St Francis Society Animal Rescue

You deceive people by NOT posting your so-called policies. Nowhere on your website does it say you HAVE to have another cat, or be willing to adopt two if you want to adopt a kitten five months old or younger. Instead, you let potential adoptees go through the process of contacting you about a kitten or meet and greet and THEN drop the bomb of your “policy” or just blow off the potential adoptee by not responding. Heartless! Worst rescue group I’ve ever had the misfortune to interact with. Your concern isn’t placing animals in loving, caring homes, it’s following your own unpublished, fickle polices. You should be investigated! You are misleading and deceiving the public intentionally.

I have adopted two cats from St. Francis and I was so appreciative of the level of care taken with the animals that I decided to start fostering as soon as I was able. The teamwork and dedication from the volunteers that coordinate the care for the animals is inspiring.

I adopted one of my cats from St. Frances years ago; he is the best cat ever! I had a fabulous foster. I decided to be a foster a while ago, and it has been an excellent organization to be part of. I have loved every kitty that has been in my home.

I'm very proud to be a volunteer for St Francis. The people I've met in this network are now close friends of mine. This group is full of dedicated people whose mission is to save homeless animals. A very professional and passionate group.

In late 2021 the membership of the board changed drastically. At the same time the organization had received two large donations totaling over 1.4 million. Fosters were not informed and there were continued efforts by leadership to limit financial support to fosters. The new board changed medical providers which impacted animal Care. For example, it was difficult to get medicines for common problems like ringworm. Up until the change in the board, and the large donations, I liked this organization. I liked the fact that no one was getting paid and everything was being done on a shoestring by dedicated people working for free. I thought some of that new money should be shared supporting the volunteers, but the leadership wanted to hoard it or in their words use it as a way to finance St Francis long into the future. This was an impractical goal. With the rate of inflation there were no financial instruments that would have done anything but drain the organization with fees, but they didn't have the expertise to understand that. Animal rescue is fraught with drama and often being led by people more emotional than qualified or educated sufficiently to run a business successfully. This organization is no different, I am very sad it has come to this.

About 10 yrs. ago I adopted Freddie, a Tuxedo cat, from St. Francis Society. I 've had many many cats, but Freddie is very affectionate and loves sitting in my lap for a long time. He's the best cat I've ever had!

You're the worst organization ever!! You stormed my house at 730am to steal kittens so you could sell them online! You lied to me continuously. You came over to steal kittens without talking to me and you lied about who you are and what your intentions were. You trespassed on my property as though you owned it. You are a horrible kitten trafficking service-pretending you're helping cats. You steal, lie and are extremely unprofessional. I am so disgusted with the "Cat Trapper Gestapo" that camped in my yard for 3 days but never asked if it was ok, never asked if the kittens were mine before stealing them. Then you never returned to pick up the parents to spay because you want them to have more kittens for you to sell for exorbitant fees. Nasty, rude, unprofessional liers!!

Our family already had a cat and dog, but we love big families and we had room for more. My husband decided he wanted a cat and I shared our interest with my co-worker and friend, Renee. She is a foster mother for St. Francis and we had swapped kitty tales for years. She told me about one of her foster, a 4-mo old, black and white "tuxedo" kitten named Houston and she sent us pictures. My husband was adamant that we go get "His Harley". Two weeks, after all of the tests were done to ensure that Harley was healthy, we adopted him. He is a BIG BOY, with a BIG PUR-R-R-R and as we love to say, "He's just so precious!". Our experience with St. Francis and Renee was so awesome. Paperwork was a breeze and we knew we were getting a BIG, healthy helping of love when Harley came home.

We then became a supporter of St. Francis, maximizing our donations with matching company funds for non-profit organizations, telling our friends about our positive experience, following St. Francis Society on Facebook, and of course, sharing pics and updates of Harley with them as he was growing...and growing..... Then, while reading an update from St. Francis, my husband saw a face. This orange and white tabby called "Shamus". I said no, we were up to 2 cats and a dog now.... but my Irish hubby had his heart on having a "Shamus" of his own. "Shamus was adopted and we were happy to hear that. We would see a "Shamus" here and there, but I still said no, until I finally said, OK. Then we watched the St. Francis website, knowing we could do a meet and greet with our potential Shamus at a local PetSmart. One Sunday, we saw an 8-week, orange and white tabby, "Red", would be at a PetSmart across town. We packed up the kitty carrier (just in case) and went over. The volunteer from St. Francis was kind and helpful - giving us time to play one-on-one with Red. He was a scrappy little guy, but gentle enough. We had found our Shamus. We were done with paperwork and shopping (with lots of great free coupons from PetSmart with our adoption) in less than an hour.

St. Francis is more than just a foster center, they are a family maker. We had a big family already - 3 sons and a daughter - so what is one more soul to love? We still keep in touch with St. Francis on FB and, of course, Renee gets all the Harley updates she could want. We are so blessed to have found St. Francis. There was no long wait or worry about an owner coming to take our hearts away. We have a great relationship with PetSmart and St. Francis, and we still HIGHLY RECOMMEND that anyone looking to adopt, consider the St. Francis Society as a first option.

The St. Francis Society Animal Rescue was there for me when I needed them most. Following the passing of both my parents in 2009, they helped me find a loving home for my parent's cat. It was a very trying time for my family, and there were many diffcult things to be dealt with. Since I am allergic to cats, it was not possible for me to keep the cat myself. I knew that 'Nadia' was very special to my parents, and it was important that she was placed in a loving and caring home. The St. Francis Society placed Nadia in foster care for several weeks, before finding her the perfect home. I know that my parents would be pleased that I was able to find a loving home for their baby. Thanks so much, Renee and the St. Francis Society Animal Rescue!

I have been volunteering with St Francis Society Animal Rescue for over 5 years now. This rescue group is 100% volunteer run by the most dedicated people I have ever met. The entire team, from the volunteers who open their homes and hearts as fosters to cats and dogs in need, to the volunteers who spend their evenings and weekends running the adoption centers, is committed to finding loving forever homes for the rescued cats, kittens, and dogs in our care.

I just relocated to South Tampa from Washington DC where I worked as a volunteer for a 100% NO-KILL animal rescue. I wanted to find a dedicated, compassionate, caring animal rescue that truly makes a difference in the community. St. Francis Society was the rescue I heard time and time again when asking.

Three days after my initial conversation about volunteering, I found myself excitedly fostering a 9 mos old "momma" cat (Lula Belle) & her 7- week old kittens, plus Lula Belle's 5 mos old female companion "Pepper" who found themselves heading the county shelter when the babies were 3 days old. St. Francis helped in every aspect of getting this very young family settled....supplying me all the advice, foster supplies, etc that I needed.

They have several incredible community events coming up this month that I'm looking forward to volunteering. The volunteers I have encountered are so incredibly amazing & caring!!!

What a FABULOUS ORGANIZATION!!!! Thank you for all you do to help very very deserving animals like Lula Belle, her 7 babies, & Pepper!

They say it takes a village to raise a child. This village of caring and dedicated people go above and beyond to take care of the cats and kittens among us who desperately need their help. Most have families, jobs, and pets of their own yet they take the time to care for those that can't speak for themselves - most with terrible stories to tell. From the organizational leaders at the top to the fosters, adoption center volunteers, kennelers and all those who contribute their time and talent you couldn't find a better village. The little ones who come and go through our doors are fortunate indeed!

Everyone at Saint Francis is caring and fantastic. My wife and I have adopted 5 fantastic kitties from Vicky, Christine, Kathy and Laura. Each little kitty is a blessing and very loved. All of the kittens that we have adopted from St. Francis have been taken care of and socialized. St. Francis takes the time and money to care for all there animals so they can all get a forever home. One of our kitties who is named Vanessa had a very tough infection when she was a little kitten, St. Francis took the time and effort to make sure she was is the best health before she was able to come home to us. This little girl is a fantastic poster kitty for St Francis.

When my two old cats went over the Rainbow Bridge, I contacted my friend, Christine, who is a foster mom for SF cats. She showed me two boys and I fell in love with them immediately. They are part of my family now and I love them dearly. I cannot say enough about St. Francis Society. I named them as recipients of memorial donations when my husband passed away last January and several of my friends honored his memory in that way. I hope their donations helped find forever homes for some wonderful fur-babies.

Everyone at St. Francis truly cares for all the animals and people they encounter. This group provides an excellent sypport system to those in the community in need of information regarding adoption and surrendering. They take such amazing care of the animals in foster homes. They truly make a difference in the lives of animals in Tampa Bay.

St. Francis is a great organization!! They do an outstanding job caring for their Animals and finding the perfect forever home for them. They go above and beyond to make sure their animals are getting the love and attention they deserve. I would recommend st. Francis to anyone looking to adopt! They also do care for each and every person that helps out with the organization.

I recently started volunteering with St. Francis and have fallen in love with the organization, the people and the ANIMALS! I have never come across an adoption group that truly takes the time to really get to know the future pet owner rather than just have them fill out a simple application. The animals are not forced to stay in cages but get to go into foster homes until they find their forever home which provides them always with the greatest gift of all...companionship!

All the members are very active and help you find the right animal for you. Would recommend them for anyone looking for a new member of their family.

I have been volunteering with St Francis for several years. It is a wonderful organization made up of caring, compassionate individuals coming together to better the lives of helpless and homeless animals in the Tampa Bay Area. St Francis does great work and I'm proud to say I am part of this rescue group.

very caring organization. Great people doing great work

St Francis is a wonderful organization! I have had the pleasure of working with them closely for 2+ years and everyone is helpful and just so caring. They take the time to properly do their job and are very well organized. They have awesome volunteers and the veterinarians they work with are great and professional. I would recommend anyone to go through this organization for adoption or to volunteer,you won't be sorry! A great group of loving people!

St. Francis is a great place to volunteer. I started volunteering for St. Francis two years ago and it is a great animal rescue full of great people.

This is without a doubt the most caring and well organized rescue that I have every worked with. The love for animals shines bright within this group.

My Snowshoe passed away suddenly and I was devastated. After a month or so, I decided it was time, and started looking on line. I found St. Francis, and called. The cat was in Tampa, I'm in St. Pete and can't drive because I'm disabled.. The wonderful foster Mom offered to drive here and bring him to me!!! Her name was Teresa. Luckily my brother stepped in and we met them up there. He is the craziest most wonderful cat I've ever had. Thank you so much St. Francis!!! Maxwell is happy, loved, and quite spoiled!!!

This is a wonderful organization. 2 of my 4 cats (Mikei ans Meyer) have been adopted from them and each time it has been a wonderful experience. The volunteers who foster the animals take a great deal of time out of their lives to ensure that each cat is ready to be adopted. They provide the best information to be sure the cats are placed in the right environment so that they can find and stay in the home that have chosen them.

In 2004, St. Francis rescued a female pit bull from a fighter ring in central Florida. She was pregnant at that time and later gave birth to 9 beautiful pups on September 9th. The pups were called the 9 of 9/9! I was blessed to adopt one of these precious pups after a thorough interview process. St. Francis did an incredible job of getting all of these pups into good homes. We need more rescues like SFSAR!

I've been a volunteer with St. Francis for 8 years now and am proud to be associated with such a dedicated and caring group of people. We help as many animals as we can with our only limitations being number of fosters and adopters.

St Francis Society rocks... They graciously came to my rescue w/ my rescues. Check out their website, see what they do and how they take care of... May God Bless them for their good works.

I've been a volunteer with the St. Francis Animal Rescue for a few years. As stated in the numerous reviews, they are a organization of compassionate, caring, concerned individuals. They are frequently called upon by Animal Services or others about a stray, or left behind dog or cat. There are many volunteers all with special qualities but I would like to speak on behalf of Jim Martinelli. I am always amazed at his compassion. He is genuine cat lover and sees through the fear of a kitten or older, stray cat to the amazing kitten/cat they will be. Jim is a real "cat purrson" and a highly valued member of the St. Francis Organization. I'm proud to be associated with them.

Selina Rosen

I am a Vet Asst. My first exposure to St. Francis happened at work when they brought a cat for treatment of an abcess. The volunteer explained (I was new in the office at that time) about what the organization did. My first question was where do I sign up. I filled out the papereork and met with Kathy. She was not President then. I was so impressed!!! She had kittens of all sizes running around and in cages. I think her house was cleaner than our office! I worked as a volunteer for over 3 yrs and I know from experience the love and care St Francis gives to dogs and cats that otherwise would have increased the feral population or be euthanized. I lernrf so much from Kathy and everyone worked together to take of the fur babies!! I have moved from FL but I can still call Kathy for advice. The Tampa area is VERY lucky to have such a great organization! !!

What St Francis accomplishes on a regular basis can be seen in the loving eyes and heartwarming stories of our many successes although there is always another needy animal waiting around the corner. We are all committed to giving our all to give these helpless creatures a hand in finding a lifelong companion. Our reward is a happy union.

St Francis is an amazing group of volunteers with a passion for rescuing those that have been left behind and giving them a chance at a new life. I have had the pleasure of adopting a wonderful cat from this organization more than 8 years ago and currently I am volunteering as a foster mom, which has been an incredible experience. St. Francis is an organization made up of volunteers with huge hearts and love for the animals in their care.

I have been volunteering for animal rescues since 1997, and I would say St. Francis Society is the most conscientious, organized and inventive organization I've seen. Volunteers and board members are coming up with new ideas to make the animals more comfortable, from installing and outfitting high quality kennels in the PetSmart adoption center to responding immediately to foster animal health issues and streamlining the adoption process. The organization also takes time to thank its volunteers with various functions from picnics to tours of Big Cat Rescue, an animal sanctuary in the Bay Area. And best of all, I've witnessed fewer"politics" in this group than in other rescues--egos take a back seat to the welfare of the animals. Overall, I really enjoy working with this group and feel like I'm making a difference.

St Francis is a wonderful organization. I first came in contact with them last year when I wanted to adopt a cat for my family. Everyone that I came into contact with was so pleasant and I could tell from my first phone conversation with them that they really did love every animal that they have helped. I had such a nice experience with them that I came back and adopted another kitty from them 4 months later. The volunteers work so hard and you can see their excitement when one of their babies goes to a good home.

I have been with St. Francis for almost 7 years now and just love the organization. The board is professional, caring and intimately involved with the animals in their care. They don't just sit in a chair and make decisions, they too foster. I have the highest admiration and respect for this organization. I have been approached by several other rescues but remain committed to SFSAR because they truly care for the animals and in general have little drama.

If you have not fostered an animal, please do so. It is rewarding beyond belief!

St. Francis is good people helping one animal at a time and making a big difference.

I got involved with St. Francis after I adopted my kitty from them. I have been so impressed with their commitment and love of animals. I feel so lucky to be a part of such an amazing group of people!

I joined St. Francis because they try to place our family of four legged babies into good homes that will care and love them the rest of their life's. It is important that the adoption works for the animal as well as the new family and other pets. They allow the family to test the waters and make sure everyone including the animals is happy. Most importantly they will do everything in the power and to help the sick get well with many success stories, and only say good-bye to those that are said to be in too much pain with no chance of quality life. You can tell each member loves what they do, by giving back in the most loving and soulful way. I am so proud to be a volunteer to help in whatever way I can to find homes for so many loving speechless creatures. Come join us and see for yourself what a wonderful group this is.

St. Francis is more than just a "rescue group". It is a family of compassionate and devoted volunteers who's hearts are obviously full of love for our community's helpless and homeless animals. It's obvious, when you see the way the volunteers come together for these animals, and the care and concern that goes into each adoption, making sure that each life saved goes into a loving and safe home. They have a wonderful adoption center at Petsmart, where there is even a volunteer, Ed, who comes over every day to comfort and socialize the animals, to make sure they are all settling in, and feeling comfortable. Simple acts of kindness like this say a lot about what this group is about. From spectacular leadership, to the amazing volunteers and fosters, this is a group of people that are truly making a difference in our community.

I have been a St Francis supporter for many years. I met their current President, Kathy Walvoord, in 2005 and can tell you Kathy is very well known in the rescue community and highly respected for her compassion and integrity. Her home is always filled with the more challenging rescues and she has a reputation for finding a way to get things done regardless of resources. St Francis is all-volunteer and depends on donations from the public and foster home volunteers so it’s pretty amazing that they have such a huge save rate. Volunteers from St Francis are at Animal Services practically every day trying to save more lives and they do so much more behind the scenes. An impressive, well run, organization and a devoted group of volunteers. Could not recommend getting involved more.