The Humane Society of Manatee County

The mission of the Humane Society of Manatee County is to lead Manatee County in creating a No-Kill community where animals receive the compassion and respect they deserve.

Our programs are focused on prevention and retention and include: Low cost spay/neuter services, trap/neuter and return for feral cats, Pet Safety Net resources to help you care for and keep your pet, rescue and adoption of orphaned dogs and cats.

We are a community-based private non-profit organization that relies entirely upon donations to do our lifesaving work. Our funding comes from people like you. We receive no monies from any national organization or government entity.

Knucklehead's Big Adventure

Knucklehead was a rambunctious 5-month-old kitten who lived in Bradford County, Florida, not far from Gainesville. In other words, he lived no where near Bradenton. However, he thought a road trip might be fun. So, when a Manatee County construction company started a sidewalk project near his house in Keystone Heights, he somehow made his way into one of their trucks and traveled to Bradenton on Christmas Eve. His mother, Kelly Hagan, realized he was missing and frantically searched everywhere. She offered a reward, and flyers were distributed far and wide, but there was no sign of the wayward kitty. Meanwhile, Knucklehead found his way into a feral cat colony where food was plentiful, but the other cats were not so welcoming of a stranger. After more than a month the kitten was caught and brought to HSMC as part of the TNR (trap/neuter/return) program. Staff noticed a colllar and rabies tag on him, so they made a few phone calls. His happy yet astonished mom was thrilled to know her kitty was safe. She made the 5-hour journey the very next morning and had a happy reunion with the aptly named kitten. He had already been neutered, but now he has a microchip and received a long lecture from mom about taking rides from strangers.