Reflections on a decade of Life-Saving Change at Pima Animal Care Center by Kristen Hassen-Auerbach, PACC Direcor

As we celebrate this last year of 2019 and head into 2020, I wanted to share with you some Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) history.

If you’re familiar with PACC, you might already know that in 2010, our intake was around 23,000 pets and more than half of them were euthanized. PACC was known as the ‘dog pound’ and was considered a place of sadness, where homeless pets would go to be euthanized if they weren’t among the lucky few who made it back home or into new homes. Longtime Pima County employees who visit PACC sometimes lament about the experience of watching a truck pull up to remove hundreds of bodies of euthanized pets, only to take them to the garbage dump.

Sadly, this system, where the shelter took in and disposed of thousands of healthy and treatable pets, was considered pretty normal and necessary in cities and towns throughout the United States. Even though it wasn't very long ago, the overwhelming belief was that there were just too many animals (pet overpopulation) and the only solution was euthanasia. Thank goodness this belief and the resulting 'pound model' of sheltering are no longer the norm in the U.S. in 2019! And it’s important to note that none of these changes were possible without support from our community. Whether a staff member, volunteer, foster, donor, adopter, or voter—YOU got us where we are today.

I came here in mid-2017, after so many positive changes had already happened at PACC. Much of what I've learned about the 'old days,' I've learned from stories told by staff and volunteers and from documents like old organizational charts, posters, and standard operating procedures. The following is a recounting of some interesting things I've learned about just how far we've come.

Staffing
In 2010, PACC was part of the health department and was considered part of ‘Field Health Services.’ There was only one position assigned to getting pets out of the shelter alive (the rescue coordinator) and there were zero paid adoption counselors. Most of the staff positions were for animal control, intake and processing pets through the system. Beginning in 2017, PACC became its own, standalone department. Today, we have about a dozen staff dedicated to foster, adoption and rescue placement and a Pet Support Center designed to keep pets in their homes and out of the shelter. This year alone, we've adopted out around 12,000 pets and sent 2,500 to rescue partners!

Volunteer and Foster Programs
In 2010, there was no foster program and a much smaller number of volunteers. These volunteers tried to provide comfort and kindness to pets in tough circumstances, knowing the pets they cared for that day may be euthanized on the following day. Volunteering in 2010 must have been heartbreaking for the incredible and selfless people who helped during this time. As we enter 2020, Volunteers and fosters are at the heart of everything we do. PACC has hundreds of volunteers who assist in virtually every area of the shelter and contribute about 90,000 hours of service annually to PACC pets. PACC operates the nation’s largest shelter pet foster program, sending more than 10,000 pets to foster homes over the past two years. One of the most significant changes to PACC has occurred because of people like you!

Euthanasia
In 2010, pets were usually automatically euthanized if they displayed any symptoms of illness, regardless of how minor; had an injury; had a skin issue like ringworm; were too young or too old; displayed any ‘undesirable’ behavior like being shy or overly energetic; or simply if they did not approach the front of the kennel enthusiastically when the ‘Euthanasia marker’ walked by and looked in the kennel. Anyone could surrender a pet for euthanasia with no questions asked. Today, thanks to support from donors to Friends of PACC, along with our robust medical program and high volume foster program, most every pet gets a fair chance at a live outcome. Every pet that enters the shelter is independently evaluated and we are able to save more than 91% of the pets who enter.  Euthanasia has plummeted over the past decade from more than 15,000 pets annually to under 1,000 in 2019!

Facility
The old PACC facility, built in the 1960s, had a much smaller number of kennels, which meant in 2010, healthy, adoptable pets were euthanized when the shelter ran out of space. There was no clinic for providing medical care beyond spay and neuter and basic vaccines and there were no housing areas for sick or injured pets. Dogs on bite quarantine were held in a locked row in the public area of the main adoption floor. There were only a couple of small rooms for kitties and they were right next to the dog kennels so they were noisy and scary. The lobby was teeny tiny and staff sat behind plexiglass so you had to speak through a small hole to talk to them. (If you were here then, you’re probably smiling and nodding as you remember that lobby!). Today, thanks to a bond voted for by Pima County taxpayers, PACC has a state-of-the-art facility with medical isolation areas, a large medical clinic, group and individual housing kennels for dogs and cats, more than 10 play yards, a large adoption lobby, a pet store, and a pet support center as well as an animal protection station. This facility means PACC does not have to euthanize for space and pets have as long as they need to find their new families!

Enrichment
In 2010, there were no beds in the kennels and most pets did not receive frequent walks, kennel breaks or enrichment. They got food and water but that was it. Today, enrichment is the norm for PACC pets. Kitties get tons of kennel enrichment including toys, treats and cat grass and social cats get to live in group rooms. We even have clicker training for cats! Dogs get access to play groups, kennel enrichment, daily walks and some even get to go to Canine Fun Camp! Special needs dogs have dedicated volunteer teams who give them extra support and attention.

Today, PACC is place of joy and second chances, where homeless, abused and neglected pets find a safe, warm place to stay on their journey to find a forever home. As we reflect on the past decade, take a moment to recognize just how many lives you have helped us save. Our community’s dedication, love and advocacy are everything to the cats and dogs who have lost their homes and everything they know. If our pets could speak, they would give each and every one of you a heartfelt thanks for being their lifeline. To everyone who has donated, volunteered, fostered, adopted, or advocated for a PACC pet, thank you for your service and thank you for making PACC one of the safest shelters in the country for homeless pets. 

You are an integral part of this decade of positive changes and we can't wait to see what the next decade brings. Thanks for making 2019 our most lifesaving year yet!