PIMA COUNTY, AUG. 26, 2022 – Pima Animal Care Center desperately needs fosters for the pets in its Safety Net program.

PACC’s Safety Net program is an extension of the Pet Support Program that provides temporary housing to pets whose owners are temporarily unable to care for them due to unforeseeable factors like eviction, domestic violence, hospitalization, and more. PACC currently has 71 pets enrolled in the program, and shelter staff receive more requests for Safety Net assistance every day. More fosters are needed to be able to accommodate the demand.

The Safety Net program is a key part of honoring that human-animal bond and ultimately keeping the family unit intact, said Monica Dangler, Director of Animal Services.

“The Safety Net program is representative of PACC’s commitment to keeping pets with their families,” Dangler said. “But in order to help as many people as possible, we need fosters who can take care of these pets while their owners get back on their feet.”

Fosters have helped care for and ultimately reunite 119 pets with their families so far this year. With more fosters, PACC staff hope to expand the number of animals that can be in the program at any given time.

Allyn Hill is a PACC foster who has cared for five different Safety Net dogs and has fallen in love with each one of them.

“Knowing that you’re helping somebody else and the animal is like a double positive,” Hill said.

Safety Net fosters provide short-term care for owned pets, typically in 30-day increments. The pets’ owners receive weekly updates on how their pet is doing with their foster family. After the pets’ owners have resolved their circumstances, they are reunited with their pets.
Once PACC has a foster’s information, including about what kind of pets they would like to foster, shelter staff will reach out to help match the foster family with a pet in need. Those willing to foster should apply at https://tinyurl.com/paccsafetynet.

Community members who cannot foster can still assist by donating to Friends of Pima Animal Care Center. Friends of PACC is the official nonprofit partner to Pima Animal Care Center and relies on grants and individual donations to support the life-saving work of PACC and the Pet Support Program. Donate at friendsofpacc.org.

Pima Animal Care Center is open Monday to Friday, noon to 7 p.m., and 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. PACC is currently at Code Red capacity and needs fosters and adopters, particularly for large dogs. All adoptions are free through Aug. 31 thanks to the ongoing Clear the Shelters event. To see a list of available pets and services, head to pima.gov/animalcare.