Austin Pets Alive!: Protecting the Lives of Pets all over Austin
by Kelsey Menzel
Editorial Assistant
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Just a year ago, Austin decided to add its name to the list of America's "no kill" cities by implementing the No Kill Plan, which set out a list of programs to eliminate the number of pets euthanized at animal shelters in Austin. While the city passed a "no kill" moratorium, it was a vanity move of sorts, since additional funding to support the needs of homeless animals didn’t accompany the legislation. This put the burden on shelters themselves, which were already overwhelmed by the influx of parentless pets.
The city’s largest depot for wayward animals — Town Lake Animal Shelter — has dramatically reduced its euthanizing rate over the years, from as high as 75 percent to now less than 30 percent. However, it’s sadly still a kill shelter even today.
To pick up the slack and offer a humane alternative, non-profits and donation-based shelters have been forced to step it up. And the leader in that effort, by leaps and bounds, has been Pets Alive! (APA!), whose headquarters now sprawls along the east side of South Lamar Blvd. Since 2008, Austin Pets Alive! has saved the lives of 6,670 Austin cats and dogs — which comes out to more than seven each day.
In a no-kill community, healthy or treatable pets are not euthanized in animal shelters. While there are different interpretations of "healthy and treatable," most no-kill communities have found this classification describes at least 90 percent of the animals entering the shelter. Cities that have already reached no-kill status include San Francisco, California, Ithaca, New York and Richmond, Virginia.
While APA! has always been instrumental in helping animals in need, the organization didn’t really start making waves until Dr. Ellen Jefferson took over in 2008. In her less than three-year tenure there, she’s managed to move the organization (and the city of Austin) much more quickly to becoming no-kill. In fact, in 2010, just two years after she started with APA!, the group had saved as many animals from the Town Lake Animal Shelter (TLAC) as all of Austin's other rescue and shelter groups combined.
APA! rescues and adopts animals from the shelter, then finds adoptees to prevent the pets from being euthanized. TLAC is an open-intake facility, which means they must accept every cat and dog brought to the center. This results in a lot of pets in need of a home.
In an effort to make Austin a no-kill city, the APA! has studied the best practices of other cities who’ve accomplished the goal or are on the road to becoming no-kill. The all-volunteer organization has been able to learn what works best, while optimizing Austin's unique characteristics to increase adoption rates every year.
And clearly one of Austin's most unique characteristics is its fitness community, something APA! has cleverly taken advantage of. For example, APA! uses its Lady Bird Lake location to run the Healthy Pets for Healthy People program, in an effort to match up very active dogs with fit people. Every weekend (both Saturdays and Sundays) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., volunteers and trainers "check out" dogs to walkers and joggers on the Town Lake trail. This program lets high-energy dogs get the extra stimulation (both physical and mental) and attention they need, while giving volunteer walkers and runners an unforgettable time with an enthusiastic dog.
The Healthy Pets for Healthy People program has been in place for a little more than a year. In that time, 200 high-need dogs have participated and the average time until adoption has been just two weeks.
Question & Answer
To better understand the impact this group has on Austin's overall community, we wanted to hear from APA!'s own Amy Fitzsimmons, head of the Healthy Pets for Healthy People program. We recently caught up with her to learn a little bit more about the incredible effort the organization is making to help Austin achieve its no-kill goal.
How did Austin Pets Alive! get its start? APA! was founded in the 90s, and they made some great strides in lowering the kill rate. Then Dr. Ellen Jefferson took over in 2008, and the organization began pulling pets from Town Lake Animal Center's euthanasia list. APA! had a meteoric rise in 2008 because of Dr. Jefferson.
Working with rescue animals has to be pretty tough emotionally. What's the atmosphere like at the center? The atmosphere at the center is amazing. There are lots of hugs and tears but they are usually for good things, like a favorite long-stay dog getting to go home! It’s easy to stay positive when there’s so much good going on around us.
Why do you think more people don't choose rescue dogs when looking for a pet? Is it a conscious choice or just lack of information? I truly believe it’s lack of information. Many people think that all rescue dogs have health or behavioral problems, but many of our dogs are immediately adoptable.
Who are the most common dog adopters? Younger, older, families, singles? I don’t think we have just one common adopter group! We have a wide variety of dogs to choose from and they each attract a different kind of adopter. It feels great to make matches and know you just helped change two lives.
With thousands of adoptions and lives saved since 2008, Austin Pets Alive! has made great strides in making Austin a no-kill city. What do you think needs to happen for Austin to fully accomplish its no-kill goal? I think we need to take advantage of the momentum we have to continue building community involvement. Thanks to years of hard work and advocating, it’s no longer a question of if, but when we officially cross the finish line.
What programs or strategies do you have for making adoptable pets visible to viable owners? We do off-site adoptions seven days a week at locations all over Austin. Our marketing and PR team is amazing; we have writers and photographers making sure our animals’ personalities shine through on our website, blog, facebook, twitter, craigslist, flyers…we try to use every medium possible.
Describe a typical weekday morning at Lady Bird Lake with your "Healthy Pets for Healthy People" program. Busy! Volunteers get there at 8:30 a.m. to set up, and walkers and runners start showing up a little before 9 a.m. It feels amazing to see how excited people are about taking the dogs out on the trail! My favorite part is watching the dogs return from their walk or run with huge smiles on their faces.
How do you select which dogs participate in the Healthy Pets for Healthy People program? They’re the ones who need it the most. It’s almost always our high energy adolescent and young adult dogs, particularly those who have been in the program for any length of time. Meeting their needs is our first priority and it’s usually a pretty clear choice which dogs would love a trip to the trail!
Approximately what percentage of the dogs you handle are considered 'unadoptable' at first, and about how long does it take for them to lose this status? In my opinion, they lose that “unadoptable” status the second they enter our program. Some of them may need a little extra support to really thrive and appeal to more adopters, but they’re all good dogs. They’re all adoptable and loved on intake by the APA! volunteers and staff.
Tell us a little bit about the Wag-a-thon Walk-a-thon coming up in March. APA! formed a partnership with Continental Automotive Group late last year. They are sponsoring our Behavioral Rehabilitation room for dogs and are hosting fundraisers for us throughout the year to pay for the sponsorship (20K). The details are still being worked out, but here’s what we know so far:
We’ll have lots of available dogs from our program out there that the public can “borrow” to walk for the event.
What does Austin Pets Alive! need most from people who want to help but can't adopt an animal? We’re trying to increase our sponsorships and donations, so we can expand our programs and maximize the life-saving. And we always need volunteers. You can walk dogs, snuggle cats, foster, help organize events, join the behavior or medical teams, take photos, write and work on data entry from home…the possibilities are really endless and the rewards are so great that volunteering with APA! is easily one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.
Interested in Adoption?
Flip the page and we’ll introduce you to 5 pups in need of a home.
APA! website
1. Kimmy
6-month-old spayed female | American Pit Bull Terrier mix
Kimmy is an APA! favorite and a beautiful, chocolate-coated girl with warm honey eyes. She is quite the snuggly smarty pants and a trail site veteran who charms every person she meets!
2. Stewy
1-year-old neutered male | Anatolian Shepherd mix
Stewy is the perfect trail site dog! He’s got enough energy to make a great running buddy but not so much that he doesn’t know how to relax. Stewy is smart, easy-going, and a blast to hang out with!
3. The Colonel
5-year-old neutered male | Staffordshire Terrier/Catahoula mix
The Colonel is a handsome gentleman with the manners of an adult and sweet, playful nature of a pup. He first visited us at the trail site as a member of the long-stay canine crew from the city shelter. He’s now an official part of APA!’s adoption program and we feel lucky to help this awesome dog find his home!
4. Ray
5-year-old neutered male | Catahoula mix
Ray is a wonderful, gentle boy who came to APA! feeling kind of shy. He loves to explore out on the trail, roll around in the grass, soak up some sun, and get loved on by his fan club of volunteers. The person who takes Ray home will be getting a very special dog.
5. Addison
3-year-old spayed female | American Pit Bull Terrier mix
Addison is such a genius that we think she’s part Border Collie too! This black and white beauty runs like a gazelle, plays like a puppy, and learns new things almost instantly. She will make a fantastic partner in crime for her lucky adopter!
The city’s largest depot for wayward animals — Town Lake Animal Shelter — has dramatically reduced its euthanizing rate over the years, from as high as 75 percent to now less than 30 percent. However, it’s sadly still a kill shelter even today.
To pick up the slack and offer a humane alternative, non-profits and donation-based shelters have been forced to step it up. And the leader in that effort, by leaps and bounds, has been Pets Alive! (APA!), whose headquarters now sprawls along the east side of South Lamar Blvd. Since 2008, Austin Pets Alive! has saved the lives of 6,670 Austin cats and dogs — which comes out to more than seven each day.
In a no-kill community, healthy or treatable pets are not euthanized in animal shelters. While there are different interpretations of "healthy and treatable," most no-kill communities have found this classification describes at least 90 percent of the animals entering the shelter. Cities that have already reached no-kill status include San Francisco, California, Ithaca, New York and Richmond, Virginia.
While APA! has always been instrumental in helping animals in need, the organization didn’t really start making waves until Dr. Ellen Jefferson took over in 2008. In her less than three-year tenure there, she’s managed to move the organization (and the city of Austin) much more quickly to becoming no-kill. In fact, in 2010, just two years after she started with APA!, the group had saved as many animals from the Town Lake Animal Shelter (TLAC) as all of Austin's other rescue and shelter groups combined.
APA! rescues and adopts animals from the shelter, then finds adoptees to prevent the pets from being euthanized. TLAC is an open-intake facility, which means they must accept every cat and dog brought to the center. This results in a lot of pets in need of a home.
In an effort to make Austin a no-kill city, the APA! has studied the best practices of other cities who’ve accomplished the goal or are on the road to becoming no-kill. The all-volunteer organization has been able to learn what works best, while optimizing Austin's unique characteristics to increase adoption rates every year.
And clearly one of Austin's most unique characteristics is its fitness community, something APA! has cleverly taken advantage of. For example, APA! uses its Lady Bird Lake location to run the Healthy Pets for Healthy People program, in an effort to match up very active dogs with fit people. Every weekend (both Saturdays and Sundays) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., volunteers and trainers "check out" dogs to walkers and joggers on the Town Lake trail. This program lets high-energy dogs get the extra stimulation (both physical and mental) and attention they need, while giving volunteer walkers and runners an unforgettable time with an enthusiastic dog.
The Healthy Pets for Healthy People program has been in place for a little more than a year. In that time, 200 high-need dogs have participated and the average time until adoption has been just two weeks.
Question & Answer
To better understand the impact this group has on Austin's overall community, we wanted to hear from APA!'s own Amy Fitzsimmons, head of the Healthy Pets for Healthy People program. We recently caught up with her to learn a little bit more about the incredible effort the organization is making to help Austin achieve its no-kill goal.
How did Austin Pets Alive! get its start? APA! was founded in the 90s, and they made some great strides in lowering the kill rate. Then Dr. Ellen Jefferson took over in 2008, and the organization began pulling pets from Town Lake Animal Center's euthanasia list. APA! had a meteoric rise in 2008 because of Dr. Jefferson.
Working with rescue animals has to be pretty tough emotionally. What's the atmosphere like at the center? The atmosphere at the center is amazing. There are lots of hugs and tears but they are usually for good things, like a favorite long-stay dog getting to go home! It’s easy to stay positive when there’s so much good going on around us.
Why do you think more people don't choose rescue dogs when looking for a pet? Is it a conscious choice or just lack of information? I truly believe it’s lack of information. Many people think that all rescue dogs have health or behavioral problems, but many of our dogs are immediately adoptable.
Who are the most common dog adopters? Younger, older, families, singles? I don’t think we have just one common adopter group! We have a wide variety of dogs to choose from and they each attract a different kind of adopter. It feels great to make matches and know you just helped change two lives.
With thousands of adoptions and lives saved since 2008, Austin Pets Alive! has made great strides in making Austin a no-kill city. What do you think needs to happen for Austin to fully accomplish its no-kill goal? I think we need to take advantage of the momentum we have to continue building community involvement. Thanks to years of hard work and advocating, it’s no longer a question of if, but when we officially cross the finish line.
What programs or strategies do you have for making adoptable pets visible to viable owners? We do off-site adoptions seven days a week at locations all over Austin. Our marketing and PR team is amazing; we have writers and photographers making sure our animals’ personalities shine through on our website, blog, facebook, twitter, craigslist, flyers…we try to use every medium possible.
Describe a typical weekday morning at Lady Bird Lake with your "Healthy Pets for Healthy People" program. Busy! Volunteers get there at 8:30 a.m. to set up, and walkers and runners start showing up a little before 9 a.m. It feels amazing to see how excited people are about taking the dogs out on the trail! My favorite part is watching the dogs return from their walk or run with huge smiles on their faces.
How do you select which dogs participate in the Healthy Pets for Healthy People program? They’re the ones who need it the most. It’s almost always our high energy adolescent and young adult dogs, particularly those who have been in the program for any length of time. Meeting their needs is our first priority and it’s usually a pretty clear choice which dogs would love a trip to the trail!
Approximately what percentage of the dogs you handle are considered 'unadoptable' at first, and about how long does it take for them to lose this status? In my opinion, they lose that “unadoptable” status the second they enter our program. Some of them may need a little extra support to really thrive and appeal to more adopters, but they’re all good dogs. They’re all adoptable and loved on intake by the APA! volunteers and staff.
Tell us a little bit about the Wag-a-thon Walk-a-thon coming up in March. APA! formed a partnership with Continental Automotive Group late last year. They are sponsoring our Behavioral Rehabilitation room for dogs and are hosting fundraisers for us throughout the year to pay for the sponsorship (20K). The details are still being worked out, but here’s what we know so far:
- Course: 2.5 miles on Hike and Bike Trail
Date: Sunday, May 15, 2011
Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Venue: Hill Country Galleria
Entry/Donation Fee: $20 to $30
Estimated Participants: 500 people, 250 to 350 dogs
Title Sponsor: Continental Automotive Group - Austin Subaru
Goal: Raise $10,000 for Austin Pets Alive!
We’ll have lots of available dogs from our program out there that the public can “borrow” to walk for the event.
What does Austin Pets Alive! need most from people who want to help but can't adopt an animal? We’re trying to increase our sponsorships and donations, so we can expand our programs and maximize the life-saving. And we always need volunteers. You can walk dogs, snuggle cats, foster, help organize events, join the behavior or medical teams, take photos, write and work on data entry from home…the possibilities are really endless and the rewards are so great that volunteering with APA! is easily one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.
Interested in Adoption?
Flip the page and we’ll introduce you to 5 pups in need of a home.
APA! website
1. Kimmy
6-month-old spayed female | American Pit Bull Terrier mix
Kimmy is an APA! favorite and a beautiful, chocolate-coated girl with warm honey eyes. She is quite the snuggly smarty pants and a trail site veteran who charms every person she meets!
2. Stewy
1-year-old neutered male | Anatolian Shepherd mix
Stewy is the perfect trail site dog! He’s got enough energy to make a great running buddy but not so much that he doesn’t know how to relax. Stewy is smart, easy-going, and a blast to hang out with!
3. The Colonel
5-year-old neutered male | Staffordshire Terrier/Catahoula mix
The Colonel is a handsome gentleman with the manners of an adult and sweet, playful nature of a pup. He first visited us at the trail site as a member of the long-stay canine crew from the city shelter. He’s now an official part of APA!’s adoption program and we feel lucky to help this awesome dog find his home!
4. Ray
5-year-old neutered male | Catahoula mix
Ray is a wonderful, gentle boy who came to APA! feeling kind of shy. He loves to explore out on the trail, roll around in the grass, soak up some sun, and get loved on by his fan club of volunteers. The person who takes Ray home will be getting a very special dog.
5. Addison
3-year-old spayed female | American Pit Bull Terrier mix
Addison is such a genius that we think she’s part Border Collie too! This black and white beauty runs like a gazelle, plays like a puppy, and learns new things almost instantly. She will make a fantastic partner in crime for her lucky adopter!
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