![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Friends-of-Strays-Rockruff-Photo-by-Jarrett-Haas-Palm-Tree-Content-Creative-Loafing-TV.png\")
Rockruff, from Friends of Strays, at the CL TV studio in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 10, 2026. Credit: Jarrett Haas\/Palm Tree Content & CLTV \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tOverview:<\/p>\n
St. Petersburg-based Friends of Strays closed its ‘Love Unleashed’ fundraiser with events happening this weekend, and through Sept. 30.<\/p>\n
Rockruff, from Friends of Strays, at the CL TV studio in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 10, 2026. Credit: Jarrett Haas\/Palm Tree Content & CLTV \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n
With nearly half-a-century of service, Friends of Strays<\/a> is a trusted Tampa Bay animal shelter that started as a cat rescue and now houses dogs, too. Helping more than 4,000 animals annually isn\u2019t cheap and the nonprofit looks to close its \u201cLove Unleashed\u201d 30-day awareness fundraiser out strong.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are entirely reliant on our community to help us save these lives, and every single person can help be part of that,\u201d Jessica Salmond, Communications & Marketing Director at Friends of Strays told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay in a recent episode of CLTV where puppy brothers Lucario and Rockruff also made an appearance. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to adopt an animal if that\u2019s not in your life plan right now. You can volunteer, you can foster, and of course you can donate, and that makes you part of that. That makes you part of saving one of these lives.\u201d<\/p>\n If you like your philanthropy to be communal, there are quite a few options from Bayboro Brewing\u2019s beer sales fundraiser<\/a> (Sept. 25, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.), to cat yoga at The Cat Box<\/a> (Sept. 26, 10 a.m.), a November \u201cCatsino\u201d night at Lealman Exchange<\/a>, plus weekend BBQ sales<\/a> (Foodie Labs, Sept. 26, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.), Tiki Docks<\/a> Monday-Thursday sales share (through Sept. 30), and one last music bingo at St. Pete Beach\u2019s Twisted Tiki<\/a>.<\/p>\n See more Friends of Strays events, and chip in to \u201cLove Unleashed\u201d via friendsofstrays.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us:\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0BlueSky<\/a><\/p>\n This article appears in Sept. 24 \u2013 30, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n \t![\"Youtube](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790263528_857_hqdefault.jpg\")
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