Arizona Humane Society expands partnership with West-MEC to address overcapacity issues
Dec 15, 2023, 4:25 AM
The Arizona Humane Society has expanded its partnership with West-MEC. (Arizona Humane Society Photo)
(Arizona Humane Society Photo)
PHOENIX — The Arizona Humane Society has expanded its partnership with the Western Maricopa Education Center, the public high school district known as West-MEC that provides career and technical education programs.
The partnership ensures that AHS can continue its mission of caring for the most vulnerable pets even when kennel space is tight, which it is now.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Dr. Steven Hansen, the Valley animal welfare group’s president and CEO, said in a press release Tuesday. “The partnership with West-MEC not only helps us create much-needed space during times of overcapacity but also provides aspiring veterinary professionals with hands-on experience, fostering their passion for animal care.”
AHS already works with West-MEC on a shelter medicine externship program for students in their senior year.
Recently, three “almost adoptable” dogs were transferred from AHS to the West-MEC campus in Surprise. While there, the dogs have received medical care and attention from the students enrolled in the veterinary science program.
The three dogs will soon return to AHS and become available for adoption.
“Programs like those found at West-MEC play a crucial role in exposing students to the field of veterinary medicine at an early age,” Hansen said. “This is a pivotal step in creating a sustainable pipeline of individuals interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine right here in Arizona.”
