Hillsborough's Pet Resources Director, Scott Trebatoski, was recently honored with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Animal Protection and Advocacy Association. The award was presented during the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners' Quarterly Awards Ceremony earlier today, a day dedicated to celebrating local heroes and their contributions to the community, as reported by Hillsborough County's official newsroom.
The Pet Resources Center (PRC), over the years under Trebatoski's stewardship, has seen impressive strides made toward animal welfare. The county's only open-admission pet shelter, PRC takes in animals of all breadths, regardless of breed, size, or medical condition. Spearheaded by Trebatoski, the shelter pushed for the "Be the Way Home" initiative, aiming for a 90% positive outcome rate through adoption, return to owner, or rescue efforts. According to their achievements, which have consistently exceeded this rate for dogs and cats during the past four and six years, respectively, the shelter has been a success, as per Hillsborough County's official newsroom.
Other notable honors of the day included two awards given to Sunshine Line by the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged: the 2024 Urban Community Transportation Coordinator of the Year and the 2024 Sheila Winitzer Shining Star Award, the latter being awarded to Felicia Piechowiak. Also, the American Planning Association's Florida Award of Excellence in the Neighborhood Planning Category found its recipient in the Community & Infrastructure Planning Department, shining a light on their innovative contributions to urban development.
