Distemper Outbreak Shuts Down Adoptions At Tucson’s Main PACC Shelter

TUCSON, AZ — Pima Animal Care Center reopened for adoptions Saturday, June 20, but not at the location most Tucsonans know.

The county's main shelter on Silverbell remains closed to adoptions following a distemper outbreak, with adoptions shifting to PACC's smaller Eastside location instead.

The Eastside Adoptions Center, known as EPAC and located at 7225 E. Broadway Blvd., has about 20 dogs and a half-dozen cats and kittens available now.

County officials say none of the dogs at EPAC are shedding the virus and all show a high level of immunity. Cats are not affected by canine distemper.

The outbreak forced PACC to halt adoptions and limit intake at its Silverbell shelter starting June 17, accepting only animals that pose a public safety risk or need emergency care, a restriction expected to remain in place through at least July 2.

So far, eight dogs at the main shelter have tested positive for distemper, and one has died. The disease carries a death rate of about 50 percent in adult dogs and 80 percent in puppies.

The county said vaccination and quarantine remain the primary tools for stopping its spread.

PACC is now testing every animal in the shelter. As dogs test negative for distemper and other diseases, they'll be transported to EPAC and made available for adoption while the main shelter works through its backlog.

Reopening adoptions at Silverbell is expected to take longer, in part because of how many dogs have been sharing kennel space and how many test results still need to be processed.

"We should begin to get those results the first part of next week," said PACC Director Steve Kozachik. "With that information we will be able to relocate the fully protected, fully safe dogs into one pod of kennels and make them available for the public, even while we continue to triage the rest of the shelter."

County officials estimate it could take at least two weeks before adoptions and fostering can safely resume at the main shelter.

EPAC's hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; noon to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.