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Activist, County Agree On Anti-Euthanasia Animal Campaign

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 4, 2008

TAMPA - Bob Reina, successful businessman and animal lover, has a goal of eliminating animal euthanasia in Hillsborough County.

It's a tall order. The county's Animal Services euthanizes about 20,000 unwanted animals a year. But Reina says he thinks he can use video and Internet technology to tap into the public's vast reservoir of compassion and find help.

On Thursday, the county commission accepted Reina's offer to use his Talk Fusion video marketing company to boost donations and volunteerism at the county's animal shelter on Falkenburg Road.

Reina said he will start with a Web site that will make it easy for would-be volunteers to sign up to help at the animal shelter or make donations. Animal lovers will also be able to sign up for an e-mail subscription that will keep them abreast of activities and needs at the animal shelter. Talk Fusion will make its video production facilities available to Animal Services for training videos and infomercials that can be sent by e-mail.

Care Crew, a nonprofit organization, will work with the animal shelter on the marketing campaign. Reina has already created a logo for the group that features two paw prints encircled by hearts.

Eventually, Reina said, he wants to develop a network of veterinarians who will go into neighborhoods to provide low-cost spaying and neutering.

"It's a very long-term commitment," Reina told county commissioners. "I didn't want to be someone that just came in and writes a check. I want to use my marketing acumen and my friendships … to help the wonderful people at Animal Services."

Reina has already made a down payment on that commitment. Today, he donated 325 Kundera animal beds so the dogs and cats at the shelter don't have to sleep on concrete floors. The beds are like small trampolines, with a tough, nonpermeable fabric stretched across a frame made of PVC pipe. The beds are resistant to disease and pests.

Reina said he got the idea for the beds when he visited the animal shelter to adopt his cat, Chance. He asked acting Animal Services director Dennis McCullough what he would get for the shelter if he had the money.

"Beds," McCullough said.

"We're like Beverly Hills now," a smiling McCullough said after the commission meeting. "We've got the best of the best [beds]. … I'm very humbled."

Commissioner Kevin White, who knew Reina at King High School, brought the Brandon businessman to the commission for approval of a rare public-private partnership. The commission approved unanimously.

Reina was accompanied to the commission chambers by his dog Bindi, who had to have one of her legs amputated after being bitten by an alligator. The dog, also suffering from a fractured jaw, was brought to Animal Services after being discovered near a phosphate mine. An animal shelter employee, who met Reina when he came to adopt Chance, called him to ask for help.

Reina paid the dog's medical bills, which came to about $10,000. Then he adopted the dog.

"She was licking me. … I fell in love with her," Reina said after the meeting.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.

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