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Austin Humane Society is a great place to adopt a cat, as they house more felines than dogs. (AHS)
No Austinite is complete without a fluffy friend! The fact is locals love all their pets; studies rank Austin as one of the most dog-friendly cities in the U.S.
In 2010, Austin City Council passed a No-Kill Implementation Plan that pledged to increase live outcomes by more than 90%. According to community relations officer Suzie Chase, APA! was able to bring the euthanasia rate from 87% to 5% or less.
The result of becoming a No-Kill city means shelters are often stretched thin—Austin Humane Society typically takes in 11,000 animals per year, APA! often takes in more than 10,000 cats and dogs per year, with intake hitting 982 in November—and they encounter new challenges on the daily.
Though the pandemic drove adoptions up as working from home became more prevalent, the demand to put animals in safe homes has bounced back with shelters sending out pleas for adopters and fosters in recent weeks. Here's how you can get started.
What are your options?
Whether you’re looking for a puppy, kitten, lap cat, running partner, or senior pet, you’ll be able to find it in a local shelter:
- APA!, which has two locations, partners with the AAC to rescue animals from euthanasia lists and focuses on the most at-risk animals.
- AHS is a limited intake facility, meaning it prioritizes getting healthy animals into homes. AHS often takes medical cases due to its robust medical program and partnership with VCA.
- Austin Animal Center is the city-funded shelter. AAC is an open intake facility, meaning it handles all stray cases, as well as most owner surrender cases and reunification.
What to know before you go
Bubblegum was playful, curious and friendly despite his ailments. (Laura Figi/Austonia)
Depending on what pet you’re looking for, you may have to be patient. According to Austin Humane Society Director of Shelter Operations Katelen Knef, healthy puppies and kittens are the quickest to leave. Animals become harder to place at the age of 6-7 and even more so when they come with ailments, behavioral or medical issues.
On a tour of APA! at 1156 W. Cesar Chavez, Austonia met a playful, three-month-old tailless black kitten named Bubblegum, who will be harder to place due to being incontinent as a result of his Manx syndrome, which results when the tailless gene shortens the spine too much. He will need particular care but can still thrive in the right home.
Fortunately, volunteers at the shelters focus on match-making, and aim to help animals find permanent placements. Chase likes to say that by adopting, rescuers are actually saving two animals because it opens up the space for new animals to come into their care.
If you’re a lover of all animals and have some extra room in your house and schedule, Chase said fosterers are one of the most valuable resources shelters have. APA! is currently urgently looking for temporary homes for 50 dogs while COVID has caused staff and volunteers to fluctuate.
Where do the animals come from?
Unfortunately, sometimes the volunteers’ guesses are just as good as yours. Only so much work can be done to retrace steps of where animals have been before. However, volunteers can usually tell you about how the animal was discovered, its disposition, compatibility with children and other household pets and medical needs they’ve found while the animal is in their care.
AHS offers trial periods with animals and will take animal surrenders by appointment but hopes that they can make a perfect match. APA! has famously said it will take an animal back at any time but offers alternatives through its P.A.S.S. program.What illnesses are common/should I ask about?
It’s important to be prepared for any ailments a pet comes with for financial or emotional reasons.
Before adopting a dog, know about:
- Parvovirus, a highly-contagious virus that affects dogs' gastrointestinal tracts and is spread by direct dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated feces, environments or people.
- Kennel cough, a viral infection in the respiratory system that is indicated by a runny nose, lethargy, sneezing, fever and decreased appetite.
- Diarrhea, which can indicate stress or parasites in dogs.
Before adopting a cat, know about:
- Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a viral disease caused by a feline coronavirus unrelated to human coronavirus. Though not believed to be contagious, FIP is almost always fast-progressing and fatal.
- Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), an infectious disease that affects the cat’s immune system. FIV is incurable but can be treated.
- Feline Leukemia (FelV), a potentially deadly virus spread through bodily fluids that only impacts cats.
- Ringworm, a fungal infection of the superficial layers of the skin, hair, and nails. Ringworm infections can occur in any mammal, including humans.
- Diarrhea, which can indicate a respiratory infection in cats.
We are not health professionals at Austonia—if you’re concerned about your animal’s wellbeing, call the shelter you adopted it from or call your veterinarian.
What services do shelters provide after the fact?
AAC is an excellent resource for low-cost pet needs; AAC offers free spaying/neutering for dogs and cats through Emancipet, which includes microchipping, pain medication, a rabies vaccine for pets three months or older, DHPP for dogs and FVRCP for cats. AAC will provide a free microchip to all residents and offers classes on responsible pet care or rabies prevention.
APA! offers lifetime coaching for animals with behavioral needs, including classes to learn how to control behavior, and compiled a list of trusted resources.If I can't adopt, how can I help?
APA! has so many options to give, you’ll oftentimes be able to know exactly what you’re pledging money toward. APA! also takes item donations but be advised that shelters can’t usually use opened containers, scratching posts, carpeted cat trees, plastic bowls, scoops, or litter boxes, bed linens or couch cushions.
AHS accepts cash donations. AAC is government funded, though it always accepts donations in the form of cash, which goes toward rabies and microchip programs, animal enrichment, spay and neuter programs, and more. AAC also accepts item, fencing and doghouse donations.
You can also apply to be a volunteer at any of the locations, though APA! is on-boarding on an as-needed basis and AHS has paused taking in new volunteers.
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Popular
Austin FC kept rival FC Dallas to a draw Saturday night as it pulled off a 2-2 comeback. (Austin FC/Twitter)
Despite a 2-0 deficit, there was a pot of gold for Austin FC after all as it celebrated its annual Pride Night with rainbows and a 2-2 comeback draw to FC Dallas Saturday night.
After three FC Dallas losses last season, the Dallas derby draw marks the first time Austin FC has tied against its Copa Texas rival. Austin continues to edge over FC Dallas as it sits at 3rd in the MLS West.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the match:
A somber start
¡Ya Basta! Enough! End Gun Violence. #uvaldestrong
— Los Verdes (@LosVerdesATX) June 26, 2022
📷 @arubiophotospic.twitter.com/3PiVdTPtik
Decked out in colorful hues for LBGTQ+ Pride, Verde fans started the match on a somber note as they held up banners to take a stand against gun violence before the match.
As the national anthem began, fans held up banners with the names of each child that was killed in the Uvalde school shooting and a plea to "end gun violence."
The supporters' section was also dotted with Pride flags and a "Bans off Our Bodies" banner in protest of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
(Claire Partain/Austonia)
(Claire Partain/Austonia)
FC Dallas earns a 2-0 lead
Paul Arriola is there to put it away and put @FCDallas ahead! pic.twitter.com/Z4AMmM6lp3
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
That sober tone continued onto the pitch. With midfielder Daniel Pereira's absence due to a red card, the Verde and Black lost two goals to FC Dallas by the 70th minute of play.
FC Dallas played it sneaky for the first half of the match, giving Austin FC plenty of room to hold possession as it waited to strike on a Verde error. That mentality proved dangerous for Austin as Dallas' Paul Arriola took advantage of Brad Stuver's deflection to score the first goal of the night in the 57th minute of play.
Dallas struck once more as Brandon Servant pushed past the Verde line to score the second goal of the match.
#DTID double their lead!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
The substitute Brandon Servania with a fine finish within five minutes of coming on. 💥 pic.twitter.com/IZm0YsPxG5
Austin FC strikes back
Sebastián Driussi pulls one back!#AustinFC are still in this one. 👀 pic.twitter.com/Yoi0x768jb
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
But energy quickly returned to Austin's favor thanks to Designated Player Sebastian Driussi, who scooted past several FC Dallas defenders alongside Moussa Djitte to snag an unlikely first goal for Austin.
A full Verde comeback
Late drama in this Texas Derby!@AustinFC ties it up, Danny Hoesen with the diving header. 😱 pic.twitter.com/Jk2f4fIEXG
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
Austin's subs proved deadly as momentum returned to the home team toward the end of the match. A well-placed cross from Nick Lima—and a diving header from a fresh-legged Danny Hoesen—helped the team secure the draw with a second Verde goal in the 84th minute of play.
Hoesen, who was Austin's first starting striker last season, has now scored two goals with the team after a yearlong injury stuck him on the bench.
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(Bob Daemmrich)
Hours following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion, on Friday, about 1,000 people gathered in Republic Square with signs calling for change.
The rally, organized by the group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights Texas, started at the federal courthouse on Republic Square on Friday at 5 p.m. before the crowd marched to the Texas Capitol. More protests are expected to ensue over the weekend.
People showed up with all types of signs like Mindy Moffa holding up, "Keep your filthy laws off my silky drawers."
Austin joined cities across the country that saw protests for a women's right to an abortion after the ruling.
According to a recent UT poll, 78% of Texas voters support abortion access in most cases.
Sabrina Talghade and Sofia Pellegrini held up signs directed at Texas laws. A Texas trigger law will ban all abortions from the moment of fertilization, starting 30 days after the ruling. When state legislators passed the trigger law last summer, it also passed laws for more protection of firearms, including the right to open carry without a permit.
Lili Enthal of Austin yells as around 1,000 Texans marched to the Texas Capitol.
From the Texas Capitol, Zoe Webb lets her voice be heard against the Supreme Court ruling.
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