Tag Archives: Animal Advisory Commission
No new members for animal advisory group
The City Council Audit and Finance Committee on Monday postponed for one month a vote to recommend adding members to the city’s Animal Advisory Commission from Travis County, as requested last year by County Judge Sarah Eckhardt. In doing so,…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • May 19, 2016
Animal Services punts spay and neuter proposal
The Animal Advisory Commission voted down a proposal last week that would have allowed animal shelter staff to spay or neuter an animal the first time it is impounded. Instead, the commissioners will wait for the results of a six-month…
Austin • By Vicky Garza • Mar 21, 2016
Reporter's Notebook: Peacocks and loose lips
Wherever you go, there you are… Though it seems that former Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis is eager to put Austin behind him, it looks as though he may be taking a bit of his history with him to…
Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • Jan 18, 2016
Mandatory pet sterilization not recommended to help reduce number of animals in shelters
Austin animal owners should not be forced to spay or neuter their animals, said Chief Animal Services Officer Tawny Hammond in a briefing before the City Council Health and Human Services Committee. The presentation, which comes just as Austin is about…
Austin • By Vicky Garza • Jan 14, 2016
County shoots down Austin's no-kill request
Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday rejected a request from the city of Austin’s Animal Advisory Commission to enter into a partnership that would develop a no-kill management strategy for wild animals, including coyotes. David Lundstedt and Craig Nazor of…
Austin • By Caleb Pritchard • Nov 11, 2015
Commission tells city to cut ties with state on coyote control
The Animal Advisory Commission approved a number of recommendations last Monday aimed at getting the city to set up its own wildlife management service. Since 2012 the city and county have contracted with Texas Wildlife Services, which has assigned a…
Local Government • By Jack Craver • Oct 19, 2015
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Council prohibits use of bullhooks on elephants
While several bullhooks were brought into City Council chambers as evidence Thursday – one even passed around on the dais – these instruments, used to train circus animals, will be prohibited from use on elephants within city limits starting in…
Austin • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Aug 7, 2015
Council not likely to ban bullhooks this year
Based on a discussion at a work session on Tuesday, City Council is not likely to ban the use of the bullhook — a common elephant training tool — in circuses before Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey comes to…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Aug 6, 2015
Shelter dogs to get playgroups, not paid dog walkers
Austin’s new Chief Animal Services Officer, Tawny Hammond, said Monday she will institute part of a City Council recommendation intended to deal with concerns that dogs in the city’s shelters were not getting out of their cages enough. Hammond said…
Austin • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jul 15, 2015
Circus animal ordinance stalls in committee
A proposed ordinance aiming to protect circus animals within city limits sparked a passionate debate at a City Council Health and Human Services Committee meeting on Monday, with supporters calling it a major step forward and opponents arguing that it…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Jun 3, 2015
Animal Commission reviews audit criticisms
While members of the Animal Advisory Commission acknowledged Wednesday the deficiencies identified in the city’s first audit of Animal Services, they also argued that scrutinizing city animal shelters differs from auditing other city departments. “Housing animals is not an exact science,” said…
Austin • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • May 18, 2015
Animal Commission votes to protect circus animals
Before the Austin Animal Advisory Commission endorsed a proposed ordinance Wednesday banning the use of painful devices on circus animals, commissioners deliberated how the city should define a circus animal. Members said the inclusion of lions, tigers and bears, plus…
