This November, voters will have the opportunity to improve Pima County’s animal care facility through the passage of Proposition 415. This bond will provide the funding needed to build a shelter that will accommodate the thousands of animals brought to the shelter and allow for more humane modern animal care practices.
The original Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) was built in 1968, when Pima County’s population was approximately 300,000 and when animal facilities did little more than warehouse stray animals. Today, Pima County has grown to nearly 1 million people, and the center provides care for nearly 24,000 animals last year.
PACC is open admissions shelter. This mean it has to take in all pets brought to it for care. As a result, the center is routinely forced to house as many as four dogs to a kennel and the cat room regularly reaches overflow conditions. Chronic overcrowding increases stress on the animal and transmission of illness in the shelter.
In recent years, the adoption rate from PACC has increased significantly. Two years ago, the adoption rate was at 55%. In January of this year it was 80%.
And while every effort is made to place these pets in caring homes, the reality is that because of an aging facility with limited capacity, some animals are euthanized.
In response to wide community support to reduce euthanasia rates even further, the Pima County Board of Supervisors placed on the November 4th General Election ballot Proposition 415. If approved, this ballot measure, will provide $22 million for the construction of a new animal care center. This bond would cost the average homeowner $2.89 per year.
More info on Proposition 415 on the November 4, 2014 ballot: http://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=83071
No on Prop 415. Sorry but I see this tax hike on my property taxes that have skyrocketed out of control for the past ten years where my taxes have gone from 255.00 a year to 895.00 . Just the cost of a latte, huh? The road to my home is ridiculus, my doors on two of my vehicle sag because the County can’t repair roads but still I pay “Emergency Bonds” for road improvements that never happen. Oh sure, a pickup truck with two people fill in pothole after pothole that makes my drive home unbearable, but I pay my taxes, year after year. Now the Emotions are running high for the animals, a building that needs improvement to the tune of, wait for it, 22 MILLION! And folks who work in the kennals cheer YAY! 22 MILLION? are you happy that taxes go up, again? how much do you think will actually go to this new kennal? They can not even maintain infrastucture, roads and don’t even start about Rio Nuevo, great folks down there at the Council, and they are playing the taxpayers for all they have. Vote NO on Prop 415. Thank you.
Thanks Andrew for commenting. I understand your concern about property taxes going up in Pima County. Several people have told me that they won’t vote for this Proposition with the shape of the roads being so poor, so you are not alone.
PLEASE VOTE YES ON PROP 415!!! A renovation is DESPERATELY NEEDED! It is truly amazing what PACC has managed to accomplish with such an outdated facility. As a volunteer at PACC, while cleaning kennels & walking the dogs, or cleaning the cat cages , it was very obvious to me the challenges faced concerning overcrowding and how hard it was to disinfect corroded dog runs and cages and how dark and dingy the sick bay area was for dogs trying to recuperate from illness or injury.
Thanks for commenting Donna. Yes, I’ve helped walk a dog at PACC and more $ is definitely needed there for all the dogs & cats that need good homes.
I wish we would get a Proposition like this here in Maricopa County. This is a tax I would gladly support. Good luck to you in Tucson!
Thanks, Steve!