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Pinal County Pupdate

April 2024

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With more animals arriving at the shelter than leaving, kennels being lost during renovations, and staffing not being available to take the dogs out of their kennels for daily enrichment, the shelter is currently at critical capacity and has released a list of animals at risk for euthanasia for the first time in several years.

The shelter had difficulty selecting dogs but ultimately selected four that generated little or no interest, suffered from kennel stress, and lived at the shelter for long periods, including one there for over two years. Once the list was compiled, the shelter pleaded to the public via social media for help placing these four at-risk dogs.

As a result of these efforts, we’re incredibly pleased to announce that all four dogs were placed; thanks to all who shared and answered our call. We especially want to thank the families who opened their hearts to provide a home for each dog. We appreciate the efforts of all who stepped up to volunteer, foster, adopt, and share our messages on social media and everyone who participated in the Empty the Shelter program.

Despite this success, however, the shelter still needs to be out of the woods and remains over 140% capacity, while the renovation is nowhere near complete. The hope is that a consistent flow of adopters, volunteers, and fosters will help deter the need for a future euthanasia list. Learn how to help Pinal County Animal Care & Control remain a no-kill and lifesaving shelter.

April is Animal Care & Control Appreciation Month

Thank You to Our Pinal County Animal Care & Control Staff & Volunteers

April includes Animal Control Appreciation Week from April 14-20, 2024! Here's what you need to know about Pinal County's team of animal protection officers (APOs) and why they deserve much appreciation!

More Than "Dog Catchers"

Animal Control originated in the 1800s when men were hired to catch and kill stray dogs as a public safety protocol against zoonotic rabies. These men were dubbed "dog catchers."

Today, our animal protection officers continue to provide safety to the public from rabies by working with local health departments, ensuring pets are vaccinated from rabies, capturing sickly wildlife (such as bats), and conducting investigations after an animal bite incident occurs. However, our officers are much more than just "dog catchers," Pinal County Animal Care & Control has a dedicated team of officers who prioritize reuniting lost pets, saving abused pets, and educating owners on pet care and laws.

What do Pinal County Animal Protection Officers do?

Our officers have multiple duties, from answering citizens' calls about loose dogs to potential abuse cases to animal bites. Additionally, they educate citizens on proper pet care and laws and help citizens and pets needing assistance.

Unfortunately, not everyone is always compliant with following pet laws. The APOs have a tough job enforcing laws that provide safety to the community and pets and often must deal with many upset, angry, or confrontational people. Our officers do a great job at de-escalating and educating while working toward law compliance — not to mention that our APOs are skilled in humanely capturing stray animals that may scare most people. When strays are picked up, the officers bring them to the safety of the shelter or, even better, return them to their homes.

Our Animal Protection Officers Love Their Job!

No one can argue that the job of an animal protection officer is easy, but our team is compassionate about what they do — which is why the consensus amongst them as to why they do the work they do is simple, they LOVE animals!

Last month, Pinal County Animal Care & Control celebrated National Reading Month by inviting families to come and read to the animals! While there, families were also shown how to play “Click 4 Quiet,” an enrichment game that helps teach dogs calm manners that help in kennel presentations, enhancing their chances of adoption. Reading to the animals also teaches them to socialize and de-stress.

Readers were asked to log their hours. One ambitious reader, Zander, logged the most hours throughout the month, earning him a goodie bag of a $25 gift card, a book, and other goodies. Our thanks go out to Zander for volunteering to read many fantastic stories to the animals!

Thank you to all who participated in National Reading Month with Pinal County Animal Care & Control!

DJ has been waiting 20 long months to be adopted. He was brought in as a stray, but sadly, no one has come looking for DJ since he was placed for adoption.

DJ is approximately two years old, friendly, and very sociable. He knows basic commands, loves going for walks, and regularly attends a local school and doggie playgroup! We were confident this little guy would quickly find a forever home.

He is guessed to be an Australian-Kelpie mix. He’s neutered, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped. The shelter has waived his adoption fee. Interested in fostering? County residents can get paid to foster DJ through the shelter’s Foster Incentive Program. Contact us for more information.

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