These days $5 or $10 won't buy you much. But this weekend and over the next few weeks those dollars can get you a furry four-legged friend for life.
Pima Animal Care Center and the Humane Society of Southern Arizona are launching adoption campaigns this weekend to entice potential pet owners and help free up space at the crowded shelters.
"Summer's always a really busy time of the year," says Sara Gromley, a spokeswoman for the Humane Society. "It's litter season, so we've been getting an influx of unwanted puppies and kittens."
The Humane Society kicks off a weekend-long adoption special with a late-night happy hour from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at the shelter's headquarters at 3450 N. Kelvin Blvd., with $5 specials on cats and mixed-breed dogs over 5 months old. A selection of free pets will also be available. An additional $15.50 licensing fee applies to dog adoptions.
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Refreshments, snacks, and merchandise from Pawsh pet boutique will also be available. The $5 adoption special continues through Sunday.
The $10 for 10,000 program offered by Pima Animal Care Center also starts Friday and aims to find homes for 10,000 animals before the end of the fiscal year.
Last year, the first year of the campaign, the center adopted out 10,161 animals.
With more than 8,000 adoptions already, the center is on track to make its goal and is little ahead of where it was at this time last year, Cundy says.
"Fingers crossed, we're optimistic," she says.
There are currently about 140 dogs and 40 cats that need "good, wonderful, forever homes," but that number changes daily as litters of kittens and puppies arrive at the center.
The regular price for adopting an animal at PACC, 4000 N. Silverbell Road, hovers around $100.
There is no limit on the number of pets that can be adopted from PACC but Cundy suggests that people not adopt more pets than they can reasonably afford.
The last day of the PACC sale, June 17, will coincide with the center's annual adoption event Monsoon Muttness which promises additional discounts from 5 to 10 p.m. that day.
Pima County Animal Care Center information available at 243-5900 or go to www.pimaanimalcare.org
Contact the Humane Society at 321-3704 or online to www.hssaz.org
55 cats in treatment
The 55 cats taken off the adoption floor at Pima Animal Care Center to be treated for possible exposure to cheyletiella, a skin disease known as "walking dandruff," are still undergoing treatment, a center spokeswoman said.
The cats are halfway through their eight-week treatment of the non-dangerous but highly contagious disease.
They will be available for adoption in about four weeks.
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Contact Veronica Cruz at vcruz@azstarnet.com or 573-4203.
