Animal control center not the hell columnist depicts

On Nov. 24, an article was published in the Arizona Daily Wildcat with the heading "All dogs don't go to heaven," by Nancy A. Knox. In her article, Ms. Knox makes some inaccurate statements regarding the Pima Animal Control Center as follows:

Treatment of animals

All animals in the care of the Center receive the most humane care and treatment. The contract veterinarian evaluates all injured animals as soon as they come into the shelter and provides directions for the most humane support treatment or euthanasia when unavoidable. I can ensure you that no injured animal is left without treatment.

Tick-dip is left on the dogs to dry naturally, this allows it to penetrate the coat and achieve the best residual effect, this is the recommendation made by the manufacturer and any veterinarian. This would be the same procedure you would observe in all animal shelters across the nation.

The fact is that in 1993, the Pima Animal Control Center was the recipient of the American Humane Association Standard of Excellence Award. Also, last year, a City of Tucson audit found that the Pima Animal Control Center policies and operations are generally consistent with the "best practice" as described in professional literature.

Pit bulls

As with all Pima Animal Control policies, this one is not based on "bad press." Our policies are based on sound professional knowledge, experience and scientific data. The Center for Disease Control in their May 30, 1997 Morbidity and Mortality Report found that pit bulls and pit bull crosses were involved in 35% of all dog-bite-related fatalities from 1979 to 1996. Veterinarians, animal behaviorists and other animal care professionals have identified pit bulls as the one breed that has inflicted a significantly disproportionate number of fatal injuries, and shows propensity for aggressive behavior.

The Pima Animal Control Center has a responsibility to protect the public health and safety. Due to the propensity for aggressive behavior, pit bulls and many other unfortunate animals with behavioral problems are not made available for adoption. An unusually shy or reclusive animal may be a fear-biter, or it may need more attention than our limited resources can provide. As a result that animal will not be selected for a chance for a new home over an animal that behaves in a more normal fashion.

Euthanasia

Ms. Knox states that the Humane Society euthanized 9,000 animals last year, while the Pima Animal Control Center euthanized more than 40,000. The truth is that last fiscal year, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona euthanized 8,359, while the control center euthanized 10,730.

The Pima Animal Control Center, as with any other animal shelter, must on a routine basis destroy many healthy, friendly animals that would have made wonderful pets. Unfortunately, there are not enough homes for the endless surplus of animals coming through animal shelters every day.

Our staff as all other animal control professionals across the nation accepts the responsibility of making the decisions between life and death of these animals. We accept the responsibility of providing a humane death to these animals. However, we will not accept the responsibility for the necessity of these deaths. Irresponsible pet owners who allow their pets to reproduce unwanted offspring, who neglect to provide adequate care and training, and who finally abandon them, sentence them to death before they reach our shelter.

Rodrigo A. Silva
Manager, Pima Animal Control Center