Become a Foster Parent for Austin’s Animals
A special meeting of the Public Health and Human Services Committee was held on March 4, 2010, with direction for the following to be included in the plan to take us one step close to being a No Kill city:
- ~ proceed to develop a mission statement that incorporates the revised mission statement for animal services in the AAC recommendation, and including the 90% live outcome goal, into a broader mission that reflects the full scope of responsibilities associated with municipal animal services;
- ~ plans for the Davenport Building remain as previously prescribed by Council but recommend that the current TLAC site be maintained for a period of six months after the new Animal Services Center is opened on Levander Loop, at which time staff will come back to Council with recommendation for any future use of the site;
- ~ proceed with the plan to outsource the comprehensive adoption program at TLAC; and
- ~ adopt the AAC recommendation to Council and impose an immediate moratorium on killing any animal (except for humane reasons or aggression validated by a behaviorist) when there are cages or kennels available.
The result of that meeting was a presentation at the March 11th City Council meeting to approve a resolution adopting the Recommendations for the Implementation Plan to Reduce Animal Intake and Increase Live Animal Outcomes, and authorizing the City Manager to initiate implementation to the City Council which resulted in a unanimous vote (7-0) in favor of moving Austin closer to the No Kill goal.
Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department’s Animal Services took in over 20,000 animals through TLAC last year. The recent steps by the Austin City Council to bring us closer to the long term goal of No Kill means many shelters and rescue groups will very soon be at capacity, overwhelmed by the influx of animals as TLAC is under mandate to adopt rather than kill excess animals.
Many animals in the shelter don’t show their true personality because of the stress of being confined to a cage. These animals need your help to learn how to be a part of a loving family until they can be adopted out into a loving, permanent home. You will have the chance to not only make a positive impact on your foster pet’s life, you will be able to help determine your foster’s true personality to insure a good placement into a permanent home.
Each organization has their own requirements for becoming a foster parent/family to a needy pet. Generally, all animals in a foster home must have current rabies vaccinations. If the prospective foster parent rents, permission from the landlord to have pets at the address is necessary.
You do not need any special training or skills to be a foster parent for homeless animals. Just a little room, a little extra time and a lot of love!
Here are a few pet foster programs in the Austin area to get you started:
- TLAC
- Austin Pets Alive
- Austin Humane Society
- Central Texas SPCA
- Humane Society of Williamson County
- Lifelong Friends (formerly Lago Vista PAWS)
- PAWS Shelter (Kyle, TX)
- SARA Sanctuary (Seguin, TX)
- Etosha Rescue (large breed dogs – Tina Rodriguez, Foster home coordinator)
- Austin Dog Alliance
- Austin Dog Rescue
- Blue Dog Rescue
- Pound Pups
- Forgotten Friends Mixed Breed Rescue
- From the Heart
- Lucky Mutts
- Pet Helpers
- Safe Haven Animal Rescue
- Small Chance Rescue
- Small Paws Rescue
- Wee Rescue (.doc download)
- Austin Boxer Rescue
- Central Texas Dachshund Rescue
- PAWS of Austin (Great Dane rescue)
- Lil’ Paws Maltese Rescue
Find out for yourself how rewarding fostering a pet can be by contacting one of these groups and get involved today!
