talked about his young daughters. (Part of the driveway moment experience, I think, is wiping away your own tears before interacting with humans outside of your vehicle.)

I immediately saw the juxtaposition of being at the animal shelter, and was anticipating the next 45 minutes of meeting and petting furry babies also up for adoption.

Animal lovers are dogged in their attachment to their pets. They care for their four-legged children as if they had given birth to them themselves.

Some important things I learned at the Humane Society:

• it's a no kill shelter, meaning unlike the county and other shelters, they do not euthanize to make room for more.
• there are plenty of small, pure breeds waiting to be adopted due to the recession.
• in an average year the shelter adopts out 5,000 dogs and cats. In this past year, they adopted out 7,000.

Click here to see free ranging kitties in the Human Society's "Real Life" room, courtesy of Fox 13's Kitty Cam.

Tampa Bay is blessed to have such a great shelter. Not only does it place all those animals into safe, loving homes, but they often have room to take animals ("literally out of time," according to volunteer coordinator Ben Moehnert) from the county shelter on Falkenburg, another kill shelter in Alabama, and as far away as Puerto Rico.

If you're interested in volunteering at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, check out their website or call volunteer coordinator Ben Moehnert at 774-4344.