Photo authorized for use by the Maricopa County Sheriff Office’s MASH Unit
Jim Ellison, President
The Pet Companions Club of PebbleCreek is pleased to have Sgt. Paul Taylor from the Maricopa County MASH Unit as our guest speaker at our General Membership meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 7. We will meet in room 100 of the Eagle’s Nest Activities Center at 3 p.m. All PebbleCreek residents, whether club members or not, are invited to attend. There is no charge.
MASH stands for the Maricopa County Sheriff Office’s Animal Safe Haven. This special unit provides care, feeding, and shelter for “evidence” animals that have suffered in abuse and neglect cases. MASH has been involved in the care and rehabilitation of both our animals and the inmates who work alongside us since 1999.
The MASH unit heals and rehabilitates neglected and abused animals, nurtures them back to health, and adopts them out to loving, forever homes. MASH houses animals seized during MCSO investigations and helps inmates to learn work and life skills, while developing empathy, purpose, and compassion.
MASH also takes in animals who are inadvertently abandoned when a loving owner passes away and there are issues trying to locate family, or next of kin. We will hold the animal in a safekeeping status until a next of kin can be contacted and decide whether to pick up the animal or release it to us to find a new loving home.
As much as the MASH Unit helps animals, the animals in turn positively affect the inmates who care for them. Participating inmates gain life-changing opportunities to promote personal growth and achievement, maintain sobriety, improve cognitive skills, and learn from basic education services. It’s all done with the aim of transitioning inmates back into society as positive, functional members of the community, the goal being to reduce recidivism in our inmate population.
As always, we will have a box available for donations of pet related items such as: dog beds, pet food (check expiration date), crates, cages, leashes, collars, pet medications (check expiration dates), etc. Those items not used in our rescues will be donated to other animal rescues.
Please address any questions to Jim or Marge Ellison at 623-935-6651.