The town of Sahuarita could be the next community to cut ties with the Pima Animal Care Center over concerns about rising costs.
Town Manager L. Kelly Udall is recommending the town end its 22-year relationship with PACC after county officials balked at an amended contract offered earlier by the town.
The new proposal would have Sahuarita partner with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona for housing animals. The town would hire a part-time animal-control officer and provide dog licensing to residents.
The yearly contract with the Humane Society would be capped at $35,000. By comparison, town officials said the new annual contract with PACC would have been nearly $90,000.
It is unclear how long animals picked up by the town would be sheltered by the Humane Society before being euthanized.
The responsibility of ownership will transfer from the town to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, under the terms outlined to the town council. “HSSA will use our guidelines to assess the animal for adoption, transfer or euthanasia, based on health and temperament of animal,” reads a memo from the HSSA to Udall.
Marana voted recently to drop its contract with PACC in favor of a new agreement with the Humane Society and hiring its own animal-control officers.
Sahuarita Mayor Tom Murphy says the new contract will be good for the town.
“Providing our own animal-control program will allow us to ensure our residents are getting the best service for their tax dollars,” Murphy said.
Dr. Francisco García, the chief medical officer for the Pima County Health Department, said the number of animals from Sahuarita represents about 3 percent of the PACC’s total annual volume.
“I don’t see this as a major impact on us,” he said.
The Sahuarita Town Council is to decide during its May 8 meeting.
