Overcrowded Pima County shelter offering pets for less

It’s that time of year at the Pima Animal Care Center.

The cages are full, so full that there’s not enough room for all the furry faces to fit at the main shelter.

Why now?

For one, it’s litter season, which means there are more unwanted puppies and kittens coming in, starting in late spring and throughout summer than at other times of year.

“Summer is our most challenging time of the year,” said Karen Hollish, director of development and marketing with the Pima Animal Care Center. “There are also fewer volunteers and adopters because the snowbirds are not here.”

The center is also more focused now on helping animals with medical or behavioral challenges find homes, so much so that members of PACC’s Long Timers Club and Silver Whiskers Club have their adoption fee waived year-round.

Since the shelter is over capacity, with more than 400 dogs and 275 cats, they have had to set up overflow housing in tents for some of the animals.

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Hollish said some good news is that there are fewer animals to place this year, with 7,093 pets coming in from May 1 through Aug. 25 compared to 7,484 last year.

Last year, they were saving the lives of up to 90 percent of the animals, she said, and this year it’s at 93 percent.

“Also, the obvious additional reason for the numbers is that we still have a lot of work to do with community education and outreach on spaying and neutering and vaccines,” wrote Nancy Young Wright, PACC’s volunteer adoption coordinator, in an email “and we have the puppy mill imports that continue to be imported into town then adopted out in an intact state. It all trickles down.”

PACC, at 4000 N. Silverbell Road, is holding a tent sale through Sept. 11 with $10 adoption fees for all pets — including puppies and kittens. Animals will also be available for adoption at four PetSmart stores around Tucson.

“We are so full that we have adoptable dogs in the tent because there is no room for them on our main shelter floor,” said Justin Gallick, PACC’s director for community engagement.

“Housing dogs in the tent can become challenging this time of year — particularly with the heat and the storm noise.”

All adopted pets will come spayed or neutered, with up-to-date vaccinations, micro-chipped, and with a free visit to the vet. An additional $17 licensing fee will also apply to all adult dogs.