Tag Archives: Animal Advisory Commission
Commission calls on Austin to ban cat declawing
The city Animal Advisory Commission has unanimously recommended that the city ban cat declawing. The commission unanimously approved the resolution on Monday after hearing an hour of testimony from veterinarians and animal rights activists, most of whom described declawing as…
Austin • By Jack Craver • Sep 14, 2018
The cats are alive and well at the Austin Animal Center
After a significant dip in live outcomes for cats in April, the Animal Advisory Commission began to seriously consider how it could reverse that trend to allow more animals to survive their stay as a guest at the Austin Animal…
Austin • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 13, 2018
Commission weighs benefits of playgroups vs. walks for dogs
Although walking a dog seems like one of the most rudimentary interactions you can have with your pet, it is a daily chore that routinely takes a back seat at the Austin Animal Center due to its lack of manpower. Instead,…
City Hall • By Jessi Devenyns • May 30, 2018
Shelter cat live outcome rate dips below 90 percent
As a no-kill shelter, Austin Animal Center has a goal of sending out as many animals into happy homes as possible. Unfortunately, this month, the shelter was able to do that less often for its cats than it has in the…
Austin • By Jessi Devenyns • May 18, 2018
Reporter's Notebook: Solutions and such
That got a little prickly… The Texas Health and Science University earned the recommendation of the Planning Commission at its Nov. 14 meeting to rezone in order to construct a library next door to the acupuncture school as well as dormitories…
Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • Nov 27, 2017
Animal Advisory Commission weighs Monk parakeet deal
Austin’s population of Monk parakeets has garnered a lot of attention over the past few weeks, with some questioning Austin Energy’s policy for removing the birds’ nests from power lines and utility structures in town. The Animal Advisory Commission heard…
Austin • By Sommer Brugal • Jun 19, 2017
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City Council debates coyotes
City Council spent most of the morning Thursday discussing what to do about coyotes. Council was asked by city staff to approve an ordinance that would authorize the Animal Services Department to negotiate and execute a contract with Texas A&M…
City Council • By Jack Craver • Oct 7, 2016
Reporter's Notebook: What has hot dogs, great views and live music? It's a roundup festival!
Hot dogs at Town Lake Animal Center… Things got heated during the Animal Advisory Commission’s recent discussion of the temperature of the Town Lake Animal Center. There has been increasing public concern over ineffectual swamp coolers where the outdoor kennels…
Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • Sep 19, 2016
Animal Commission votes down spay and neuter proposal
Despite public appeals, the Animal Commission has decided not to move forward on a proposed ordinance that would require that all dogs brought to Austin animal shelter be spayed or neutered the first time they are impounded. The ordinance was…
Austin • By Cate Malek • Sep 16, 2016
Austin’s reputation as an animal haven may be slowing pet rescues
Six years ago, City Council passed a resolution that animal shelters would no longer kill homeless pets for the sake of space or convenience. But now that Austin has a solid reputation as a no-kill city, Animal Services officials are…
Austin • By Cate Malek • Jul 25, 2016
Austin suffers from lack of animal protection officers
Although Austin has a reputation as a city of pet lovers, a chronic shortage of animal protection officers may be putting pets, and local communities, at risk. The city currently has 20 officers, only one-third of the number recommended by…
Austin • By Cate Malek • Jul 15, 2016
Advocates push for permanent animal cruelty prosecutors
The Travis County District Attorney’s Office has assigned two prosecutors to handle animal cruelty cases after a family and animal law attorney made the case for a special animal cruelty prosecutor to the Animal Advisory Commission last month during citizens…
