ATX Animal Foster

08/27/2024

Join us Saturday, August 31 as we participate in Clear The Shelters, a national campaign that encourages people to adopt from their local shelters in an effort to “clear the shelters.”⁠
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We will have all hands on-deck for animal match making and introductions.

Try out a VIP adoption with an adult dog over 40 pounds! This allows you to take a dog home for 30 days to see if they are the best match for you, before finalizing the adoption.
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Last year, the campaign saw over 158,000 adoptions across the country, and we're hoping to help beat those numbers this year!⁠
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Hope to see you there! 🐕‍🦺⁠
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08/11/2024

This is Gourami (A909617). He has been in foster care while he grows up and gets ready for his forever home!⁠
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It's been three weeks, and the report is in - "he is SUPER cuddly and loves to hang out with everyone he meets. He is not afraid of strangers and likes to spend time sunbathing near a window on top of a cat tree.⁠
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He’s very playful and has gotten along perfectly with his siblings. No issues with litter box, either!⁠
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Also a big fan of fuzzy blankets!"

Contact his foster parent through the link! https://bit.ly/3SzSUn5

07/12/2024

UPDATE 09/07: Hugo has been adopted!!!

Hugo, a charming fellow, has been under my foster care for about three months. He is almost ready for adoption, but he needs a little more time to recover from a leg injury. Please don't hesitate to reach me if you're interested in giving him a forever home or have any questions.

07/01/2024

Effective tomorrow, July 2, we have made the very difficult decision to close intake. Exceptions will be made for animals with life-threatening illness or injury, or those that present a clear public safety risk. Previously scheduled appointments will still be honored; no further appointments will be scheduled at this time.

If you find a sick or injured animal:

1. Call 311, advise them that you need assistance with a sick or injured animal and ask to speak with an Animal Protection Officer.

2. Wait for an Animal Protection Officer to pick up the animal. Do not bring the animal to the shelter.

If you have found a loose pet that is not injured, please visit our Lost and Found Pet website for guidance: bit.ly/lostfoundaac

We did not make this decision lightly.

Post-pandemic life looks very different in animal welfare. Shelters everywhere are struggling; adoptions have slowed down, particularly for dogs. The average length of stay for dogs since 2019 has doubled nationally, and it’s no different for us. Our average length of stay for all dogs in 2019 was 19 days. This year, it is 37.8 days.

In the past few months we have:

- Filled two temp positions to help with our foster program.

- Offered rescue partners $500 to pull any medium/large dog, $250 for a small dog, and $50 per cat.

- Contracted extra days with a high volume spay/neuter veterinarian to expedite surgeries for adoptable animals.

- Launched a VIP adoption program to provide an option similar to foster-to-adopt.

- Put 24 dogs in boarding at a cost of $5-6,000 per week since the end of April.

- Launched a finder-to-foster program.

Adoption fees have been waived since June 2023.

On July 18th, we will have an item in front of City Council to approve a contract with another organization (in addition to our contract with Emancipet) to provide more community spay/neuter services.

We need your help, Austin. Achieving the level of no-kill that we do (over 95% live release rate) is simply not possible without our community’s assistance.

06/25/2024

- Retractable Leashes

Walking your dog is a great way to bond and get some exercise. Did you know that the type of leash you use can make a huge difference? Even though they may seem like a good idea, retractable leashes in particular come with several problems.

Here’s why you should think twice before using one:

1. Less Control
Retractable leashes can extend up to 26 feet or more, giving your dog a lot of freedom to roam. This might sound appealing, but it also means that your dog can get far enough away from you to encounter hazards before you can react. Whether it’s a busy street, another dog, or a tempting piece of garbage, the distance makes it challenging to control your dog’s movements effectively.

It also means that in an emergency, the extended length of a retractable leash makes it difficult to pull your dog to safety, especially if your dog is distracted or frightened. The delay in retracting the leash could be the difference between a safe outcome and a dangerous situation.

2. More Risk of Injury
The thin, cord-like material can cause severe rope burns, cuts, and even amputations if it gets wrapped around a person or dog. If the leash locks suddenly, it can hurt your dog’s neck or spine.

3. Potential for Equipment Failure
The internal mechanisms in a retractable leash can break down over time, leading to unexpected failures. The thin cord can also snap under pressure, which is more likely if your dog is large or prone to sudden lunges.

4. Bad Walking Habits
Dogs on retractable leashes learn that pulling = more freedom.

5. Trouble for Other People
Not everyone you encounter on your walk is comfortable with dogs, and some dogs are reactive or aggressive towards others. A retractable leash can extend your dog’s reach into other people's personal space, causing discomfort or potential conflicts. Maintaining a shorter leash helps ensure that everyone can enjoy public spaces comfortably and safely.

06/25/2024

Slow down, Kitten Season, you're going too fast!

So far this year we've already taken in 1,276 kittens 😲 Our kitten nursery is running low on supplies and we need your help!

From food and litter to toys and blankets, every donation from our wishlist helps us care for these brave little furballs.

bit.ly/aacnurserywishlist

05/28/2024

05/22/2024

It’s “tearin’ up our hearts” to see so many pets waiting to find a family of their very own all across the Austin area! So, in honor of Justin Timberlake’s unofficial “It’s Gonna Be May” month, Austin area shelters are working together to get pets into loving homes. Join us May 20th-27th* to meet all of the pets vying to win your heart and who “just wanna be with you!”

And get this – two lucky adopters will win a pair of tickets to see JT at the Moody Center on May 31st. 🤯

Austin Animal Center is waiving ALL adoption fees so come on in to meet your newest boy/girl band member!

See all area specials here: www.austintexas.gov/news/austin-area-its-gonna-be-may-adoption-promotion-aims-find-homes-pets

*Austin Animal Center will be closed Monday, May 27th for Memorial Day.

05/22/2024

For the past couple of months I have been fostering dogs from the Austin Animal Center, and it has been such a rollercoaster. A month ago I also started fostering cats, and it has been interesting, definitely different than taking care of dogs, but still a joy to do. I wanted to share my current fosters and my past ones as well. My most recent foster is Hugo, he went into foster with me to recover since he had surgery in one of his legs. He is such a sweetheart, loves to be petted and is really smart and is super adorable. I also have Annie who just got adopted, she was a stray when she went into foster with me, she was afraid of humans, but she learned to open up and trust us, and now she has evolved into a sweet and loving girl.

Fostering has been so rewarding, seeing how much a pet changes and goes to their forever home has such an amazing feeling. I encourage anyone who can to open up their home to adopt or foster a pet, there is such an incredible staff at the Austin Animal Center that can help match you with the perfect pet for your home. If anyone has any questions or would like to know more about how it is to foster, how to adopt, help, or how to look for a possible foster, don't hesitate to reach out to me.

04/25/2024

Trey's face when he heard only 20 medium/large dogs have left the shelter since Friday, while 38 have come in 😮

This morning we had 24 medium/large dogs in our holding and nonpublic areas waiting for a public kennel. We need your help!

ADOPT: All adoption fees are waived! bit.ly/AdoptAAC

FOSTER: We're asking for a 2 week minimum, and we've got staff ready to process walk-in fosters. bit.ly/fosteraac

RECLAIM: If you've lost a dog, please check to see if they're at the shelter. bit.ly/aacfound

RESCUE: We're offering a $200 to rescue partners for every dog 35 lbs+ they pull. Rescues can email [email protected] to be onboarded if they’re not already an active partner.

REUNITE: If you've found a dog, please do everything you can to get them back home. bit.ly/lostfoundaac

REHOME: If you can no longer keep your dog, please try other avenues to find a new home. bit.ly/rehomeaac

SHARE: Please help us spread the word!

Want to make the biggest impact? These are the dogs on our urgent placement list, looking for a fast-track out of the shelter: www.austintexas.gov/page/urgent-placement