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    • Spay or Neuter and Trap - Neuter - Return (TNR)

    picture of a cat

    Pima Animal Care Center supports spay/neuter services for community cats in Pima County.

    If you would like information on our trap-neuter-return (TNR) services and trap loans, please complete this form to be connected with our Community Cats staff.

    “'Community Cats' is a term used to describe outdoor, unowned, free-roaming cats. These cats could be friendly, feral, adults, kittens, healthy, sick, altered and/or unaltered. They may or may not have a caregiver." – ASPCA

    Less than 3% of stray cats coming in to PACC are reclaimed by an owner. The main reason for this is that many cats are actually community cats and don’t have an indoor home. Kittens who are born to these community cats make up a very large part of our stray intake, so there is no one to come looking for them. There are some occasions where an owner of an indoor-outdoor cat does not come looking for the cat before they have been adopted out because they are used to their cat being gone for a few days at time.

    Because most “stray” cats are actually a part of the community and do not have owners, the best thing that can be done for them is Trap-Neuter-Return. This ensures that the cat is spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and returned back to their outdoor “home” where they are looked after and cared for. Despite our efforts, an animal shelter is an extremely stressful place for cats, so returning to a place they know is far better for healthy outdoor cats. 

    Snip 'N' Tip

    cartoon catsTo celebrate National Feral Cat Day, Pima Animal Care Center is holding a free spay and neuter event, called Snip 'N’ Tip, for community cats October 16-17 in PACC’s Multi-Purpose Room, 4000 North Silverbell Rd.

    The event is for outdoor community cats and kittens living in Pima County. Kittens should weigh at least 1.5 pounds, and we ask that kittens have a committed caretaker to monitor them after surgery. Anyone can participate by bringing in an outdoor cat in a secure cat carrier or trap. People who bring cats will be responsible for returning them back to their neighborhood.

    Those bringing in cats can support a participating 501c3 shelter, rescue, or TNR organization. These non-profit partners will receive $10 per cat and will be eligible for additional prizes. Incentives have been generously provided through donations.
    If a trapper needs a trap or carrier, they can contact PACC’s Community Cat Program by sending an email communitycats@pima.gov. They can sign up for the event at app.waitwhile.com/book/snipntip

    All cats will receive:
    •Brief exam by a licensed veterinarian
    •FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia) vaccines
    •Rabies vaccines
    •Parasite treatment as needed
    •Minor medical care as needed
    •Microchip implantation
    •An eartip (humanely conducted under anesthesia)
    •Female cats will also receive a green tattoo next to spay site (humanely conducted under anesthesia)

    Surgery drop-off hours are:
    •Friday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
    •Saturday 7 a.m. to noon
    •Saturday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
    •Sunday 7 a.m. to noon

    When signing up through the link, trappers will be notified when the cats are ready for pick up.

    Participating organizations:
    *Friends of PACC, The Hermitage No Kill Cat Shelter, Humane Society of Southern Arizona, Lifeline Oro Valley Rescue, Moon and Stars Animal Rescue, No-Kill Pima County, Paws Patrol of Green Valley, Pawsitively Cats, Saving Animals From Euthanasia, Saving At Risk Animals, Southern Arizona Cat Rescue (SACR), Spay and Neuter Solutions, Inc.

    This event was made possible by Friends of Pima Animal Care Center, Petco Love, Clara Lee Arnold, Melinda Correll, and Bonnie Kay.

    Kittens

    What should I do if I see kittens? Check out our page on kittens here.

    Participating Clinics for PACC Community Cats Program:


    Santa Cruz Veterinary Clinic
    5408 S 12th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85706
    (520) 889-9643

    Arizona Spay & Neuter
    4 W Grant Rd, Tucson, AZ 85705
    (520) 624-5005 

    *Clinics listed above provide FVRCP & Rabies vaccine (if age appropriate) and eartip at time of surgery.

    Additionally, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona on 635 W Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ 85705, offers appointment-free spay/neuter for feral cats. For more information call 520-881-0321 or visit www.hssaz.org

     

    Need an affordable spay/neuter surgery for your owned pet (not a community cat)? We can help! We partner with several local nonprofits and private veterinarians to provide very low cost spay and neuter options to Pima County residents. ALL Pima County residents can get their pet fixed for just $15 through our program, and that price is reduced to $5 if the pet owner is low-income! For more information about getting a subsidized surgery for your pet, you can:

    AZ Pet Plates

    Our Community Cats Program is the humane and effective way to reduce the number of cats living on the streets in Pima County. Community cats are the un-owned outdoor or feral cats who live in our neighborhoods.

    Our Community Cats Program provides:

    • Humane trapping of community cats, followed by spaying or neutering, vaccination and the return of cats to their communities. Over time, their numbers are reduced -- at no cost to the caretaker.
    • Ear-tipping of spayed or neutered cats. A painless procedure, an ear-tip is the universal symbol of a spayed or neutered outdoor cat. 
    • Information on reducing cat-related issues. You can also view our handout on Discouraging Roaming Cats.
    • For a printable Community Cats Program flyer in both English and Spanish, click HERE.

    PACC Community Cats Program technicians are currently focusing their efforts on the top six zip codes of stray cat intake.

    The targeted zip codes are:

    85705
    85706
    85711
    85713
    85716
    85746

    Together, these zip codes comprise almost 60% of stray cat & kitten intake to PACC for 2019. The other approximately 40% of intake is spread amongst 30 other zip codes in Pima County.

    At this time, trap loans and surgery funding will still be available for those who are located in other jurisdictional areas contracted with Pima Animal Care Center, but trap loans will be prioritized to serve those located in targeted areas.
    For trapping help or for a trap loan, please contact us through our web form or (520) 724-5983.

    Here's a list of some other local low cost options.

    Additional support may be found through No Kill Pima County.

     

    More Low-Cost Surgery Options for Your Pet

    In addition to the county-subsidized options listed above, there are multiple private clinics in Pima County that provide low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for the public's pets.
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    Animal Care Center


    4000 N. Silverbell Rd.
    Tucson, AZ 85745
    (520) 724-5900
    FAX: (520) 724-5960
    HOURS: 

       Monday - Friday:
         noon to 7 p.m.

       Saturday & Sunday:
         10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Ajo Substation

    1249 N Well Rd
    Ajo, AZ 85321
    (520) 387-7502
    HOURS:

       Monday:  11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
       Wednesday: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
       Wednesday: 4:30pm-6:30pm
       Friday:  11 a.m. - 1 p.m.



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