Austin Animal Advisory Commission Update

At today’s meeting of the Public Health and Human Services Subcommittee (a subcommittee of the Austin City Council), City Staff presented a plan that would continue their recent progress at TLAC and increase the live release rate to 90% in the next two years. The plan included many excellent ideas that were supported by the Animal Advisory Commission, including expansion of prevention efforts, adding off-site adoptions, and changing the owner surrender policy to make it harder for people to abandon their pets at TLAC.

In addition to this, the Subcommittee also made some progress on the new shelter. Towards the end of the meeting, Subcommittee Chair Randi Shade took action to ensure the approval of the construction bids for the new shelter are added back to the Council’s agenda at the next available meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez agreed, and we anticipate that it will be added to the agenda for the March 11th Council Meeting.

We were very encouraged to hear Council Member Shade take this action. As we all know, the current shelter does not meet current standards for the humane housing of animals. The new shelter will be a major step forward for Austin’s animal welfare efforts.

Thanks to emanciPE+ for the update.