 PACC releases euthanasia list
PIMA COUNTY, Dec. 22, 2022 - Pima Animal Care Center is releasing a euthanasia list detailing the dogs currently at risk of being put down due to space.
This development comes after a difficult year for PACC, which has faced a critical capacity crisis for most of this year and is currently housing 534 dogs. Monica Dangler, Director of Animal Services, says that this is 40-50% more dogs than the shelter would ideally house. This situation is further complicated by the shelter’s recent outbreak of Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus or “strep zoo.”
“We pride ourselves on being transparent with the public,” Dangler said. “For that reason, we are letting the community know that we have reached a point at PACC where we will have to begin making difficult decisions about euthanizing when kennel space is unavailable for incoming dogs.”
A crowded shelter creates a more stressful environment for pets and people which can impact shelter safety and increase the likelihood for the spread of infectious disease. In addition, the inability to sufficiently isolate sick dogs, such as in the case of PACC’s recent strep zoo outbreak, puts dogs at high risk of contracting illnesses.
The dogs on the euthanasia list have been identified as dogs that require more resources to be able to place in an appropriate home. While typically PACC would have the resources to find homes for these dogs, given the current capacity crisis, these dogs are now at risk. While the dogs on the list will not be immediately euthanized, these will be the dogs that are euthanized if the shelter’s census is not sharply reduced over the next few days.
The list will remain active and updated as needed while PACC’s dog census is at critical capacity. The euthanasia list can be found on PACC’s website. All of the dogs on the list are available for immediate adoption, foster, or rescue. Dangler urges the public to remember that adopting or fostering any dog from the shelter will relieve space and stress concerns and can potentially save a dog’s life.
Due to volume of calls and urgency in the shelter, PACC is prioritizing in-person adoptions, so non-emergency calls may be delayed. For specific questions about pets at PACC, adoptions, or fostering, community members should stop by the shelter in person. For emergency-related calls, people can call the dispatch line at (520) 724-5900 and press 4.
All pets are currently free to adopt, and the shelter provides all necessary equipment and medical care to those who opt to foster a PACC pet. PACC is open from noon to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. To see all available pets and services, please visit pima.gov/animalcare.
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