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Julia Shamko Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Upon entering the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control West Valley Animal Shelter, visitors are greeted by an endless line of barking dogs, about two dogs in kennels, and as of Monday the facility was over capacity. There are over 100 dogs.
“This is both a human crisis and an animal crisis,” said Leanna Taylor, CEO of Arizona Pet Project, which works with shelters across the state to connect pets and their owners.
Taylor said Arizona residents have struggled financially in recent years, and more people feel they have no choice but to leave their pets in shelters.
“Our shelters are kind of the canary in the coal mine for what's happening in our community,” Taylor said. “More admissions to shelters means our communities are really suffering.”
While previous holiday seasons have seen an increase in adoption numbers, the 2023 holiday season saw a decline in adoption rates at MCACC.
MCACC Director Kim Powell said, “Many people surrender their dogs to us because they don't have a home or feel they have no other options.”
Larger dog breeds, particularly huskies, German shepherds and pit bulls, dominate the two MCACC shelters. Pet size and breed restrictions in rental housing in the area may be one reason for this increase.
Despite the challenges facing shelters and pet owners, there is hope.
“We have to take it day by day,” Powell said. “Over the past year, we have gone through new management (at the shelter), considered new policies, and devised various programs to improve the shelter to better serve the pets in our shelter. So are our care and our communities. ”
MCACC now has a fully staffed veterinary team. The organization is also in the process of building a new shelter to replace the current East Valley Animal Shelter, scheduled to open in May.
Features of the new shelter include larger, angled kennels that provide a screen to minimize stress levels for dogs and reduce the spread of disease. There are 21 nearby play areas, some larger than currently available, allowing stable dogs to play in groups for socialization. and a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital.
Powell said the new shelter will better reflect the organization's values.
“We don't want to be known as a 'pound.' We're a shelter. We care about our dogs. We're so much more than that,” she said. .
MCACC introduced the Shelter Diversion Navigator a year ago to work with people who feel they need to surrender their pets for a variety of reasons. The navigator will calm you down, discuss your reasons for relinquishing your pet, and explain your options.
And shelters aren't the only ones involved in this process. MCACC's New Hope partners help find new homes for dogs whose shelters are not equipped to handle medical emergencies, aging kennels, or other issues. In return, MCACC will provide $250 for each dog taken off the euthanasia list until the end of March.
“We want to support them[New Hope partners]because sometimes when a pet goes to a rescue partner, we can’t make sure it’s spayed or neutered before they leave. ,” Powell said. “We hope that by providing them with funds for medical and behavioral costs, we can at least help.”
Dog fostering and adoption
One of our New Hope partners, Love Them All Sanctuary and Rescue, has been working with MCACC since its opening in June 2020. The nonprofit's latest mission is to adopt out dogs in need of emergency medical care that Maricopa County may not be able to provide.
Love Them All's new shelter in Scottsdale is primarily a foster-based rescue, housing up to 20 dogs, classifying the animals' medical needs, and working to find foster homes. is.
“I started fostering for another rescue here in Scottsdale and they were great…but they focused on e-listed dogs (dogs on the euthanasia list). “We didn't adopt all breeds,” said the Love Them All founder. Christine Conroy. “Those were always things that stuck with me…so I decided to start my own rescue…and it changed the perception of rescues and the way they operate here in Arizona.”
Nearly 60 percent of the dogs that come to the sanctuary are large breeds, she said, and in recent weeks more pit bull mixes have arrived.
“We're able to provide more specialized care and just gather all the resources necessary for that dog to eventually be rehabilitated and placed into the perfect home,” Conroy said.
Dogs awaiting adoption at the sanctuary are kept on a strict schedule of medical assistance, nutrition, and care.
“We wanted a really balanced mix of everything the dog needs on a daily basis,” Conroy said. “So it's rest, it's play, it's enrichment, it's mental stimulation, it's training, it's cuddle time… it could be anything.”
Since the addition of the facility, Conroy and her staff have been able to better assess each dog, from medical history to needs to behavioral skills, allowing the organization to place them into foster homes.
Conroy said her shelter is adding space to house 30 to 40 more dogs while they wait for adoption.
Those who adopt dogs through Love Them All receive full financial support and regular check-ins from Conroy and her staff, who work to prepare each dog for adoption. Masu.
Preventing separation between pets and owners
Arizona Pet Project's Shelter Prevention Model was launched in 2015 when the organization recognized that more than 40% of animals sent to shelters were due to owner circumstances or financial crisis.
“Our entire organization is designed to remove barriers for families to keep pets at home,” Taylor said.
Those most in need are low-income minority families. The Humane Society of the United States has added Arizona Pet Project as a partner organization in its Pets for Life program to help these families.
“This is a door-to-door operation,” Taylor said. “The real goal of this program is to reach the low-income and highest-need communities and provide them and their pet families with food, vaccines, supplies, and more.”
This program provides support in English and Spanish to provide as much accessibility as possible to those who need our services.
Arizona Pet Project offers resources ranging from housing to veterinary care, licensing and more.
What each of these organizations wants to convey is that regardless of financial or situational crisis, there are resources available to those who need to keep their pets and families together.
