Officials with Pima Animal Care Center are taking measures to reduce the number of pets coming into the shelter, while also seeking roughly 200 "on-call" emergency fosters who can take home a pet if the shelter nears critical capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Guidance issued Thursday from the National Animal Care and Control Association advised shelters to take extra measures to reduce intake and mitigate the short and long-term effects of the coronavirus. The World Health Organization has said there's no evidence dogs or cats can be infected with or spread the virus that causes the coronavirus.
Kristen Hassen, PACC's director of animal services, said adoptions will continue and Animal Protection Officers will continue to answer high priority and emergency calls, including injured, sick and stray animals, cruelty and neglect complaints, and more.
For now, shelter staff is asking owners who are not facing an immediate crisis to hold off on surrendering healthy pets for up to four weeks. Owner surrenders, which require an appointment, account for about 40% of pets that enter PACC, the release said.
“The change will mostly impact the owner surrender appointments,” Hassen said. “For any pet owners who need to surrender immediately, we will still take their pets at their scheduled intake time.”
The shelter's main focus is on reducing the overall numbers of animals housed in the shelter, as options slow and intake increases.
PACC will be needing "on-call" emergency fosters for all types of pets, but especially for medium and large dogs and pets with medical issues. PACC will provide vet care, crates, supplies, and food for all fosters. Interested parties can sign up here.
“We’ve had higher-than-usual intake and fewer outcomes for the past 10 days and we anticipate that trend worsening," Hassen said. "It’s a predictable pattern that occurs any time people feel uncertain or worried."
Because PACC typically operates at or near capacity, reducing intakes and maintaining a steady stream of pets leaving the shelter is essential to reduce overcrowding, Hassen said.
Those who can't adopt or foster can make a donation to PACC's official nonprofit partner, Friends of PACC, which is currently working to raise $10,000 to increase outreach, stock fostering supplies and prepare to help families in need with boarding of their pets. Donations can be made at friendsofpacc.org/support-us.
In an additional effort to reduce shelter intake, PACC is asking people who find friendly strays to consider fostering them until the shelter resumes normal operations. Pets typically stay close to home when they go missing, and this helps pets get home much faster while avoiding the stress of the shelter. Stray finders can take the pet to a vet clinic of PACC to have it scanned for a microchip, file a found report and hold the pet to give the owner time to find it, the release said.
Pet owners are encouraged to make plans for their pets in case someone at home becomes ill, and stock up on two extra weeks of pet supplies.
Those who would like to adopt a pet can do so at a reduced cost now during PACC"s "O'Doptions Sale." All pets four months and older have $17 adoption fees, with an additional $20 licensing fee for each adopted dog.
PACC is located at 4000 N. Silverbell Road, open Monday through Friday, noon-7 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends.
