Tag Archives: Animal Advisory Commission

Animal Services Office releases strategic plan draft

The city’s Animal Services Office released a draft of its 2025-2030 strategic plan on Jan. 8. Enumerated in the draft is the office’s vision “to provide services and resources that allow people and animals to thrive in the city of…

City Hall • By Hunter Simmons • Jan 16, 2025

Critical volunteer hours for the Austin Animal Center are not being tallied

According to the Austin Animal Center website, there are about 100,000 free-roaming cats in Austin. That number is a conservative estimate, noting that cats can be impregnated as young as 5 months old and have one to three litters a…

Austin • By Hunter Simmons • Dec 13, 2024

Commission brands glue traps ‘ineffective and gruesome,’ votes to recommend a ban

The Austin Animal Advisory Commission unanimously voted Monday to recommend that the city of Austin ban the purchase and use of glue traps in all city-owned and city-managed facilities. The commission’s recommendation was rooted in concerns about the inhumane and…

Environment • By Madeline de Figueiredo • Oct 16, 2024

Animal Advisory Commission considers banning glue traps in Austin

Bats are under attack by glue traps used in the city, advocates for Austin’s bats say. “I would love to see glue traps banned from being sold and used in Austin,” says Austin Bat Refuge’s executive director, Dianne Odegard. The…

Austin • By Hunter Simmons • Sep 11, 2024

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Intake at animal center continues to outpace adoptions

Animal intake at the Austin Animal Center continues to surpass the number of adoptions, according to a presentation at an Animal Advisory Commission meeting Monday. In July, the center took in 932 animals while 769 animals were adopted, according…

Austin • By Dylan Ebs • Aug 14, 2024

Officials update Animal Advisory Commission on strategic plan process

City officials updated the Animal Advisory Commission last week on the strategic plan for the Animal Services Office as the city works to improve the relationship between the Austin Animal Center and key stakeholders, including the commission. Assistant City Manager…

City Hall • By Dylan Ebs • Jul 22, 2024

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Animal Advisory Commission wants pets allowed in cooling centers

The Animal Advisory Commission is urging the city to allow pets inside designated cooling centers as summer heats up. The commission unanimously passed a recommendation that urges the city to identify “a number of cooling centers throughout the City of…

Austin • By Dylan Ebs • Jul 10, 2024

Animal Advisory commissioners examine threats of ‘euthanizing for space’ at city shelter

At their most recent meeting, members of the Animal Advisory Commission questioned whether the city’s new strategy for finding homes for difficult-to-place dogs is working as intended. The shelter’s urgent placement list, which was introduced in March, is designed to…

City Hall • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 15, 2024

Commission approves creation of Finder to Foster working group

The Animal Advisory Commission at its regular meeting Jan. 8 voted to officially create the Finder to Foster working group. Commissioner Paige Nilson explained at the commission’s Dec. 11 meeting that city code currently mandates that when an animal is…

City Hall • By Nina Hernandez • Jan 11, 2024

Commission discusses spike in animals leaving shelter without being spayed or neutered

The Animal Advisory Commission at its regular meeting Jan. 8 pondered an unexpected rise in the number of animals leaving the shelter without being spayed or neutered. In an overview of monthly reports, Jason Garza of the Animal Services Department…

Parks • By Nina Hernandez • Jan 10, 2024

New working group will analyze city process for euthanizing injured deer

The Animal Advisory Commission last week voted to form a working group dedicated to examining the city’s protocol on euthanizing injured deer. Former commissioner and North Austin resident Craig Nazor brought the issue before the commission at its meeting on…

Environment • By Nina Hernandez • Dec 21, 2023

Animal Advisory Commission wants limit on public contact with wild animals

The Animal Advisory Commission on Monday voted unanimously to approve a resolution recommending City Council limit public contact with wild animals at for-profit zoos and aquariums. The idea for the resolution came about at the commission’s February meeting, when members…

Public Safety • By Nina Hernandez • Jul 12, 2023