Friends of Strays, Inc.
Your Next Best Friend is Waiting
Our mission is to inspire compassion for all animals, provide shelter and humane care to those in need, and connect pets with loving families. We believe in creating a world where every adoptable animal finds a safe and permanent place to call home.
A Legacy of Compassion
Founded in 1978, Friends of Strays is St. Petersburg’s oldest no-kill animal shelter. We strive to create a better world for people and pets alike by focusing on life-saving programs that promote pet retention, community empowerment, and humane education.
How We Help
With thousands of animals entering our care annually, our dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure every pet receives love, medical attention, and the care they deserve. We operate two specialized locations: our cats are housed at The Cat Box at 3015 46th Ave. N, while our dogs reside at our headquarters at 2911 47th Ave. N. These facilities, supported by our foster network, allow us to provide individual care until each animal finds their perfect match.
Connecting Pets and People
Adoption is a wonderful experience, and we encourage you to keep an open mind—many of our adopters find that an animal chooses them! We prioritize thoughtful matches to ensure a happy, lifelong partnership between our animals and their new families. By bringing all members of your household to meet our residents, you help us make sure every adoption is the right fit for both the pet and the people who love them.
Join Our Mission
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, our success relies entirely on the generosity of friends like you. We invite you to visit our adoption centers Wednesday through Sunday, explore our adoptable pets online, or get involved through our many volunteer and community programs. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of animals who need us most.
- Efficient adoption process
- Community cat advocacy
- Operational friction regarding animal access
