Friends of Strays, Inc.

Connecting Pets and People

Our mission is to inspire compassion for all animals, provide shelter and humane care to homeless animals, and promote adoptions and responsible pet guardianship in our community. We believe that animal companionship should be accessible to all, and we work every day to ensure there is a safe, loving home for every adoptable animal.

A Legacy of Care

Founded in 1978, Friends of Strays Animal Shelter is St. Petersburg’s oldest no-kill animal shelter. Over the decades, we have remained committed to our top priority: connecting animals in need of rescue with the people who will love them. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit that receives no government funding, our lifesaving success is only possible thanks to the dedicated support of friends like you.

Our Commitment to Every Animal

With thousands of cats and dogs entering our doors every year, our staff and volunteers provide the utmost love and care for every individual that comes into our custody. From expert medical attention upon intake to our life-saving programs like MEOW Now and our community pet food pantry, we strive to create a better world for pets and people. We focus on humane education, pet retention, and community empowerment to ensure our animals receive the second chance they deserve.

Find Your New Best Friend

Adopting a pet is a wonderful, life-changing experience, and we are here to help you find the right match for your family. We encourage adopters to visit us in person to meet our available animals, as many people find that an animal often picks them! We are dedicated to creating lasting bonds and helping every animal in our care transition smoothly into their new life.

Get Involved

Whether you are looking to adopt, volunteer your time, or support us through a gift, your involvement makes a tangible difference in the lives of animals. We invite you to explore our available pets online or visit us to begin your journey toward a new companionship.

Trust Assessment
GoldRated Nov 13, 2026
NonprofitVerifiedPhysical FacilityOperating 40+ years
Finances
Online Review Highlights
  • Friendly and helpful staff
  • Efficient adoption process
  • Operational friction regarding rehoming inquiries
Recent Videos

11/8 - The cats at Friends of Strays have been picking up new skills 🥊 while they wait for their purrfect person to come in and adopt them. Our karate kittens can’t wait to kick back🥋and relax in a house of their own. Come in and meet the newest addition to your family. They will surely sweep you off your feet! 🐾We’re open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday for adoptions.🐾 💚Cats are located at The Cat Box, 3015 46th Ave. N, St. Petersburg FL 33714. 💚 #adopt #stpetersburg #tampa #stpete

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11/7 - How Ethel Cain stole the hearts of Friends of Strays! 💚 This pure whimsical girl 🎩 would make any person’s heart grow 3 sizes with the amount of love and affection she adds into one’s life. ❤️❤️❤️ Ethel has enjoyed spending time with all our staff and wonderful volunteers like Amelia here, but she just knows her future family is waiting, so she’s ready to get on her way and see oh, the places she’ll go (with you)! 🌄🎈 🐾We’re open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday for adoptions. 🐾 💙Dogs are located at 2911 47th Ave. N, St. Petersburg FL.💙 #adopt #stpete #stpetefl

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11/6 - Follow for more! JIJI WAS ADOPTED but cloud and rain are still looking for their forever homes! They are at 3015 46th Ave N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33714 #stpete #stpetersburgflorida #tampabay #tampa #adoptablecats

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11/6 - Ring Ring🐕 is ready to claim her cha-ching! 💰💸 She said she’s going to hit the jackpot one way or the other. 👀🎰 She’s hoping you will also test your luck this Saturday, Nov. 7, from 6 p.m- 9 p.m. with Friends of Strays at Catsino Night. ♠️♥️♣️♦️ Join us for a pawesome 🐾 night of Catsino games, great food, lively music, speciality drinks, and most importantly, helping animals in need! 🐈💚🐕💙 Get your tickets using the link in our bio or by clicking here: https://www.friendsofstrays.org/catsino-night-2026 📆November 7 🕔6-9 p.m. 📍Lealman Exchange Center 5175 45th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33714

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10/28 - For #nationalcatday 🐈, we wanted to bring you along with vet assistant Daniella on a behind-the-scenes look at ringworm treatment in ringworm iso. Ringworm is a very common condition seen in the shelter setting. We are able to safely isolate and treat ringworm in animals with donor support from the community. The average cost to treat ringworm is $80 per cat. If you’re able, please consider donating to Friends of Strays, where your financial support goes directly to the everyday care and treatment for animals at our shelter. 💚💙 You can donate using the link in our bio or using this link: www.friendsofstrays.org/donate! #stpete #supportfos #tampabay #adopt

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10/23 - Holding our shelter dog, Trout, how men hold their fish for photos except Trout would rather give guppy kisses than pose. 🐠💙 Trout is a 2-month-old bright-eyed puppy who loves playing tug-of-war and chewing on all his favorite toys, and like the fish he’s named after, he enjoys splashing in water. 🏖️ Trout is still just a small fry 🐟, so he’s still working on his big boy manners, including potty training. His future adopter should be aware that Trout will need patience and consistency in his puppy trainings so he can grow up to be the best boy we know he can be. 💛 🐾We’re open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday for adoptions. 🐾 💙 Dogs are located at 2911 47th Ave. N, St. Petersburg, FL. 💙

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10/21 - Bakery is all in for Catsino Night! While she has her eyes on all the prizes we have up for grabs, Bakery thinks casino games are more enjoyable when there are others to play with. ♠️♥️♣️♦️ She hopes you can join in on all the fun and that you get your tickets today before they sell out! You’re not going to want to miss this spectacular night of games, food, speciality drinks, and incredible prizes! 🎰🍸💛 Most importantly, your ticket helps support animals in need. 🐈‍⬛💚🐕💙 We’re only a few weeks away from November 7. Get your tickets today using the link in our bio or at: https://www.friendsofstrays.org/catsino-night-2026!

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10/16 - Today is #NationalCommunityCatDay! 🐈 The goal of our TNVR program is to help humanely reduce the outdoor cat population through spaying/neutering while ensuring community cats are protected from deadly environmental diseases by administering vaccinations before they are returned to their outdoor homes to live their lives. Our TNVR program is a donation-based system. We want to help outdoor cats as much as we can, and we are so grateful for financial support from the community that helps us help these cats. You can help community cats by donating using the link in our bio or here: www.friendsofstrays.org/donate! 💚💙 If you are unable to donate but would like to get involved, you can apply to become a TNVR volunteer by emailing meownow@friendsofstrays.org! 🐈🐈‍⬛

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Visit Us At

2911 47th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33714

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