Austin City Council has adopted changes to the city ordinance related to spaying cats and dogs at the Austin Animal Shelter, including an amendment that proved controversial. Under the changed ordinance, the city will notify Austin Pets Alive! (APA) about animals that are lactating so that APA can pick up lactating animals within three hours […]
Animal Services
This is the city department tasked with running the city’s animal shelter, providing care to more than 20,000 animals a year, and maintaining Austin’s no-kill status.
Posted inCity Hall
Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland to retire following administrative leave
The city announced last week that Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland will retire, effective May 9, following his placement on administrative leave in early March. Bland, the director of the Austin Animal Center since 2019, was placed on administrative leave on March 7. The city did not provide specific reasons for the decision, but […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Austin Animal Services Office begins developing bond package for 2026 vote
The Austin Animal Services Office is in early stages of developing its future bond package. The complete package for all participating city departments will be presented to voters in 2026. In the meantime, the department is working through a process that will determine how its bond requests take shape. Each department participating in the bond […]
Posted inAustin
Austin Animal Services Office releases fiscal year statistical report and waives adoption fees
Due to consistent overcrowding, the Austin Animal Center has waived adoption fees for the foreseeable future. Numbers from the Austin Animal Services Office’s statistical report for Fiscal Year 2025 show a continued need for adoptions. Austin Animal Services Office released a statistical report spanning the months of October 2024 through January 2025. In total, the […]
Posted inCity Hall
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 Austin.” The Animal Advisory Commission was presented the strategic plan at its regular meeting on […]
Posted inCity Council
‘A ticket home’: New Austin city law will require pets to be microchipped
The city of Austin will soon require people to get microchips for their pets. Microchips are small grain-like trackers that are implanted under a pet’s skin that can be used to trace the animal back to its owner. Essentially, it’s a ticket home. City Council could approve a change to city rules this week that […]
Posted inAustin
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 to the presentation from the Animal Services Office. Animal intake dropped from June, which saw […]
Posted inCity Hall
Animal Services Office turns to outside boarding to address shelter crowding
The Animal Services Office has recently resumed use of third-party boarding facilities to handle space constraints and crowded conditions at Austin Animal Center. A memo published last week from Don Bland, chief animal services officer, gave City Council an update on the move to use outside boarding providers, including Austin Pets Alive!, which has become […]
Posted inBudget
Council will face tough budget decisions on parks, animal services and homelessness
City Council is anticipating a tight budget ahead and will have to balance funding for the Parks and Recreation Department as well as the Austin Animal Center, the Homeless Strategy Office and Human Resources. The Austin Animal Center is over capacity, with a shelter population of 123 percent of capacity for kittens and cats, 129 […]
Posted inCity Hall
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 Stephanie Hayden-Howard said officials held a planning meeting on June 25 that was attended by […]
Posted inAustin
More animals must leave the shelter before Austin Animal Center will accept them again
The Austin Animal Center has stopped accepting any more animals until further notice. Jason Garza, deputy chief animal services officer, said the shelter has so many dogs and cats that it’s overcapacity. As of Tuesday, there were 683 animals on site, including about 300 medium to large dogs. The shelter has only 252 dog kennels. […]
Posted inCity Hall
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 highlight the most at-risk residents at the shelter in hopes of placing them in homes. […]