West Hillsborough News

Tampa Bay Breathe Free helped raise $110,000 for a Texas-based dog rescue foundation during a national conference held in Dallas this April. 

The foundation, Cody’s Friends Rescue, is a Dallas nonprofit organization that finds homes for homeless and abandoned dogs. The group was named after founder Tina Austin’s first pet, Cody, a Shih Tzu.

The organization was awarded a "Pawsitively Good Award" by NBC 5 Dallas-Ft. Worth in January for "going above and beyond to help animals in need."

"We have about 250 dogs and over 150 fosters and then we have volunteers, as well, so we are pretty large," Austin told NBC 5. "We have a rescue facility in Addison called Poochville, and we have about 35 dogs there that are up for adoption and fostering, as well."

Funds for the organization were raised during a live auction, hosted by National Breathe Free Sinus and Allergy’s co-founder Matt Ghanem, at the company’s annual Breathe Free Conference, held April 24 to 28 in Dallas. 

Contributions were made from National Breathe Free, as well as eleven different local clinics from around the country, including Tampa Bay Breathe Free, which contributed $5,000.

Tampa Bay Breathe Free operates as an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) practice, affiliated with National Breathe Free, according to their website. They list their services to encompass a spectrum of treatments tailored to address allergies, sinus complications, and various ear, nose, and throat ailments. Their Board Certified Otolaryngologist is Dr. Mariah Pate.