Community

Motorcycle ride to benefit Pinal County spay and neuter program

May 3, 2007

At Tuesday’s Maricopa City Council meeting an intergovernmental agreement was reached with the Pinal County Animal Care and Control (PCACC) for two years, beginning July 1 through June 2009.

The PCACC will provide one rabies vaccination and licensing clinic each year, impound stray, sick or aggressive animals, provide sheltering services and provide personnel for emergency situations round the clock. All animal control complaints must come from City of Maricopa personnel.

The county also has a spay and neuter program. On Saturday, May 12, at 9 a.m. the first annual “Shelter Run” will bring motorcycle enthusiasts out to enjoy the roads and raise money for the program.

Riders will meet at the Queen Creek Café and Sports Bar in downtown Queen Creek on the corner of Ellsworth and Ocotillo Roads. The length of the ride, the brainchild of PCACC officer Brandon Caldwell, is approximately 42 miles.

“I thought this would be a great way to raise awareness of the shelter along with the spay and neuter program,” Caldwell said. “We expect anywhere from 75 to 100 riders for this event.”

“This is amazing,” said PCACC Director Ruth Stalter. “We are honored that the motorcycle riders in Pinal County want to help this very important program.” The Pinal County Animal Care and Control shelter will be open on the day of the event for adoptions.

The fee to participate is $25 per rider, which includes a free t-shirt, barbeque lunch and raffle ticket for prize drawings. One of the prizes to be drawn is a 30-minute discovery flight around the Superstition Mountains from Falcon Executive Aviation in Mesa.

There is free admission to the event at the shelter, and lunch will be offered for $3.

Riders can register on the day of the event or pre-register at (602) 402-4390. “We are encouraging riders to pre-register so we will know how many shirts to order,” Caldwell said.

For further information, call Caldwell at the number listed above or Pinal County Animal Care and Control at (520) 866-7600.