Animal shelters and care facilities in Cochise County are still experiencing decreased volunteer visitation and a decline in overall pet adoptions in the last year while being near max capacity.
Arlene Garcia, animal control supervisor at the Nancy J. Brua Animal Care Center in Sierra Vista, said it is always a good time to adopt. Garcia provided a data chart that revealed the number of adoptions at the facility had decreased from 852 in 2019 to 674 in 2021.
Nancy J. Brua Animal Care Center has monthly spay/neuter clinics sponsored by the 501(C)(3) Friends of Sierra Vista Animal Shelter that offers sterilization of pets for $20. The sterilizations can pave the way to help reduce animal populations at the shelters.
“One of our main goals is to make sure that pet population is controlled,” Garcia said. “We get so many people still wanting to have puppies and kittens but don’t realize that the majority of them end up at the animal shelters.”
Garcia believes the economy potentially plays a role in the decline of adoptions.
Prior to COVID-19, Garcia said the shelter saw 1,300 visitors in June, but when she looked at numbers of visitations this June the number had dropped drastically to 400 people.
Garcia said the shelter is near max capacity. Currently, the shelter has 39 adoption kennels with every space being occupied by a dog.
As a way of mitigating the crowded conditions, Garcia said the adoption fee has been lowered to $50, which covers sterilization, microchips along with registration, vaccinations and vet exams.
The facility suspended animal intakes earlier this year.
“Anybody that was turning in a pet, we were initially asking them please hold off until we make room for that kind of thing,” Garcia said. “But we’ve changed that. We found that it’s been better to schedule the intakes instead.
“Right now the message has been working for us as of this moment.”
The Brua center anticipates an expansion project next year that would create additional spaces for pets with additional upgrades at the facility. The shelter only accepts pets from within the city limits of Sierra Vista.
“I foresee that we’re going to continue to be full,” Garcia said. “Hopefully, when we expand that will alleviate some of that.
“If you’ve been thinking of adopting, now is a good time. We have this program that anybody that’s kind of hesitant about adopting, isn’t sure if it’s going to work out, we’ll give you a 30-day trial with the pet.”
Known as the foster to adopt program, Garcia said it has been effective in helping pets find good homes. The shelter is always looking for volunteers like dog walkers and cat cuddlers.
Volunteers must be 18 or older. Prospective volunteers will attend an orientation.
Bisbee Animal Shelter is experiencing similar issues. Kennel staff member Jamie Schaffer said the shelter has more than 40 cats and seven dogs.
The small shelter only has seven dog kennels and several dogs have resided at the facility for about a year. Schaffer said the majority of the kittens dropped off at the shelter were from feral mothers.
Many scenarios lead to dog and cat owners giving up their pets to the shelters.
“We’re seeing a lot of people wanting to return animals that they got during the height of the pandemic,” Schaffer said. “Because everybody is going back to work now and they don’t have time; the dog is acting up because now nobody is home. We’re seeing a lot of influx from that as well.”
The Bisbee Animal Shelter covers vaccines and sterilizations. Workers at the shelter familiarize themselves with the animals, getting to know their character, which can provide prospective adopters with knowledge of the pet.
“Every animal is going to have its own personality, its own quirk,” Schaffer said. “We try to figure those out before they go home, just so you have an idea of what you’re getting versus if you just go to craigslist and here’s a dog, and now you’ve got a dog with all of these issues that you didn’t know about.”
As COVID-19 has caused mental health issues to grow with many people feeling isolated, Schaffer explained that having a pet by your side can be a positive element to help a person through hardships.
“I think with a lot of these mental health issues and depression, having an animal there that is going to love you unconditionally no matter how bad you’re feeling, I think would help with a lot of that,” she said. “You have something to care for and it’s going to give you affection in return and kind of brighten up your life a little bit.”
Like Nancy J. Brua, Schaffer explained that visitation has also been decreasing with volunteers and general visitors at the Bisbee Animal Shelter. The volunteers are older, and are concerned about catching COVID. The shelter currently has four workers, and with the large amount of animals, it can be difficult at times for workers to provide the most optimal care.
“These guys — we treat them very well,” Schaffer said. “They’re all happy but they would prefer to be obviously in a home.”