More than 2,000 people have signed a petition demanding Hillsborough County keep its promise to replace the aging Pet Resource Center, the county's only open-admission animal shelter.

The push follows the Hillsborough County Commission's 5-2 vote on Aug. 28 to approve a $796 million county share of the $2.3 billion Rays stadium project. Of that commitment, $360 million would come from Community Investment Tax funds, the same CIT pot that advocates say was supposed to include roughly $30 million for a new shelter.

Shelter conditions leave sick or aggressive animals with nowhere else to go

For Apollo Beach and Ruskin residents, who pay into the CIT as unincorporated Hillsborough County taxpayers, the Pet Resource Center is the only shelter that cannot turn away strays, hoarding cases, owner surrenders or abused animals. The 40-year-old facility at 440 N. Falkenburg Road lacks air conditioning or heat in most kennels. The veterinary clinic is outdated, and there is not enough space to isolate sick animals or perform surgeries, according to the petition.

Betsy, a longtime volunteer identified only by her first name, organized the petition and described conditions during a facility tour reported by Tampa Bay 28 on Thursday: "When it pours, it still comes through. And that's where, with these kennels, they do flood."

Brian Bokor, who signed the petition and shared it with his 35,000 Facebook followers, told Tampa Bay 28 the effort is not about choosing between baseball and animals. He said the Buccaneers got a new stadium in 1998 and the Rays are getting one around 2028, yet the shelter, built in 1988, still has not been replaced.

County says a decision on renovation vs. rebuild is still a year away

In a written statement to Tampa Bay 28 on Thursday, Hillsborough County said staff began evaluating options for updating or replacing the shelter in 2024. A recommendation for the county administrator and the commission is expected by late 2026 or early 2027.

The county acknowledged the renewed CIT identified a shelter as an eligible project with an initial estimate of about $30 million. But officials said that cost has almost certainly risen due to inflation. The county did not directly address the petition.

Two options are on the table, according to the statement: expand and upgrade the current site with climate-controlled kennels, modern surgical suites and better quarantine space, or build an entirely new facility on county-owned land at roughly double the renovation cost.

Amendment 3 looms as a wildcard over county's tax revenue

The total county share of the renewed CIT is estimated at about $2.7 billion over 15 years. County officials also flagged Amendment 3, a proposed homestead-exemption increase on the November ballot, as a budget wildcard. The Florida Association of Counties has estimated Hillsborough could lose $353 million in property tax revenue starting in fiscal year 2028-29 if the amendment passes, according to Florida Politics.

Petition organizers plan to pack Sept. 24 budget meeting

Bokor said the Sept. 24 commission budget meeting will determine what stays in the CIT budget for fiscal year 2028. Petition organizers plan to attend and are encouraging other residents to show up.

The county has not confirmed the Sept. 24 meeting agenda. Residents can contact the Pet Resource Center at 813-301-7387 or [email protected].