Local opinion: New eastside PACC center aims to find more pets homes

The Editorial Page needs a little good news. How’s this — Pima Animal Care Center is opening a new eastside adoptions center on Monday, June 1. The Eastside PACC Adoptions Center (EPAC) will host 35 to 50 dogs and around 10 cats, all up for adoption, spayed or neutered, vaccinated and ready for you to take home and add a fur baby to your family.

The main PACC shelter is located at 4000 N. Silverbell Road. We know from our records that the vast majority of the adoptions we finalize come from residents who live midtown and to the west. We understand that it’s a long drive from the Vail, Rita Ranch, Rocking K and other east-side locations. We’re offering a product — our intent in opening EPAC is to take that product to the customers. And if by doing so we’re a part of forming new families, so much the better.

PACC is in a chronically overcrowded condition. Working at double capacity in our kennels is common. An added benefit to opening EPAC is that every animal placed up for adoption at the new store will be sourced directly from PACC. If we begin the day with 450 dogs and deliver 50 to EPAC, that will make a considerable 1-for-1 impact on the crowding at the main shelter. That reduces shelter stress for the pups and ultimately makes them more adoptable.

EPAC will be an adoptions-only site. We will not be taking in animals at that location. Similarly, we won’t have a clinic or an Animal Protection Service enforcement unit located on site. All of those services will continue to be located at the main shelter on Silverbell Road. EPAC’s mission is to get dogs and cats into homes — adoptions-only.

We’re moving into what was a mortgage brokerage space. What were former offices will now be individual kennels. What were conference rooms will house 4-7 kennels. There are two large open areas in the middle of the space that we have turned into meet/greet rooms so potential adopters can interact with their new family member outside of the kennel. The ambiance of the site will be far less stressful than being in the main shelter along with another 400 dogs. That more laid-back atmosphere will allow the dogs to show their true personalities. We’re looking forward to seeing the matchmaking that will result.

PACC is the only open-admission shelter in all 9,200 square miles of Pima County. We can’t pick and choose which pets to intake like non-profits do. Roughly two-thirds of the dogs we take in are strays. And fewer than 20% of those are microchipped. That combination predestines the pup to landing in a shelter, and not back home. The result — PACC typically has twice the number of dogs that the shelter was built to accommodate. EPAC will be a significant asset in relieving that condition.

If you see a healthy, friendly stray in your neighborhood, please do not pick it up and bring it to PACC. Take it to a vet and have it checked for a microchip. Post pictures on your neighborhood listserv, Next Door or Petco Love Lost. Landing in a shelter will only make it more difficult for the dog to end up at home. Also, if you own a pet, please spay or neuter it, vaccinate it, microchip it and keep it properly confined. All of that is a part of responsible pet ownership.

Just as is the case at the main PACC shelter, all adoptions of adult dogs and cats at EPAC will be free. There’s a small fee for puppies and kittens. Our welcoming staff will help you with the licensing before you leave with your new pet. EPAC will open at noon on Monday, June 1 at 7225 E. Broadway, just east of Kolb Road. We’ll be open noon to 6:30 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 1:30 to 6:30 on Wednesday and 10 to 4:30 on weekends. Please stop by and pay us a visit. And be sure to stop by our beautiful new Finally Home mural, and snap a family photo before you leave.

We’re excited to be on the east side. And our adoptions staff at EPAC is looking forward to playing a part in forming new families for east side residents. You can find all of the information about animals both at PACC and at EPAC on our website: https://www.pima.gov/2233/Pima-Animal-Care-Center-PACC. Stop in and pay us a visit.