The Pima County Board of Supervisors gave the OK Tuesday to a new lifeline for some of the region's most at-risk animals. In a 5-0 vote, the board approved lease plans for Pima Animal Care Center’s new Animal Restoration Kennels (ARK).
The facility will be used for animals rescued from hoarding investigations.
A $60,000 donation from philanthropist Elizabeth Bruce, $50,000 from the Scarritt Foundation, and funds from Friends of Pima Animal Care Center, PACC’s nonprofit partner, will fully fund the facility’s first year of operation.
For years, PACC’s main shelter at 4000 N. Silverbell Road has grappled with space shortages, a situation worsened by the influx of pets from cases of abuse and neglect. Many rescued animals are subject to legal bond holds, keeping them at the shelter for weeks or even months. Others, taken from hoarding situations, require extensive socialization before they can join a new family.
At present, PACC’s APS team is investigating more than 50 active hoarding cases, each involving households with ten or more animals in unsafe conditions. So far this year, APS has rescued 537 animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles, from such environments. An estimated 1,000 more animals in the county are believed to need intervention.
Friends of PACC is supporting ARK through Lovely’s Fund for Abused and Neglected Pets.
The ARK facility itself will be housed in space owned by Central Pet, a business offering boarding, daycare, and grooming. Owner Julie Grounds has pledged to either donate the section of the facility or establish a new nonprofit to host the project—moves that could lower long-term costs.
