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 the National Animal Care and Control Association’s standards. Animal Services is asking City Council for […]
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 inAustin
City clarifies shelter policies
A clarification about the ownership of shelter animals should keep the city out of legal trouble, though some City Council members had reservations that the changes were moving too fast. Kristen Auerbach, who is the deputy chief animal services officer at the Austin Animal Center, explained that the ordinance is based on a recent ruling […]
Posted inResources
Coyote debate howls through committee
Debate over the region’s coyote policy continued at City Council’s Public Safety Committee on Monday, where public comment on the city’s policy took center stage for about an hour. In November 2014, the city passed a coyote management plan, and as part of the plan’s implementation, a few changes have been made at the city […]
Posted inAustin
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 study that will be conducted by Austin Animal Services. Discussion of the agenda item, which […]
Posted inAustin
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 to celebrate five years as a no-kill community, was requested by Mayor Steve Adler in response […]
Posted inAustin
Animal Services chief responds to department audit
Austin is a leader in animal shelter and care, but the common metrics used for auditing animal care facilities have not kept pace with its no-kill policy, Chief Animal Services Officer Tawny Hammond told the Audit and Finance Committee on Monday. “We have to have standards and accreditation for no-kill communities,” she said. “We need […]
Posted inAustin
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 the Animal Advisory Commission showed up to the court’s weekly meeting to petition the commissioners […]
Posted inAustin
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 fall 2016. Critics of bullhooks say the sharp-tipped tool breaks the skin of elephants, causing […]
Posted inAustin
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 the city will not hire paid dog walkers, like the resolution recommended, but will instead […]
Posted inAustin
New Chief Animal Services Officer stresses adoption
Austin’s new chief animal services officer says the city’s no-kill status was what persuaded her to take the job. But Tawny Hammond told the Austin Monitor on Tuesday that for Austin to sustain its no-kill status, more people need to be adopting shelter and rescue animals. “If the city of Austin and the community of Austin wants […]
Posted inAustin
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 Commissioner Babette Ellis. “And with an open-intake shelter, you never know what’s going to be […]
Posted inCity Council
Council committee examines Animal Services audit
Unlike the majority of city audits, the troubling Animal Services audit did not come with an immediate plan of action from the department. However, City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee did find some answers to the many questions its members asked at Thursday’s meeting. Animal Services concurs with the findings in the audit. However, Auditor […]