With the dog days of summer on their way, Pima Animal Care Center would like to share some tips on how to make sure your pet stays safe when the mercury soars.

Pets not only have to deal with soaring temperatures wearing their fur coats, but they rely on panting to cool down. That isn’t as effective as sweating, especially when they’re just breathing in hot air, and it can be a particular problem for those dogs with short muzzles, which are more prone to overheat because of compressed nasal passages.

• Car safety. A parked car can rapidly become a furnace. Even at 70 degrees, the temperature inside a car can rapidly approach 118 degrees. On days in the mid-90s, inside temperatures will reach 145 degrees. Never leave your pet in a parked car, even with the windows open. It’s against the law and it can be deadly.

• Walks. Sidewalks and asphalt can be blistering in the summer heat. Heat rising off the pavement can rapidly elevate your dog’s body temperature. If the pavement is too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your pooch. Although it’s important for dogs to have regular walks, schedule them in cooler times of the day.

• Short cuts. Many dogs see their groomer for summer-friendly clips in the summer time, but make sure not to go too short, particularly if you have a light-colored dog with pink skin. Dogs can get sunburned just like you can. If your dogs are going to be out in the sun, make sure they have access to shade and plenty of water. It’s not a bad idea to use sunscreen on areas without as much hair, but make sure it’s free of zinc oxide.

• If your pet is showing any signs of heat stroke – excessive panting, difficulty breathing, vomiting, impaired movement – take him to the vet right away to avoid complications.

Pima Animal Care Center wishes everyone a safe summer.

This weekend’s Find a Friend event is last chance to adopt a pet for $10

Once again the $10 for 10,000 adoption campaign has increased the number of animals adopted from Pima Animal Care Center (PACC). Throughout the yearlong campaign, 11,345 animals found new and loving families compared to just over 10,500 the previous year.

The campaign was so successful that PACC is offering one last opportunity to adopt a pet for $10 with its “Find a Friend” weekend Saturday, July 14, and Sunday, July 15.

Starting Monday, July 16, half-price summer discounts will resume. Adoption fees will vary based on factors such as the age of the animal or the length of time it has been at PACC. Until the fall, $50 per animal is the most anyone can expect to pay.

Pima Animal Care Center is located at 4000 N. Silverbell Road. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday noon – 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. For a detailed list of prices and more information, visit PACC’s website at www.pima.gov/animalcare or call 243-5900.

Pima Animal Care Center is pleased to announce the start of $10 for 10,000. For the past three years, this annual reduced adoption fee campaign has been instrumental in ensuring that more than 10,000 animals were saved each year.

The $10 for 10,000 campaign kicks off at the Monsoon Muttness adoption event Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N.Silverbell Road. The family-friendly event will feature music, a dog show, a jumping castle, cotton candy, a scavenger hunt and special guest appearances from McGruff and friends and the Marana Police Canines.

The dog show begins at 11 a.m. and the following classes are open to all rescue dogs:

• Cutest dog
• Ugliest dog
• Dog most like their human companion
• Best dog trick
• Best six legs
• Best dressed dog

Compliance DJ Jerry Sanchez will provide entertainment until 3:30 p.m. He will be followed by live music performances by:

• Gila Bend
• Leila Lopez
• Sunday Drivers
• Hank Topless

PACC is encouraging people to come to the event not only to enjoy free entertainment for the whole family, but also to visit the great selection of dogs and cats in need of homes and to adopt a new pet for a reduced fee.

Please visit www.pima.gov/animalcare for more information.

Pima County, Ariz. (Dec. 9, 2011) – Just in time for the holidays, Pima Animal Care Center is offering dogs and cats that have been sheltered for four weeks or more at a discounted adoption fee of $15.
The 2011 Holiday Angels program helps you become an angel to a dog or cat that has been waiting weeks for a new home, by reducing the adoption fee.
The discounted fee will be offered beginning Saturday, Dec. 10 through Saturday, Dec. 31.
Only dogs and cats that have been at the shelter for at least four weeks can be adopted at this discounted fee.
The adoption fee can also be presented as a holiday gift. The fee can be paid by the gift giver and offered to the recipient in the form of a gift certificate. The animal can be adopted at a later date by the recipient of the gift.
To adopt a dog or cat under the Holiday Angels program, or to buy a Holiday Angels gift certificate, visit the Animal Care Center at 4000 N. Silverbell Road. Hours are Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Holiday time, when families have more time to spend at home, is a good time to bond with a new pet and give the pet time to adapt to its new surroundings.
For more information, go to www.pimaanimalcare.org or call 243-5900 in Tucson.

In honor of World Rabies Day on Wednesday, Sept. 28, Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) will host a rabies vaccination clinic from 9-11 a.m. at PACC, 4000 N. Silverbell Road. World Rabies Day is a global health observance that aims to raise awareness about rabies and enhance prevention and control efforts.

Rabies is a virus that affects warm-blooded mammals, including humans, and is most often transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing brain disease and death. However, rabies is preventable. The best way to protect pets is through a rabies vaccine administered by a licensed veterinarian. Once symptoms of this disease appear, it is too late to save an animal that hasn’t been vaccinated.

During the World Rabies Day clinic, rabies vaccines will be administered for $13 each or free with a dog license purchased at the event. License fees are as follows (licensing late fees may apply):

• $15 for altered dogs – proof of alteration (spayed/neutered) required
• $60 for unaltered dogs
• Citizens older than 65 years are eligible to receive a discounted dog license – proof of age required
• Low-income individuals may be eligible to receive a discounted dog license – call (520) 243-5969 in advance of the clinic for details and requirements

To reduce wait time and ensure the clinic runs smoothly, all dogs must be leashed and under the control of an adult and all cats must be secured within cat carriers. If possible, pet owners should bring a record of the previous vaccine so staff can determine the expiration date for the new vaccine.

For more information about PACC, visit www.pimaanimalcare.org or call (520) 243-5900.

There are more than two hundred dogs and cats available for adoption at the Pima Animal Care Center and a high volume of animals continue to arrive daily. To encourage adopters to find homes for these animals, PACC is further reducing its rates for all adoptable pets immediately.

Discounted adoption prices are as follows:

•    Adult dogs: $35 plus a $15 license
•    Puppies: $50
•    Adult cats: $35 (two for the price of one on Mondays and Tuesdays)
•    Kittens: $50
•    Adult dogs and cats that have been at the shelter for two weeks or longer: $15 (includes the license for dogs)
•    Puppies and kittens that have been at the shelter for two weeks or longer: $25

Special-needs animals that may have minor behavioral or medical issues that the new adopter will need to address are also being offered at a discounted rate. Please inquire with shelter staff or volunteers for further information.

All adoptable animals are altered, vaccinated and microchipped, and dogs older than three months are licensed before going to their new homes.

PACC is also looking for volunteers to take animals to offsite adoption venues and for support for its rescue partners who are invaluable in helping sick and injured animals recover and find happy homes.

Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Road, is open Monday through Friday noon to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about PACC, please visit www.pimaanimalcare.org or call 243-5900.

$10 reduced adoption fees continue through July 17, 2011

Pima County residents adopted 10,542 pets from Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) during the 2010/2011 fiscal year. That exceeded PACC’s adoption goal of placing 10,000 animals into homes.

To celebrate that success, PACC has extended the $10 for 10,000 adoption campaign through Find-a- Friend Weekend July 16-17. During this special campaign, all cats and dogs can be adopted for $10, which is significantly less than the normal fee.

As a special thank you to residents who come to PACC Saturday, July 16, a light brunch will be provided from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

There are many gentle and wonderful pets ready and waiting for a loving family to adopt them. Please consider making a difference in their lives by visiting the Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Road. Regular hours of operation are Monday through Friday noon to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about PACC, please visit www.pimaanimalcare.org or call 243-5900.