Donor’s Gift Will Save At-Risk Dogs
Like every shelter, Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) has amazing dogs in their care who experience behavioral decline due to the stress of the shelter environment. Thanks to Maddie’s Fund®, PACC has a dedicated adult dog foster coordinator to get these dogs out of cages, and into homes, before their stress and anxiety cause behaviors that could put them at risk. Recently, an anonymous donor spoke with Friends of PACC about filling in the missing piece of the puzzle.
This donor has offered to fund a staff position for an at-risk-dog case worker through the Friends of Pima Animal Care Center. This case worker will manage the 20 to 25 dogs most likely to end up at risk due to length of stay and declining behavior from kennel stress. These are the dogs who are smart and energetic and love to take walks and car rides and hanging out with their favorite people but absolutely fall apart when locked in a kennel waiting for a home.
The case worker position will allow PACC to provide focused attention to these dogs and will, among other things: get a better understanding of the dog's past; create daily exercise and enrichment plans for each dog in the program; check in with them every day to modify plans as needed; explore appropriate pathway options and find the dog the best outcome, whether it be foster, rescue, adoption or return to their owner; monitor interactions with people and animals; work alongside volunteers to provide tons of training and TLC; and most of all, be an advocate for the dog while providing sensible, safe outcome options and helping the dog get home. This person, because they just have only to focus on a few dogs, can provide more in-depth adoption and foster counseling as well as post-adoption support. One of the best parts is that this person can help us shorten the length of stay for dogs to reduce the burden of long stay shelter dogs on the shelter’s resources.
The inspiration behind this idea is the human social work model, where every child is treated as an individual with their own set of needs. We are hoping to learn from the human foster and adoption models, how to better handle our more challenging dogs and how to select the best possible matches when it comes to their new families!
This position is a true dream-come-true, and it will take us a few months to make happen, but once it does, it will be a game changer for volunteers, fosters, and the dogs who get to be in the program. Thanks to this amazing donor and to everyone who chooses to make a difference for homeless animals every, single day, including the taxpayers who voted for our new facility, the Pima County Board of Supervisors and other County leadership, volunteers, fosters, donors, advocates, rescue partners and staff. It takes a village and we have a great one!
Make a gift today to help homeless pets at Pima Animal Care Center by clicking here.