WHAT IS AN
‘OPEN ADMISSION’ SHELTER?
In contrast to “closed or limited admission” shelters,
PCACC is an “open admission” shelter and must accept
every animal in need regardless of age, breed, temperament,
appearance or medical condition. We CANNOT and DO
NOT turn any animals away.
ARE ANIMALS “EUTHANIZED” AT PINAL COUNTY
ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL?
Yes. As an open admission shelter, PCACC may be
forced to euthanize (kill) a healthy, adoptable
animal simply because of a lack of space. As a high
intake facility, kennel capacity continually plays
a role in determining the number of animals that
may need to be euthanized.
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Other reasons an
animal may be euthanized
at an open admission
shelter include
those considered
“unadoptable”:
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- An animal is suffering from a behavioral issue that poses a threat or safety risk to potential adopters and the community; and/or
- An animal is sick and/or suffering from a medical condition that adversely impacts its well-being and quality of life and from which it is not likely to recover.
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Pinal County follows
the best practices
of shelter management
with two goals in
mind:
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- Moving the maximum number of adoptable animals into rescue organizations or into adoptive homes and
- Limiting euthanasia to sick/injured/suffering/feral or aggressive animals whenever possible.
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DOES PINAL COUNTY ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL
ATTEMPT TO PLACE AS MANY ANIMALS AS POSSIBLE?
Yes. Every effort is made. The shelter works with
many rescue and animal welfare groups as well as
with the public in order to find placements for
as many adoptable animals as possible.
I CANNOT KEEP AN ANIMAL. ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVES
TO SURRENDERING AN ANIMAL TO AN OPEN ADMISSION SHELTER?
Depending upon your circumstances and why you need
to surrender an animal, there may be other alternatives
available. Following is a list of common reasons
for owner surrenders, with available resources and
ideas that you may find helpful. Help us save more
animals by taking responsibility for yours. The
best place and chances for a good life for your
pet is in your home with you, as there is ALWAYS
a surplus of pets awaiting a home in our shelter
and others.
Please ask a staff member for availability
of printed resource material you may take with or
about any questions you may have on the following:
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MOVING / FORECLOSURE:
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Anyone in the process
of moving knows
how difficult it
can be to find a
new place to live.
Those of us who
have pets face a
special challenge.
If you know you’re
going to be looking
for a new home for
you and your pets,
allow plenty of
time for your search.
- Search for Pet-Friendly Housing: There are actually several online sources for this purpose. Start with “Finding Pet-Friendly Housing” by Best Friends Animal Society at: http://www.bestfriends.org/Resources/Pet-Care/General-Pet-Care/Miscellaneous/Taking-Your-Pet-When-You-Move/
See additional online resources in the section titled "Additional Resources".
- Contact a Rescue Organization: Arizona is home to a number of excellent all-breed rescues, specialty rescues and cat rescues. An internet search will yield many matches. The key to successfully placing your animal in a rescue organization is planning ahead. Many rescues are ‘foster-based’ meaning your pet can bypass the shelter environment entirely because it would go immediately to a foster home. Nearly all rescues are run by volunteers so the more lead time you can give, the better. Many are simply unable to make an immediate, same-day rescue.
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BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS:
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There ARE solutions
to many types of
behavioral problems,
which typically
result from lack
of training, lack
of consistency in
training or lack
of positive reinforcement.
The Best Friends
Animal Society provides
resources intended
to help you, the
pet owner, overcome
problems and keep
your pet!
Visit the Pet Care
Library at:
http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/,
or ask
a shelter staff
member for information
on your specific
behavioral issue.
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FINDING A NEW HOME
FOR YOUR PET:
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If you decide you
cannot keep your
pet, please make
an effort to find
a new home before
considering a shelter.
You will be saving
another pet’s life
by doing so.
1) Prepare
Your Pet for Adoption:
- Hopefully this is already done, but…first and foremost, spay or neuter your pet or the stray you are trying to place. Low-cost, mobile services are available in our area:
- Mashvet: The Mobile Animal Surgical Hospital was created to provide access to low-cost spay/neuter services in a variety of locations in Pinal County. On the web: www.mashvet.net ; Email: mashappts@aol.com or Phone: 480-656-4479.
- Healing Hearts Mobile Veterinary Surgical Unit: Provides low cost mobile spay/neuter and veterinary care. On the web: www.healingheartsaz.org; Phone: (480) 772-9502.
- If you want additional information on low-cost clinics in your area, contact SPAY/USA at 1-800-248-SPAY or visit their website, www.spayusa.org. The PETS 911 website is another resource, www.pets911.com.
- Make sure the animal is up-to-date on vaccinations. Prepare a complete medical record that you can give to the adopter.
2) Advertise
Your Pet / Get the
Word Out:
- Start with a flyer: Advertise as widely as you can, in as many places as possible. Creating a flyer is a great way to start. To easily make a flyer, go to http://www.petbond.com/flyerentry.php.
- Contact as many rescue groups as possible. Find a listing at http://www.pacc911.org/PACC_Partners.html.
- Place a classified ad in your local paper.
- Place a “pet for sale” ad on Craigslist (“Free to a good home” pet ads are not recommended).
- Post your pet on adoption websites such as PetFinder (www.petfinder.com) and social networks, like Facebook, and the Best Friends Network: http://network.bestfriends.org/help/
- Use any and all of your community contacts. Don’t underestimate word of mouth.
For general information
on the above, ask
a PCACC staff member
for the Best Friends
Animal Society document
titled “Finding
a New Home for a
Pet,” available
in English and Spanish.
Or, for detailed
information on rehoming
pets, visit their
site at:
http://www.bestfriends.org/Resources/Pet-Care/General-Pet-Care/Miscellaneous/Finding-a-New-Home-for-a-Pet/
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TNR & FERAL CATS:
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Feral, or “community
cats,” pose a unique
and pervasive issue
in our community.
A “feral” cat is
one that has had
little to no contact
with humans during
its natural life,
and is, essentially,
undomesticated.
Trap-Neuter-Return
(TNR) is
a process by which
cats are humanely
trapped, sterilized
by a veterinarian,
and returned to
the site at which
it was trapped.
PCACC rents out
cat traps. These
are live traps that
do not injure the
cat. There is a
$25 rental fee for
the trap for a period
of seven (7) days.
The following local
groups provide additional
resources for this
topic:
The Animal
Defense League of
Arizona Trap Neuter
Return (TNR) Program
-
http://www.adlaz.org/node/164;
phone: 602-265-7729;
Email:
feralcats@adlaz.org
Altered
Tails AZCATS
–
www.alteredtails.org;
phone: 602-216-1160;
Email:
info@alteredtails.org
The Foundation
for Homeless Cats
on the web at:
www.thefoundationforhomelesscats.org
- provides information
on how to help stop
the cycle of breeding
while continuing
to care for feral
cats in your area.
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ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES:
ABCs of Dog Life |
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