Steve Kozachik, a former Tucson city councilman, is taking over as interim director of Pima Animal Care Center.
Kozachik will take the place of the current director, Monica Dangler, who has served as the center’s director since June 2021, after joining the agency in 2019. Dangler said she has accepted a consulting position where she will travel to different shelters and help them implement processes and procedures to help kill fewer animals.
“The team here is just heads and tails above everyone else,” Dangler said about her staff. She hopes they’ve all learned from past hiccups, including a worldwide pandemic that put people out of work and unable to afford their pets, or veterinary care, or even finding affordable housing that would allow animals.
Dangler and her team began the “safety net foster program” to help people care for their animals until they can safely get them back.
“We have the community support to do this. It says a lot about the community and what’s happening at the shelter,” she said.
In addition, the admission process has been reworked to flow better and be less stressful for both humans and animals, alike.
“Across the board, this team has done so much in a very challenging time. We’ve continued to work through that by being innovated,” Dangler said. “The dedication from county leadership down to community members is exceptional…I know that while I’m leaving, this will continue on. These (feats) aren’t something I’ve done. I’m just along for the ride. This is something residents have done and I’m excited to see what the next steps are for PACC, the community, and the staff.”
Dangler’s last day at PACC will be Dec. 6.
Kozachik, who resigned in March to be Pima County’s “point of contact in managing” the Mosaic Quarter sports complex, will begin his interim assignment Dec. 7.
Over the next several months, he will be in a “listening and learning process in anticipation of a new permanent director.”
While overseeing the staff at PACC, the new director will coordinate and collaborate with strategic partners within county and local government, as well as the animal care community.
Dangler said they hope to have her permanent replacement no later than April.
