Governor Ducey Tours Arizona Humane Society In Honor Of Arizona Gives Day

Today, Governor Doug Ducey visited the Arizona Humane Society’s (AHS) Sunnyslope Campus in honor of Arizona Gives Day. AHS was joined by its partners from the Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSA) located in Tucson.

AHS and HSSA recently received funding as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support pet owners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The investment will expand AHS’ and HSSA’s dedication to keeping pets and people together despite hardships they may face. This includes an expansion to programs for pet owners including affordable veterinary and pet wellness services, a critical need at a time when the country is facing a veterinary shortage. Together, the nonprofit organizations will be able to help more than 9,000 additional low-income pet owners.

The ARPA funding will also support an expansion of AHS’ Project Home Away from Home program, a temporary Foster Hero program established as part of Pet Housing Help AZ to prevent pet surrenders due to loss of employment or housing instability caused by the pandemic. So far, more than 250 pets have been enrolled in the program as their owners get back on their feet. The funding will not only support pets and their owners right in our own backyard, but is also designated for AHS’ emergency response efforts as AHS is the state’s designated responder for animals in distress during state-declared disasters. In 2021, AHS’ Emergency Response Team deployed four times, the most in the organization’s nearly 65-year history.

For HSSA, these funds will be used to acquire and maintain life-saving clinic equipment and expand the number of pets served at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona’s low-cost veterinary clinic as well as to provide necessary program support for HSSA’s growing youth, adult, and pet educational classes, camps and services that will take place in the Freeman Education and Behavioral Center slated to open in Fall of 2022.

For those interested in taking part in Arizona Gives Day (April 5), Hill’s Science Diet is matching online donations to AHS up to $15,000. People can donate at azhumane.org/hillsmatch. To learn more about the Arizona Humane Society or Humane Society of Southern Arizona, please visit azhumane.org or hssaz.org, respectively.