Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) employees had an unpleasant experience when they arrived at the shelter early Thursday morning. Two little dogs, skin and bones, barley alive were left in a kennel. Upon closer inspection, there was also a skull of a third dog. It appears that the live dogs may have tried to eat the third dog to survive. We do not know how long the dogs were in the kennel or where they came from. With no witnesses, we may never know what happened. One the dogs was too weak and ill and had to be put down. The other was taken by Arizona Chihuahua Rescue and is doing better.
While this case is extreme, we have also seen other animals in kennels left in front of the shelter. Earlier this week, an employee found a cat in a carrier when they arrived at the shelter in Phoenix. Leaving an animal on the doorstep is not ok. They can die unattended in boxes, from the heat, predators, or in dire circumstances, from each other.
Max Wilson, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors hates to hear these stories. “We find it appalling to hear about animals being left to starve and dependent on themselves to survive. Not only is it cruel to abandon your pets, it is against the law.” Dr. Rodrigo Silva, MCACC Director adds, “If you can no longer care for your pets, turn them into the shelter before they suffer needlessly.”
It is not responsible pet ownership to leave an animal like that. MCACC will take animals that you can no longer care for, but you must come to do so during business hours (see below). It is against the law to abandon a pet. In fact, it is a criminal offense. Please don’t do it.
MCACC hours are:
Tuesday - Friday
Adoptions, lost & found: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
All other services: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday, Sunday
All services: 11:00 am – 5:30 pm
Monday
All services: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
(MCACC does not accept owner surrenders on Saturday, Sunday and Monday)