about HALO: history
Who Do You Call?
That is the question that launched HALO. On New Year's Eve 2007, HALO founder Stacey Thomas & her partner, Sue, were driving to a friend's home. Up ahead, a pickup truck struck a German Shepherd, sending the dog airborne. The truck never stopped. 
The dog landed on the side of the road. Stacey and Sue immediately stopped to help. The dog needed emergency veterinary care, but even if it had not been a holiday evening, who do you call? At that moment, HALO was born on the side of a road in St. Petersburg, Florida. Animal welfare organizations are frequently overloaded, or not available "after hours". Stacey decided that no animal should ever be left uncared for, and has devoted all her efforts since that day to establishing HALO, the Planet's Animal Ambulance.
The HALO Mission
H.A.L.O.’s mission is to develop a sustainable network of providers and resources ready to respond to animal emergencies at all times. H.A.L.O. will work to foster collaborative relationships among existing agencies with the goal of improving access to emergency services. Through this network, H.A.L.O. will strive to promote public awareness of available training, transport, and resources and to support opportunities to strengthen animal emergency response services in Pinellas County.
HALO: the vision
What We Are Accomplishing Now
Over the last 18 months, H.A.L.O. has grown from an idea into a reality. We have worked diligently to build relationships with other animal rescue organizations, but we have also introduced new participants to the animal rescue arena. Our network includes veterinarians, volunteers, and city agencies who will provide collaborative resources in rescue, medical care and training. All H.A.L.O. vounteers are trained and certified in emergency response. The H.A.L.O. network is growing daily. Please visit the rest of our site for more information.
Plans for the Future
As we build our organization, the H.A.L.O. Institute is our ultimate goal. The Institute will provide internships for veterinary students and training for emergency animal rescue personnel. It will also house the network. Most importantly, it will provide free medical care for animals who would otherwise be untreated.
