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 its live-release goals. On Wednesday, Assistant City Manager Stephanie Hayden-Howard and Animal Services Officer Don […]
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 Council
City Council updates code to address animal shelter overcrowding, safety
City Council voted on consent at its meeting on Thursday to amend the city code regarding animal services, heeding recommendations from a recent audit that found the Austin Animal Center in far East Austin was struggling to maintain quality of animal care because of overcrowding and other issues. The code changes include: Replacing the current […]
Posted inCity Hall
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 admitted to the shelter, it must be held for three days. “And city legal is […]
Posted inParks
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 told commissioners that the Austin Animal Center took in 681 animals in December, and the […]
Posted inEnvironment
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 Dec. 11. He told the commission that he lives near Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park and […]
Posted inAustin
Council members want action, updates to improve city animal shelter
Members of City Council want ongoing updates from the Animal Services Office about the conditions at the Austin Animal Center, which a recent audit found to be routinely overcrowded due to a variety of management issues. Council’s Audit and Finance Committee received a briefing on the audit Wednesday and told top city managers and the […]
Posted inAustin
Animal shelter audit calls out overcrowding, management issues for no-kill facility
An audit of operations at the Austin Animal Shelter has found that the no-kill facility is often beyond its capacity and lacks the data, staff and processes to meet the city’s 95 percent live-release goal. A draft copy of the audit, which was called for last summer by City Council, produced four broad findings, including […]
Posted inAustin
Animal Services chief addresses overcrowded shelter after alarm from Kelly
Weeks after City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly expressed alarm at finding “dogs housed in temporary crates at the truck port” behind Austin Animal Center with scorching temperatures on the way, Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland has responded. A subsequent memo from Kelly asked interim City Manager Jesús Garza about overcrowding, the number of large […]
Posted inCity Hall
Former city employee abused sick leave policy, audit says
A former employee of the city’s Animal Services Department misused city resources by claiming sick leave after getting a new job at Travis County, according to a report from the Office of the City Auditor. The audit says Luis Negrete, a former animal health technician, took time off from his job in December 2021 and […]
Posted inAustin
City’s animal commission OKs cat educator
The Animal Advisory Commission unanimously approved a motion for a second permanent position for community cat public health educator last Monday. The Community Cats program in Austin helps the thousands of free-roaming cats in the city remain healthy and safe in their natural homes – whether that is outdoors or in a house. The program […]
Posted inCity Hall
Council committee catches up before new animal shelter audit
Last week, City Council Audit and Finance Committee members heard an update on a 2015 audit of the Animal Services Department in preparation for a new audit initiated by City Council in July. The 2015 audit, which discovered some issues that have yet to be fixed, found that Animal Services lacked an effective process to […]
Posted inAustin
Off-leash dog group urges public action
The working group tasked with tackling off-leash dog issues in the city of Austin has dissolved, although the issue is far from resolved. “We’re kind of at the end of the road of what we can do,” said Animal Advisory Commissioner Jo Anne Norton, who served on the working group and presented to the commission […]