The Marana Town Council voted Tuesday night to cut ties with the Pima Animal Care Center in favor of a new contract for sheltering animals with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona.
A council majority argued that the core issue was poor customer service by PACC, with some calls about injured and even violent strays inside the town limitsΒ going unanswered.Β
Mayor Ed Honea, who voted against renewing the PACC contract, said he got at least two calls a week complaining about poor service.
He said in the last week PACC did not answer a call about a stray feral cat and a dog that had slaughtered their birds.
"It is not about the money," Honea said. "It is about the service."Β
Councilwoman Roxanne Ziegler, who along with Councilman Herb Kai voted against the Humane Society contract, pushed both the mayor and the town manager to provide proof of the complaints.
"I need proof," she told the council. "I don't think we should throw the baby out for the bathwater."
She argued that the change in service is unlikely to save any significant money, noting a best-case scenario estimate by the town was a savings of $18,000 annually.Β
City Manager Gilbert Davidson said that even the entire program would not be in place on July 1, he believes the customer service levels will increase once the town and the Humane Society take over animal control duties.Β
