Animal Control Facility Closes, Free Adoptions Offered
The Apache Junction Animal Control facility will close temporarily due to a severe rodent infestation, Police Chief Michael Pooley announced during the latest City Council meeting. The facility has stopped accepting new animals, as stated by Chief Pooley during the meeting.
“We’re going to be doing temporary fosters. We’re also going to be doing free adoptions … trying to really get these animals housed with somebody,” Chief Pooley told the Council.
The decision comes after months of battling an increasing rat problem that began around April or May last year, according to Chief Pooley. City officials expressed concern about the health and safety of the facility’s eight employees, 17 volunteers who contribute 250-300 hours monthly, and the animals in their care.
Apache Junction operates the only city-run animal control facility in Pinal County. Chief Pooley noted this unique position: “We are the only city in all of Pinal County that has our own animal control. Even in Maricopa County, very few cities have their own animal control. It’s a great resource and we know the importance of it.”
Severe Infestation Threatens Health and Safety
The infestation has progressively worsened since late 2024. According to Chief Pooley, the rats at the facility “are not little mice or little rats. They’re pretty decent size.”
The rodents have caused extensive damage to the building, including electrical lines and drywall. Recent reports indicate a strong smell of rat urine coming from the ceiling and restroom, which Chief Pooley described as “causing a real biohazard” for employees, volunteers, and visitors.
“They have everything they need there. They have animal food, they have food, they have water, shelter,” Pooley explained about why the rats have thrived at the facility.
The situation has become critical for animal control staff who face daily challenges working in the deteriorating conditions. Although no employees or animals have been bitten by rats yet, officials want to prevent such incidents.
Previous Mitigation Efforts Failed to Resolve Crisis
Since October 2024, the city has tried numerous approaches to solve the problem. Facilities Management and Public Works have:
- Removed ceiling insulation in the office and reception area
- Applied spray insulation
- Contracted with service providers to eliminate nesting material
- Sealed interior holes in walls to restrict rat movement
- Set traps with daily checks
- Made daily visits to repair equipment damaged by rodents
- Contracted with pest control providers for service
Traditional poisoning methods couldn’t be used due to the risk of secondary poisoning to sheltered animals. In February, officials applied a dehydrating poison product that doesn’t risk secondary poisoning to shelter animals, but it proved only minimally effective.
Future Plans and Potential Solutions
The temporary closure will allow for a more aggressive approach, including using rat poison throughout the facility. City Manager Bryant Powell explained that a complete renovation could cost “hundreds of thousands now versus we want to do it right and programming could be a few million.”
Councilmember Tess Nesser suggested alternative solutions: “Well for a hundred thousand we could buy a lot of cargo containers.” Chief Pooley confirmed they’ve “actually talked about that as a temporary thing.”
Councilmember Darryl Cross advocated for a more permanent solution: “You almost need to build the new building and then tear the old one down being that the new building is built with CMU block and virtually rodent proof with a metal roof.”
Chief Pooley agreed that the current building poses ongoing challenges: “The best thing that could happen is a new concrete building. Unfortunately this building is very old. The walls are… you know there’s holes through them. It’s in need of some major repairs.”
Theories About the Rat Surge
Officials noted this problem may extend beyond the animal control facility. Mayor Chip Wilson reported receiving numerous comments from residents throughout the city about rat sightings: “I’ve received a lot of comments from other people in other areas of our community all the way up on the north end of the area where they’re experiencing rats… In the past year they’ve been experiencing it prior to that they’ve never seen any.”
Vice Mayor Robert Schroeder questioned whether nearby facilities might be contributing to the problem. He specifically mentioned the nearby landfill, wondering if Republic Services’ activities might be related to the rats appearing at the animal shelter.
Chief Pooley noted the issue appears widespread: “We have been told by multiple sources that this year rodents have really been on the rise throughout the valley even more so out here in this area of town.”
Some council members even joked about the size of the rats, with Councilmember Darryl Cross asking if the shelter cats could help control the problem: “I assume that these rats are so big the cats can’t handle them.” Chief Pooley responded that “some of these rodents are just as big as the cats.”
Looking Ahead
City officials have included a new animal control facility in their future planning. City Manager Bryant Powell stated they have it in their “space programming for design next year” but noted they’re “still looking at two years out to do a right appropriate and safe facility.”
The immediate focus will be removing all animals from the facility, exterminating the rats, and making necessary repairs to allow for reopening.
The city plans to implement a communication plan to keep residents informed about animal services during the closure. Officials will continue to explore both temporary and permanent solutions to ensure this vital community resource can continue to serve Apache Junction residents.
In the meantime, community members interested in helping can participate in the temporary foster program or take advantage of the free adoption initiative to give shelter animals a home during this challenging transition.
