Maricopa County officials are considering the creation of a new nonprofit organization, Friends of Animal Care and Control, aimed at supporting shelter pets and expanding resources for animal care in the region.
Thomas Galvin, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for District 2, said, “I want to build a community where every dog has a home. Providing a funding source for county animal shelters beyond what’s allocated in the general fund not only enables better care for animals in need, but it also saves taxpayer money. It’s a win-win for both our two-and four-legged residents.”
The Board of Supervisors recently approved an increase in expenditure authority for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control’s (MCACC) Donation Fund up to $350,000. This move allows MCACC to explore establishing the nonprofit.
MCACC Director Debbie McKnight explained, “While we are able to accept donations currently, The Friends of Animal Care and Control will allow MCACC to work more closely with donors, and it will provide opportunities for grants that are only available to non-profits. This new non-profit will have a singular goal: funding programs and services that directly or indirectly serve the homeless pet population.”
In addition to this proposed nonprofit initiative, MCACC has implemented several programs this year focused on improving animal welfare. These include launching an Evaluation & Enrichment Team dedicated to providing enrichment activities for dogs in their care.
In March, MCACC opened the Everyday Adoption Center inside PetSmart in Old Town Scottsdale. The center can accommodate over 40 dogs at once; by November it reached 1,000 adoptions.
Adoption hours were expanded by two hours daily starting in July to make pet adoption more accessible. In August, MCACC recorded 202 adoptions in one day—almost emptying its Everyday Adoption Center.
A large-scale Care on the Go event was held at State Farm Stadium’s parking lot in November where more than 800 pets received free vaccines, microchips, and licensing services.
For eight consecutive years, MCACC has maintained a save rate above 90% for animals under its care.
Recent data about education outcomes show that Maricopa County faces challenges unrelated to animal care; over half of students did not pass state math or English exams during recent school years (https://www.azed.gov/).
