Community raises $1M for east Tucson PACC adoption center
Pima Animal Care Center’s new Eastside adoption center, funded by community donations, has sent more than 350 pets home since a June soft opening.
The new Eastside PACC Adoption Center, built with more than $1 million in community donations, held its grand opening last month after more than 350 pets found homes there since a June soft opening.
The 5,382-square-foot space can accommodate up to 50 pets at a time and is expected to support up to 2,400 additional adoptions each year, according to Pima Animal Care Center.
The Eastside Adoption Center, at 7225 E. Broadway Blvd., sent 17 dogs and six cats home on its first day.
The center grew out of a need to serve the east side. PACC’s main shelter and adoption center is at Grant and Silverbell on Tucson’s west side. About 15 months ago, Tori Chisholm, CEO of Friends of Pima Animal Care Center, met with PACC director Steve Kozachik to discuss expanding adoptions to the east side.
Friends of PACC is a nonprofit that has directly supported PACC for the past 10 years.
“To make an investment as a community of people who care about pets was kind of a no-brainer,” Chisholm said. “There’s always been a mindset that we needed animal welfare services on the east side of town.”
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The main shelter is open admission and takes in between 19,000 and 23,000 pets each year.
Intake numbers from January through July were similar to last year, but adoptions were down an average of 5.9%. Six of the seven months saw declines, with the largest in June at 14.1%. February was the only month with an increase, at 3.7%. Consistent overcrowding at the Westside location remains PACC’s biggest challenge.
Chisholm hopes the new Eastside location can bridge the gap for families whose trek to the Westside may keep them from finding a furry companion. Cats are the most popular pets, staying an average of just 48 hours after arriving.
Chisholm said the need was clear in adopter data.
“Two-thirds of all of our adopters were coming from zip codes that were midtown Tucson and west,” Chisholm said. “That meant there was a huge segment of the population on the east side of town that either felt like PACC was too far or they didn’t have access. We knew we needed to bring the services and bring amazing animals closer to them.”
Friends of PACC is paying for the effort through donations.
“We’ve committed, as friends of PACC, about $1.3 million to make this happen over the next two and a half to three years, and our donors fund all of it,” said Friends of PACC CFO David Picard.
Architectural and tenant improvements created 13 rooms that each house one or two medium to large dogs, plus a larger room in the back for smaller dogs and puppies. Some dog rooms are split with a divider to keep the dogs more relaxed. The dogs also have two spacious meet-and-greet areas and a large, gated play yard behind the facility for play and walks. Cats are kept in kennels in one room, with a meet-and-greet room next door.
Donations will continue to cover the lease, utilities and staff wages.
“This would not be here without your support,” Wade Shultz, animal placement manager for the Eastside center, told attendees during the grand opening celebration. “We are so happy to be a part of your community, and we are so happy to be here with you. Without you, we just would not be here.”
County officials also thanked the community at the event.
“It’s a real testament again to the passion and commitment that so many of you have for something like this,” said District 4 Supervisor Steve Christy. “I just want to commend everybody who took part in this, and especially the volunteers who day after day are here to take care of our four-footed friends. I’m appreciative, I know the community is appreciative, I know the public is appreciative.”
On grand opening day, 23 dogs and 17 cats were adopted, including every adoptable cat at the center.
The Eastside PACC Adoption Center is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from noon to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All dogs 4 months and older and cats older than 5 years are free.
Topacio “Topaz” Servellon is a reporter with Tucson Spotlight. Contact them at topacioserve@gmail.com.
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