About Us
Welcome to the Humane Society of Manatee County where saving lives four paws at a time is our passion and commitment. In the year 2021, the Humane Society of Manatee County will reach a milestone of 50 years of providing exceptional care for the animals in our community.
The Humane Society of Manatee County is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit animal welfare organization that was originally formed in 1971, and today is considered the lead animal welfare agency in Manatee County. Humane Society of Manatee County operates a no-kill shelter, the Second Chance Adoption Center located at 2515 14th Street W., and a veterinary clinic / high volume spay and neuter clinic at 2415 14th Street W. in downtown Bradenton. Each year the Second Chance Adoption Center rehomes more than 800 dogs and cats through our comprehensive rehabilitation and adoption program. Many of the animals that enter our adoption program are medically challenged or have behavioral challenges. Each animal in our adoption center receives the highest quality care, medical care, and behavioral assessment and training to complete the rehabilitation process resulting in a successful adoption into a new loving home.
In September 2015, the Humane Society of Manatee County opened a 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art veterinary clinic and high-volume Humane Alliance Model spay and neuter clinic. Our veterinary clinic is open to the public by appointment and provides high-quality, low-to-moderate-cost veterinary care to ensure that this care is available to all cats and dogs in our community. The services available at the Humane Society of Manatee County Veterinary Clinic continue to expand to meet the growing needs of the animals in our community. In addition to the wellness services that have expanded beyond vaccines and basic exams, our clinic now offers diagnostic exams, heartworm testing, and treatment, dental assessment and treatment for both dogs and cats, digital radiography (x-ray), walk-in wellness, and vaccine clinics, and numerous surgical procedures. Current clinic clients can also purchase low-cost pet meds, flea, tick, and heartworm prevention online or at the clinic.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
Humane Society of Manatee County is committed to leading Manatee County in fostering compassion and respect for animals through care, education, and collaboration.
OUR FOUR CORE PROGRAMS
- Spay and neuter services to prevent the overpopulation of homeless animals and prevent the overcrowding of our community’s shelters are available at low-to-moderate cost, reduced rates, and in many instances at no cost.
- Adoptions services that include exceptional quality care and rehabilitation programs that result in adoption retention rates exceeding 98%.
- Pet retention programs provide a safety net for pet owners that includes a pet food bank, care, and emergency help referrals, and availability of low-to-moderate cost veterinary care.
- Trap–Neuter–Return (TNR) programs for Feral (free-roaming community cats) to provide spay and neuter services, vaccines, and microchips through a collaborative partnership with local animal welfare organizations including Gulf Shore Animal League (GSAL) and Manatee County Animal Services (MCAS).
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our philosophy is that the treatment of animals is a reflection of our community and therefore, we actively endorse the humane treatment of animals and responsible animal stewardship.
This idea of responsible pet stewardship is reflected in the management practices implemented here, and are, in fact, responsible ones reflecting excellent animal care in terms of medical treatment, behavioral assessment and modification, sheltering, and adoption programs. We are equally proud of our high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic and its trained and professional staff. Every program and service we offer is to help the community save the lives of homeless animals through our efforts and by working collaboratively with others in our community.
OUR VALUES
- Compassion: Understanding and empathizing with our community’s realities and exhibiting an authentic desire to provide care for a pet’s lifetime.
- Commitment: Intensely focused on the success of our adopters, pet owners, staff, volunteers, collaborative partners, and our community.
- Community: Providing high-quality veterinary care and educational support services to our community’s residents to ensure all animals have access to the medical care and support they deserve.