Free Pet Adoptions at Pima Animal Care With Canned Food Donation

TUCSON, AZ — If you're looking to do a double-dose of good this holiday season, donate canned food at the Pima Animal Care Center anytime in November and the adoption fee for your new furry friend will be waived.

The only pets excluded from this deal are puppies and kittens 4 months old and younger, who still have a $50 adoption fee. Some pets will still have a $20 licensing fee. At the end of the month, the canned food donations will be distributed to local food banks, according to a press release from the center.

November also is Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Adoption fees for senior pets are always waived at the center.

“PACC has been so lucky to have such a supportive community during what felt like the longest and busiest summer ever,” said Director of Animal Services Monica Dangler in the news release. “We wanted to find a way to give back to the community as a way to pay it forward.”

In total, the center has more than 1,700 animals in its care, with 1,049 in foster care awaiting forever homes and 655 in search of foster homes or adoptions.

The center still has more large dogs than space to house them, with some staying in meet-and-greet rooms and popup kennels. The center attributes the influx in large dogs to several factors including healthy strays being brought to the shelter, an increase in calls to pet support, more dogs that prefer to be alone in their kennels, and an influx of animals that are part of Animal Protection Services’ investigations.

“We are still in need of adopters and fosters,” Dangler said. “We often begin each day with only a couple of open kennels.”