Hillsborough County, Florida-- Hillsborough County Animal Services is stepping up to meet the challenge of finding large dogs and mixed breeds their forever homes.

On Saturday, February 23 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Hillsborough County Animal Services, along with Best Friends Animal Society and the Hillsborough Animal Health Foundation will present Neighborhood Pit Bull Day. 

Hillsborough Co., FL-- Increase animal adoptions and decrease the euthanasia rate. That's the goal of the Hillsborough Animal Health Foundation as it launches a new pilot program called "AWAKE".

As a part of the new program, local veterinary hospitals will foster pets from the Animal Shelter until a forever family can be found for them.

"These are pets that are beyond the normal wait time and would have to be euthanized, [without] this fostering program," explained a foundation representative.

Seffner, Florida -- Hillsborough County Animal Services is reporting the bust of a huge dog fighting ring in the Seffner area Tuesday afternoon.

So far, animal services says they have rescued seven dogs but, according to one of the two men arrested in this case, there are potentially hundreds more that will be found dead or buried on the remote property.

Sergeant Pam Perry of Hillsborough County Animal Services calls the scene as very depressing and very disheartening.