PACC Blog

Swine Flu is dominating national news and is of great concern, but Pima County is facing other virus related problems with Rabies amongst our native wild animals and distemper in dogs.

Rabies:

Rabies is an acute viral disease of the nervous system of warm-blooded animals. It is usually transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal and is fatal to both animals and humans if the virus reaches the brain.

As of April 24, 2009 there have been 36 confirmed cases of rabies in our area with the break down as follows: 26 skunks, 9 foxes and 1 bat.

Comparatively, in 2007 during the same time frame, 2 skunks, 1 fox and 4 bats tested positive.

2008, again through April, showed a rise to 19 cases. 8 skunks, 9 bats, 1 coyote and 1 bobcat found to be rabid.

The predominant number of cases to date appears to be on the far east side of Tucson, roughly running along the base of the Rincon Mountains.

Cases have also been confirmed in Dove Mountain, Sahuarita and on the southwest side of town with a fox testing positive from the area of Sahuarita Rd and Mission Rd.

The reason for the large amount of rabies positive cases to date is unknown, but with migratory bats returning soon the numbers of cases are expected to rise sharply.

To keep you and your pets’ safe:

Ensure that both dogs and cats receive a rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian.

Keep your pets confined and do not allow them to wander unsupervised.

If hiking with a dog it should be kept leashed at all times.

With bat season fast approaching, try to keep pets indoors. Puppies and kittens too young for a rabies vaccination should also be kept inside for their protection.

Take steps to ‘bat-proof’ your house since rabid bats may fly inside a house and expose your family and pets to rabies.

Bats lying on the ground can also be rabid. Do not let family or pets touch the bat, and teach children not to handle or touch sick or injured animals, including bats. Place a box over the bat to contain it and contact Pima Animal Care Center to report the bat and its location.

Be vigilant for any unusual behavior from wild animals, for example skunks being active during the day time.

Avoid encouraging wildlife onto your property by leaving out food for them.

If you or your pets come into direct contact with a wild animal and are bitten, or think you may have been bitten do not ignore the bite. Report the incident to us and seek medical attention immediately.

Distemper:

Distemper is a highly contagious virus. Although more commonly found in dogs it is also prevalent in other types of wildlife, including foxes and coyotes. The disease is characterized by fever, coughing and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and throat, along with an excess of thick nasal discharge.

Although easily preventable through vaccination distemper is one of the leading causes of death amongst unvaccinated animals. Dogs which do survive frequently are recognized by the pads of the feet becoming hard which is where the disease gets it’s other commonly referred to name of ‘hardpad’.

Pima Animal Care Center has recently begun to notice an increase in the number of dogs arriving at the center presenting with distemper symptoms. The virus is highly contagious, spreading from animal to animal via contact with infected animals or through contact with an infected animals secretions and excretions (nose discharge,saliva,urine,stool etc.) In a kennel environment the distemper virus can rapidly spread amongst animals.

Pima Animal Care Center’s mission is to protect the health and safety of the people and animals within Pima County. This includes saving as many animals which enter through our doors as we can.

Animals at the Pima Animal Care Center are assessed as suitable for adoption, rescue or special needs adoption based on The Asilomar Accords which are a nationally recognized set of guidelines and principles used in shelters all over America.

Based on these guidelines, every animal which enters the facility is assessed before placement. The following definitions are applicable;

Healthy; The term ‘healthy’ means and includes all dogs and cats eight weeks of age or older that, at or subsequent to the time that the animals are taken into possession, have manifested no sign of a behavioral or temperamental characteristic that could pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet, and have manifested no sign of disease, injury, a congenital or hereditary condition that adversely affects the health of the animal or that is likely to adversely affect the animal’s health in the future.

Treatable: The term ‘treatable’ means and includes all dogs and cats who are rehabilitatable and all dogs and cats who are manageable.

Rehabilitatable: The term ‘Rehabilitatable’ means and includes all dogs and cats who are not ‘healthy,’ but who are likely to become ‘healthy’ if given medical, foster, behavioral, or other care equivalent to the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring pet owners/guardians in the community.

Manageable: The term ‘Manageable’ means and includes all dogs and cats who are not ‘healthy’ and who are not likely to become ‘healthy’ regardless of the care provided; but who would likely maintain a satisfactory quality of life, if given medical, foster, behavioral, or other care, including long-term care, equivalent to the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring owners/guardians in the community; provided, however, that the term ‘manageable’ does not include any dog or cat who is determined to pose a significant risk to human health or safety or to the health and safety of other animals.

Animals at the Center are assessed by at least three individuals, including trained veterinary technicians and veterinarians, before being deemed unhealthy or untreatable therefore making it not available for either adoption or rescue.

Animals presenting with distemper have to be humanely euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease and to protect the other animals housed at the facility. Accordingly, dogs diagnosed with canine distemper are unable to be adopted out, or rescued for the same reason, to protect pets in the community from the spread of the disease.

With that said, distemper appears to be already on the rise throughout the district and the key to controlling it is to ensure that dogs have received their vaccinations and are not allowed to wander unsupervised. Avoid taking your dog to places where distemper cases are known and if your animal becomes lethargic, or exhibits cold like symptoms, seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.

For further information on rabies and distemper please visit the links found on our website.

Today, the Tucson Police Department released the results of their investigation into the unfortunate accident that led to the deaths of three (3) dogs on August 2, 2008. We are saddened by the loss of these pets.

Our hearts go out to the family that lost these pets and we are committed to do all possible to prevent such an incident again. We have kept our two (2) vans out of service until we can install carbon monoxide monitors in them to complement the temperature monitors that have been in them. We will also vent the windows so fresh air will always blow through the compartments, to include the drivers compartment. Our officers will also continue to check on animals in the air conditioned cages at every opportunity while transporting them.

Hello and welcome to Pima Animal Care Center’s Blog. This is the first of what we hope to be a weekly posting of current events and information.

We would like to focus this first blog on what we are doing to improve the plight of the sick, injured, abused, vicious, dangerous, abandoned and unwanted animals left in our care. Since we are an open admission shelter and we would not want any animal to be dumped anywhere in our community, we provide a humane alternative for homeless, stray and at risk pets.

In recent years, the County has taken steps through increasing resources, bonds and expanding community partnerships to narrow the gap between the needs of these animals and the capacity of the Center to meet those needs.

The Board has increased the Center’s budget from $4.1 million in 2005/2006 to over $5 million in 2008/2009. Citizens of Pima County agreed with the Board of Supervisors to favorably vote for the 2004 Animal Care Remodel bond totaling $3 million. Furthermore, the current Bond Committee has favorably considered a $15 million bond proposal to make further improvements for the Center.

One key component to reduce the number of unwanted animals presenting at the Pima Animal Care Center is increasing the number of spayed and neutered owned animals. To address this factor in 2005 and 2006, the Board approved two consecutive $25,000 grants to the Animal Welfare Alliance of Southern Arizona to support no cost spay/neuter clinics throughout the County. Those two grants provide over 900 alteration surgeries to the citizens of Pima County. the County is collaborating with the Animal Welfare Alliance of Southern Arizona (AWASA) partners to increase capacity and availability of no cost spay/neuter services throughout Pima County. The County has increased that support to provided $37,000 last fiscal year to the no cost spay neuter program.

The collaboration will build on the successes of the program’s past to increase from the current 11 spay/neuter clinics and invest more funding. The County will invest at least $50,000 in fiscal year 2008/2009 and hopes to as much as triple that commitment by 2010. To fully fund this increasing spay/neuter effor, the County enlists donations through solicitations on annual dog license renewal notices, and other fund raising efforts and events from the Animal Care Center and the Pima County Board of Health. If you would like to help in this effort, please donate to the Pima Animal Care Spay Neuter fund by sending a check or money order to Pima Animal Care Center Spay Neuter Fund, 4000 N. Silberbell, Tucson, AZ 85745 and thank you for your support!

Additional collaborations among over 30 rescue groups and a new, unique individual rescue program that allows citizens opportunity to rescue behavior and immune compromised animals has increased the number of animals saved from 6383 in Fiscal Year 2005/2006 to 8139 in Fiscal Year 2007/2008, a 28% increase over two years. Though we have not experienced the yet to be realized reduction in animals handled through the no cost spay neuter efforts, the community has stepped up to increase the number saved each year. If you would like to help in this effort by adopting a new pet, please come and see us at 4000 N. Silverbell Monday through Saturday betweeen the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or Sunday between the hours of 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. If you would like to join the rescue efforts of our partners, please contact us at contactpacc@pima.gov or visit our website at pimaanimalcare.org and link to the rescue page.

Though our primary mission is rabies control and public safety by protecting you from the vicious and dangerous animals in our community, we are committed to pet welfare through humane sheltering and rescue operations. Regardless of the challenges, we will remain open to best practices which lead to protecting public health while humanely saving as many animals as possible.

Welcome to PACC blog.