Tell Pima County and PACC to Reinstate and Recommit to Trap Neuter Return!
Please read this short history of the municipal Trap Neuter Return program in Pima County and then either send a group email on your own, with the email addresses listed at the end, or use our form, to express frustrations you have that PACC (Pima Animal Care Center) has failed the community by failing to assist with TNR of community cats and neglecting the county’s community cat program. Let your voice be heard so that something is done. Until PACC and the county hears from each and every one of you, they will not step up for community cats. Please share this with anyone you know involved with cats, cat rescue, community cats, feeding cats outside, etc. If you use our form, feel free to personalize the email by clicking the “Read The Petition” button and then editing it:
[emailpetition id=”1″]
via Tucson CARES: [6 years ago,] the Pima County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted in favor of instituting the Best Friend’s Community Cat Project! In doing so, and as a part of fulfilling eligibility to receive a nearly million dollar grant, made a commitment to the community to uphold and transition the program to the Pima Animal Care Center after the 3 year project came to a close.
What’s happened since? The total number of cats covered by the program was decreased by 20%, there have been long gaps without designated staff, staffing has been reduced, medical funding has been reduced, annual funding has run out prematurely with no advance communication to partnering clinics and related organizations, there has been no investment in humane diversives, key lead staff members failed to advocate on behalf of the program, clients and cats themselves and leadership has openly questioned the value of Trap Neuter Return as it’s benefits are not measurable in PACC’s intake data.
Now, the program has gone from being indefinitely suspended due to Covid to seemingly eliminated while PACC continues adoptions, satellite food distribution and other actions that require direct client contact whereas providing trapping and transport services does not.
Since the onset of the project, there has often been a 4-6 week waiting list of people actively seeking and desperate for assistance showing high demand.
The clinics that PACC contracts with are and want to be spaying and neutering Community Cats.
The staff that was hired to do public Trap Neuter Return would like to be working in the field.
The community desperately needs trapping and transport support and a benefit of having it be done by the county shelter that has traps, designated vans, on site veterinarians, a robust foster and adoption program, partnering clinics, etc. makes sense.
Furthermore, Trap Neuter Return is an essential part of the No Kill Model which is largely responsible for the incredible advances we’ve made in our municipal live release rate and in the well being of our community’s animals.
If you think the county should reinstate services and recommit to Trap Neuter Return as the most humane and effective means of managing Community Cats and in support of those concerned about them who are unable to trap and transport themselves, please send an email to PACC leadership, the Health Department leadership and the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
Addresses may be cut and pasted: kristen.hassen@pima.gov, bennett.simonsen@pima.gov, monica.dangler@pima.gov, francisco.garcia@pima.gov, theresa.cullen@pima.gov, jan.lesher@pima.gov,
ally.miller@pima.gov, ramon.valadez@pima.gov, sharon.bronson@pima.gov, steve.christy@pima.gov, betty.villegas@pima.gov, CHH@pima.gov