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Tag Archives: Animal Services

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…

City Hall • By Madeline de Figueiredo • Apr 3, 2025

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…

Bonds & Propositions • By Hunter Simmons • Mar 20, 2025

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…

Austin • By Hunter Simmons • Feb 19, 2025

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

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‘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…

City Council • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Sep 23, 2024

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

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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…

City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 13, 2024

money

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…

Budget • By Jo Clifton • Jul 26, 2024

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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

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…

Austin • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Jul 5, 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

Animal Services working to fix problems revealed by audit

Last September, the city’s Office of the City Auditor released an audit highly critical of the city’s animal shelter operations, saying there was a conflict between its priorities of providing humane care, operating as an open intake shelter and maintaining…

City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Mar 28, 2024

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