3TV, FOX 10 & ABC 15: AHS & MCACC Work Together to Reunite Lost Pets with Owners

News Highlights:

• AHS and Maricopa County Animal Care and Control are joining forces to ensure lost pets within Maricopa County make their way home and stay out of overcrowded shelters.
• Every day, hundreds of lost and stray animals end up in County shelters. Many of these animals are not microchipped or licensed, which makes finding their rightful owners challenging. Since 2013, MCACC has utilized an interactive online mapping tool to highlight lost dogs as an additional tool for individuals to properly locate their animals. In that time, MCACC’s return to owner rate has increased from 12 percent to 21 percent.
• Meanwhile, AHS has anywhere from seven to 10 people each day visiting the shelter looking for their lost pets, and countless inquiries over the phone and online, yet the success rate for reuniting pets and their owners is just seven percent. Often times, owners are unaware of the difference between the two organizations and the potential need to search both for their lost pets. AHS’ stray pets will now appear on MCACC’s mapping tool making it easier and more efficient for owners to search for their lost pets.