Austin Animal Center limits intake

In an effort to ease its ongoing capacity crisis, Austin Animal Center is limiting intake hours to 11 a.m. through 1 p.m., starting today. A press release about the new policy makes exceptions for animals showing “extreme signs of distress or injury, such as heat stroke, young litters that would need to be bottle fed, and animals showing obvious signs of injury.” The press release also explains that the shelter has been boarding animals off-site because the shelter is over capacity and faces an ever-increasing demand for its services. “As AAC limits intake even further and continues working to increase outcomes, the goal is to re-open once all the dogs in boarding have returned to the shelter and animals are safely housed in permanent kennels,” states the release. In order to address capacity issues, the shelter has waived adoption fees, offered financial incentives for rescue organizations that can take larger dogs, and increased its outreach to get the word out about adoptions. Austinites are encouraged to adopt, foster or volunteer if they can.