PHOENIX — Earlier this year, the Arizona Humane Society closed its Sunnyslope Campus to open a brand new facility near Papago Park. Due to its overcapacity crisis, the organization has announced it is reopening the Sunnyslope location for adoption and foster services.
“What seemed unimaginable just six months ago when we moved into our new Rob & Melani Walton Papago Park Campus is now a necessity,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, President and CEO of AHS, in a press release. “Our overcapacity challenges are persistent and chronic and while we never intended needing to utilize the Sunnyslope Campus for adoption or foster operations again, it was clear this space could still be a vital resource and lifeline for pets in our community who have no place else to go.”
The Sunnyslope location was originally expected to transition into a veterinary clinic for the public without adoption services.
Video in the player above highlights ABC15's coverage of the opening of the new Papago Park Campus.
The reopening of the Sunnyslope campus will help AHS create more kennel space so it will be able to care for more animals. Some upgrades have been made to kennels, play yards and lobbies, and the Marge Wright Veterinary Clinic is also undergoing renovations.
The animal welfare organization estimates 22,000 animals will come into its care this year alone.
Dr. Hansen said there are many reasons for the Valley’s animal overpopulation problem.
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“The pandemic-era moratorium on non-essential surgery, which included spay/neuter, led to an estimated 3 million missed surgeries nationwide. We’ve also seen a recent increase in abandoned pets at all of our campus locations,” Dr. Hansen said. “Add population growth, increased home prices, rising inflation, lack of affordable pet friendly housing and lack of access to affordable veterinary care and it’s easy to see this problem will not be solved in a month, in a season or even in a year.”
Starting Wednesday, all three locations will offer adoptions seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Now through Oct. 6, AHS is also waiving all dog and critter adoption fees.
See all adoptable pets at AHS here.
AHS is always looking for people wanting to volunteer, foster, or donate. They also have resources for pet owners who are struggling to keep pets due to financial hardship, housing insecurity, or pet behavior problems.
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