HSTB partners with Dolly’s Dream to help save the lives of square-headed dogs and connect these misunderstood companions with loving families.
Dolly’s Dream dogs receive extra adoption support, supplies, and training resources to help them start strong in their new homes.
Included Support
Training sessions, supplies, and starter gear help each Dolly’s Dream dog settle into home life.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay has partnered with Dolly’s Dream to help save the lives of square-headed dogs. Because of the stigma of their looks, many dogs of breeds associated with large, square-shaped heads languish in or are euthanized at shelters every day.
Dolly’s Dream partners with humane societies to rescue and re-home these magnificent, misunderstood dogs and joined forces with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay in July 2017 to sponsor two adoptable dogs every month for six months. This partnership has continued through the years and is ongoing. We have adopted 159 dogs through the Dolly’s Dream program thus far.
*The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is a managed admission (no-kill for space) shelter and does not euthanize animals in their adoption program to free up kennel space.
- Training Support: 3 In-Home Training Sessions with a Certified Dog Trainer
- Comfort & Care: Bandanna, Collar, Dog Bed, Food & Water Bowls, Toys
- Starter Gear: Training Crate, Training Treat Bag, Harness, ID Tag, Leash
- A Second Chance for a dog who has been passed over again and again for nothing but the shape of their head.
- A Place in the Family. These dogs thrive on companionship — indoor living, daily attention, and a spot on the couch.
- Daily Excercise & Enrichment. A walk, a game of fetch, or a puzzle toy goes a long way toward a happy, settled dog.
- Time to Decompress. Give your new dog a quiet space and a few weeks of patience while they learn this home is theirs for good.
Dolly’s Dream has helped countless deserving dogs find loving, permanent homes. Each adoption represents another life changed and another family made complete.
Dolly’s Dogs will be identified with a sign on their kennel.
Please visit all adoptable dogs to find a forever friend in need of a home.
Every adoption helps change the story for dogs who are too often overlooked because of appearance or breed stigma.
Dolly’s Dream Dogs are part of the regular adoption process and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
These are a few of the real dogs highlighted through Dolly’s Dream, each showing how extra visibility and support can help overlooked dogs find the right home.
Daisy is a wonderful pit mix whose heartworm treatment has not dimmed her happy, people-loving spirit. Outside her kennel, staff know her as a sweet girl with the perfect personality for a family, and Dolly’s Dream will help her go home with supplies and crate support while she finishes treatment.
After losing their beloved pitty, Rob and his wife felt drawn to Max online and came to meet him in person. Once Max got outside, his loving, goofy personality came through immediately, and his new family could already picture him joining them on RV adventures.
Olivia, a gentle two-year-old pittie mix, caught Sandra’s eye with her calm kennel presence and affectionate personality. After one visit, Sandra knew Olivia was everything she needed and more, and Dolly’s Dream helped send Olivia into her next chapter with new presents and support.
Holma spent more than two months at the shelter before her forever family finally came in to adopt her. They had been following her online for some time, and when they learned Dolly’s Dream would help provide what she needed at home, they were thrilled to welcome her.
Honey arrived timid and shy, but over time her confidence grew and her pittie smile began to shine. Her new family had been watching her story and was deeply grateful for a program designed to help dogs like Honey get adopted and start strong.
Bonita, once the shelter’s longest resident, won over a family through repeated Doggie Day Out adventures. Their bond grew over time, and Dolly’s Dream helped make sure Bonita went home with goodies to help her settle in and stay entertained.
Oreo came to the shelter because his family could no longer keep him in their care, as he was a restricted breed where they were moving. Unfortunately, we see this a lot, even though we know that bully breed dogs often have the biggest hearts and kindest personalities. Oreo’s family said he was very active, intelligent, and eager to show off his commands for a treat.
Clementine is a very sweet and happy girl, and she loves people and treats! Clementine came to the shelter as a stray, and, during her medical tests, we discovered that Clementine has heartworm disease. Being heartworm positive often makes it harder for a dog to get adopted as their treatment requires that they remain calm and can only go on short potty breaks.
Brenda has finally found her forever home! Francesca and Charlie came to visit her and instantly fell in love. Her personality was such a great match, and they loved the fact that she was the longest resident in our Facility. She came in on March 12th as a stray, and she was timid and nervous at first.
Brendal came in as a stray back in early March, and finally got adopted, thanks to Dolly’s Dream! His new owners said they’ve been seeing him on the website and saw how sweet his picture is, and when they came to the shelter, they immediately noticed how chill he was. Even though all of the other dogs were barking, he was sitting there calmly watching them.
After more than 3 months at the shelter, our beloved Stitch finally found his forever home! Julie and her friend came looking for a large, high-energy dog that loved neighborhood walks and was very people friendly. Stitch, who is a huge favorite among our staff and long-term volunteers, fits the bill perfectly.
Jose is a handsome 2-year-old who came to the shelter as a stray. He was one of our longest term residents, but he finally got adopted and is now in his new home! His new mom says that she wanted a very energetic dog that will also get along with her little Chihuahua. For the longest time, she wanted a bigger dog but never had the space for one.
This beautiful girl is Spice, and despite her name, she is actually the sweetest girl. She is a year old, and she came to us from another shelter as an owner surrender with her puppies. Luckily, Nickolas and Nayelis came in to the shelter to look at dogs, and when they saw Spice, they decided right then and there that she was the one for them.
Casper is a dog who has been at the shelter since November. He’s a great dog, and being a Doggy Day Out participant, he got exposed to going out and about through Tampa, showcasing his amazing personality each day. During the adoption visit, Casper got a rush of zoomies and ran circles around me and the adopter.
Greyson came to us as a stray and has been adopted! Greyson’s new dad, Cory, has had dogs before and had thought about adopting a new friend. He is a cancer survivor and had seen Greyson out on our website for several weeks before deciding that this was the right time to adopt. Cory is a retired truck driver, so Greyson is going to get to go on a lot of road trips and see the country!
Jose and Kaylee saw Jackson on the website and said, "he’s absolutely gorgeous. We didn’t realize how long he’d been at the Humane Society until we saw him on the news. I’m honestly not sure why no one has adopted him yet, he’s been here 7 months just waiting for his people.
Dale and his two close friends came in looking for his first ever dog. Dale felt that he was ready for the responsibility and commitment, and he wanted to rescue his forever fur baby. He fell in love with Evan’s spots at first sight and loved his pattern.
Odette was a shelter favorite, due to her playful attitude, affinity for stuffed toys, and her chill demeanor. The staff at HSTB absolutely loved to hang out with Odette on their breaks to play with her and were really hoping she would find her forever home soon.
Gerard came in specifically to adopt Tigger! Tigger had been here for the past 7 months waiting to find his forever home. Gerard has children and Tigger comes from a home where he was good with children and he has been a favorite with our Critter Campers! Tigger was super excited to get in the car and head to his forever home.
Ashley is 7 and a half years old and a very sweet girl. She originally came in as a stray and was adopted out for a few days but was brought back unfortunately. She has a few medical issues like a luxating patella and a mass that we removed, but she absolutely loves people, and she has now found her family!
Parker got adopted! Fernando had been thinking about adopting a dog for months. He had spent countless weekends visiting shelters, searching for the right match. He wanted a companion who could keep up with his active lifestyle, and after several visits, he finally came across Parker—a lively pit bull with a heart as big as his enthusiasm.
Rome is 3 years old and came to the shelter as a stray at the end of March. Claudia’s daughter, Josephine spotted Rome on our website and loved him. She wanted a dog that was low key and that had been here for some time. Rome was perfect for the family, checking off several – if not all – of the things she wanted in a dog.
Buddy is a one-year-old terrier mix who originally came to the shelter as a stray. Nicholas had been following Buddy on our website for a long time, but circumstances prevented him from coming in to adopt Buddy initially. When he noticed Buddy was off the website, he assumed he was adopted and happy in a home.
Ursula, a two-year-old terrier mix, came to the shelter back in November as a stray, and was our current longest canine resident. Sabrina had seen Ursula on our Website and told her husband Daniel they should go and see her. After arriving at the shelter, they were looking at both Ursula and another dog. However, once they met Ursula, they know she was the one – Ursula matched exactly what they hoped for!
A huge favorite of the staff here at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, Diamond arrived at the shelter just after Christmas. Although adored and well cared for, she was always passed over by potential adopters. That is, until Diamond’s former foster mom realized she was back at the shelter. Diamond had been fostered as a puppy with the rest of her litter before her original adoption.
Sweet Harley came to us back in October due to her owner moving. Harley’s timid behavior in her kennel made most people overlook her, but did not scare her new mom Autumn away. Autumn came in to wanting to look at a few dogs before she made her mind up; but, when she met Harley, it was love at first sight. Harley is a bit nervous at first, but once she came outside into our play yards, her personality truly shined.
King was constantly overlooked by potential adopters due to his high energy, but when Cheryl and her husband saw King, they instantly fell in love. They were initially intrigued by his curiosity and how he kept his eyes on them the entire time they walked through the kennels, and when they finally got to see his personality shine in the play yard, they decided they just had to have him! 🙂
Mrs. Walker came to the shelter to look around and saw the sweet personality of Bonnie. She liked how she acted so much that she signed up for a visit the same day. Not wanting to rush into anything , she decided to take the night and think it over. Her heart was stolen by Bonnie, and she came right back the next day to give our little 7 yr. old a loving home.
Peggy has always been a large dog owner. Her last dog was with her for 10 years and she recently said a final goodbye to him due to his deteriorating health. Peggy thought it would be a while before she was ready for her next dog. However, she decided to visit the shelter to just walk through the kennels, and she immediately fell in love with Skye! As soon as she took her out to visit, she was ready to take her home!
Ashton and Laura came into the shelter with their son to adopt Brittany. Ashton had been checking out our website all week making a list of possible dogs to visit, and the day they came in, we had JUST picked Brittany to be a Dolly’s Dream dog! They loved how sweet she was and that she was the perfect size for their son as well, so they didn’t need to see any of the other dogs on his list.
Rex adopted a Dolly’s Dream dog in September 2018, and decided now was the time to add to the family and get his dog a playmate. He saw Tonka, who will now be called Turbo, and was excited to take him home! Tonka (Turbo) will be enjoying the good life with his new family and doggie sibling!
After watching the website and making sure that they were prepared, Charlene and her son eagerly came in and waited patiently to take Poomba home. They fell in love with him, and he fell in love with them, too! After some time spent playing and giving treats, they decided to officially adopt Poomba. They kept his name because they said that he does look like Pumba from the Lion King.
Jackson went home! Christine and her son came in to find a new family member this Saturday and little did Jackson know, his 5 month stay was about to come to an end! Christine said that they have been waiting to find the perfect dog for their family, and when they saw Jackson they were thrilled.
Bruno went home this week! William came into the shelter specifically looking at our longer residents. He works remotely and is also the in home caregiver for both his 80 year old parents, so someone is always home. He has a cousin who regularly visits with their dogs, so William couldn’t wait for Bruno to meet his new cousin once settled in.
Fauna went home this week!! Fauna had been adopted and returned a few times before, but when Joshua came to visit she ran and put her head on his shoulder, and he fell in love. She looks just like his other dog Nova, and they had a play date, which went very well before adopting. He loves that she is very active just like his other dog Nova, and likes that she’s so sweet and cute. Yay for Fauna!
Pongo got adopted! Peyton came into the shelter looking for another big and active dog, as he’d had pit bull/lab mixes in past and loves the personality and energy they have. He was drawn to Pongo by his “smile” when they saw him in his kennel. He also loved how energetic Pongo was (plans to make him his running buddy), but also loves that he would relax and cuddle with them.
Zeus has finally gone home! He was our longest resident, having come to the shelter in mid-October. We had been featuring him in some spot light formats for a couple weeks: on radio spots, as our FOX 13 Pet of the Week, etc., but nobody was coming in to take him to his forever family. Luckily, Abigail had been wanting a larger dog, and when she saw Zeus she fell in love.
The Valentin family instantly saw Xena in the shelter and fell in love. When they visited the first time, Wanda cried because she believed that they wouldn’t be able to adopt her – Xena has a lot of energy at times. She told her husband about Xena and brought him along for a second visit.
Dawnann came in looking for a companion for her kids as they have had dogs in the past, but it had been a while. She was walking the kennels and saw Quill and just fell in love. She went on a visit with him and knew he would be perfect for her family. She came back later with her kids just to make sure everyone got along and it was a perfect fit… an energetic dog for her energetic kids!
Papa was previously a Dolly’s Dream dog and was returned due to his owner moving and not being able to go with the family. Once a Dolly’s Dream dog, always a Dolly’s dog! Papa got placed back in the Dolly’s Dream program to help him find a forever family. Mr. Jern saw Papa on our website and came to meet him as soon as he could.
Rosco gets a forever home! Rosco’s adopter came in after seeing him on our website and loved the smile he had on his portrait. When she got to meet him, she loved his goofy personality and how friendly he was. She didn’t mind the heartworms ether. She wasn’t able to adopt that day but she came back the following afternoon!
Papa got adopted! Andony came into the shelter looking for a companion after losing his 9 year old English bulldog. He was looking for another English Bulldog, but when he came across Papa, he loved his energy and spirit. Andony knows Papa is going to require a good bit of work, but with only him and Papa in the house, he is more than committed to give Papa what he needs to succeed.
Heather got Adopted! Heather’s new family came to the shelter looking at bigger dogs. They have a small dog at home that they love and adore, but since Heather’s new mom works from home, she wanted a bigger dog for herself and to cuddle with. They looked at 2 different dogs but loved Heather’s calmer demeanor.
Khloe went home! Khloe’s new family is no stranger to large dogs. They had lost their Rottweiler about a year ago and their grandson had been begging them for another dog. They came to Tampa for some good pizza at their favorite shop, stopped in the shelter and left with a new pup to love. Khloe will have almost an acre of fenced in back yard, and a VERY rambunctious 4 year old to keep her company!
Hogan has been adopted! Jean came in looking for a pitty mix in particular; he had the breed growing up and likes their energy. He also has a fairly young child at home who he feels would be better off with a big dog as a companion.
Titan has been adopted! A lovely couple and their roommate came in to the shelter, ready to add a furry companion to the family. They saw Titan listed on our website and when they walked through the shelter, it was an immediate love connection. Happy days ahead for Titan and his new family!
These adopters saw Bingo on the website! She told her mom about Bingo and her mom told her that she needed to go and visit him before adopting. On the visit she explained how she has been looking for a dog to grow and work with. When Bingo came out he went straight up to her and kissed her face.
Peanut has found his perfect home! Just in time for the holidays!
Georgia has found her forever home!
Sweet Sissy has found the perfect home!
Barney, our longest resident, has finally found his forever home! Our staff and volunteers were thrilled for this sweet boy!
Sweet Nyxx has found the perfect home!
Punkin found his perfect match!
Rick found his new family!
Energetic Roy has found his forever home!
Gator has been returned numerous times, but he just clicked with his new forever family, and even their family pet! We are so happy for them!
Frankie has found his forever home!
Rosie has found her forever home thanks to Dolly’s Dream!
Handsome Cliff as found his new family!
Tigger was adopted into his forever home!
Ranie had been at HSTB for over a month and half. We are so thrilled that she has found her perfect home!
Our sweet and energetic Lowell was adopted into a loving family. We are so happy he has a second chance at life!
Our loving Scooby has found a wonderful family. We are so happy he has a second leash on life!
Harvey has found his new family. He especially found of his new two-legged brother. We are so happy for this pup!
Checo went home today with this wonderful couple. They recently moved into their own place & were looking for a new member to add to their household. They were so excited to bring him home to give him all the love he deserves.
Our beautiful Athena who birthed 9 babies, many of which were parvo positive found her forever home. During her adoption, many of our wonderful staff came in to say goodbye and to tell her how much they loved her with plenty of kisses and hugs too! The adopter was so touched by all the love Athena received that she started crying and said "I want to volunteer here, I have to be part of this!"
Loretta has found her new family! We are so happy for this sweet girl who was one of our longest residents!
Our handsome Ozzy has found his forever home!
Handsome Chucky has found the perfect home! We are so happy for this active pup.
Rocky went home with his new owner. She said she saw him on the website the other day but didn’t get a chance to come in to meet him till today. Her & her boyfriend were so excited to see he was still here! They were so happy that he gets to go home with everything he needs & more. They cant wait to get him trained & give him the best life he can have!
Scoobi has found his forever home! We are so happy for this energetic pup!
Handsome Hank has found a wonderful new home!
Our Queen Victoria has found her new home. We are so happy for this pup!
Burke was adopted and we are so happy for this handsome pup and his new family.
Sweet Lucy has found her new home. We are so happy for this loving pup!
Meatball the dog, found his perfect forever home! We are so happy for him.
Sweet Kai was adopted into a wonderful home! We can’t wait to see him blossom with his new mom!
Sweet Silas has found her forever home. We are so glad she has been given a second chance!
Angel came in as a stray and we are so excited that he has found his forever home….complete with a 2-legged sibling!
Runner is a big, goofy boy with LOTS of energy. We are so glad he found his forever home to have a second leash on life!
Our sweet girl Kay has found her forever home. Thank you Dolly’s Dream for helping us make this possible!
Sweet Kobe is about 10 months old. He is still learning how to be the best dog I can be. He has lots of energy and we are thrilled he found his perfect home!
Sweet Sampson has a new family! We are thrilled he has found his forever home! He is our 100th Dolly’s Dream adoption!
Our energetic Sammy has found his forever home! We are so happy he has a new family to show him the love he deserves!
Our snuggle bug Mercy has found her forever home. We are thrilled that she will have a lifetime of love!
Our energetic and playful Hugo has found his forever home! We are so happy for him!
Sweet and goofy Walker has found his forever home. We are so happy for him and his new family
Bud prefers to be the only pup is in home. We are thrilled he has found the perfect home and wish him a lifetime of happiness!
Sweet and playful Isa has a new leash on life. She has found her forever home and is so happy to spend it with her new Mommy!
Our sweet boy King, who’s had a hard past, now has a bright future ahead of him! He will get to be the King of his castle in his new forever home!
Dillinger is a three old pup who was found as a stray. We are thrilled that he has found the perfect home for his second chance on life!
Shark has found his new family! His new owner came in with a volunteer group through MacDill Air Force Base and she fell in love with him. She came back a few days later when she was off worked and was hopeful that Shark was still here, and he was! Shark is in love with his new two-legged sibling as well! They could not be happier.
Butterfly has her new home, complete with a four-legged brother named Jojo! They had a great time playing around in our play yard!
Sweet Vinny, who was originally found emaciated and weak, has met his forever family!
Three year old lady has found her perfect home! This sweet pup can be overwhelmed by other dogs so we are glad she has found a quiet home for her forever home!
Looking for a Dolly’s Dream dog? Dolly’s Dogs are identified with a sign on their kennel and are part of HSTB’s regular same-day adoption process.