Comments on: AAC recommendations and APA’s proposal http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/ Helping People Help Pets Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:06:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Judy http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-945 Judy Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:04:50 +0000 http://www.austinpetsalive.org/?p=4492#comment-945 The letter I sent to the Mayor and City Council members, in case anyone wishes to use all/part of it for their own letters: On Thursday, March 11, please vote to implement the Animal Advisory Commission’s Plan for significant improvements to our City’s Animal Services – a plan that reflects the Council's directive to reduce the killing of lost and homeless pets by increasing live outcomes and reducing shelter intake. A particularly important part of the Plan is the proposal for Austin Pets Alive! to operate a Comprehensive Adoption Program at Town Lake Animal Center. This proposed adoption program will result in the saving of 3,750 lives that are currently dying year after year at TLAC. Further, if the Plan is voted through without APA!’s Comprehensive Adoption Program, it is likely that our city will NOT reach the goal of becoming “No Kill” (90% save rate). Austin Pets Alive! has a proven track record, having saved the lives of 3,500 cats and dogs in just the last 18 months. For the Comprehensive Adoption Program at TLAC, it can leverage its huge volunteer team, foster program, off-site adoption program, and expertise in low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter to move more animals through the program to adoption. And, this can be done without increasing the city’s budget, as APA! is a nonprofit organization and can actively fundraise. Again, please vote to implement the AAC’s Plan, including APA!’s Comprehensive Adoption Program, to make Austin a No-Kill City! The letter I sent to the Mayor and City Council members, in case anyone wishes to use all/part of it for their own letters:

On Thursday, March 11, please vote to implement the Animal Advisory Commission’s Plan for significant improvements to our City’s Animal Services – a plan that reflects the Council’s directive to reduce the killing of lost and homeless pets by increasing live outcomes and reducing shelter intake.

A particularly important part of the Plan is the proposal for Austin Pets Alive! to operate a Comprehensive Adoption Program at Town Lake Animal Center. This proposed adoption program will result in the saving of 3,750 lives that are currently dying year after year at TLAC. Further, if the Plan is voted through without APA!’s Comprehensive Adoption Program, it is likely that our city will NOT reach the goal of becoming “No Kill” (90% save rate).

Austin Pets Alive! has a proven track record, having saved the lives of 3,500 cats and dogs in just the last 18 months. For the Comprehensive Adoption Program at TLAC, it can leverage its huge volunteer team, foster program, off-site adoption program, and expertise in low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter to move more animals through the program to adoption. And, this can be done without increasing the city’s budget, as APA! is a nonprofit organization and can actively fundraise.

Again, please vote to implement the AAC’s Plan, including APA!’s Comprehensive Adoption Program, to make Austin a No-Kill City!

]]> By: austinpetsalive http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-932 austinpetsalive Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:00:19 +0000 http://www.austinpetsalive.org/?p=4492#comment-932 I just spoke with the chair of the AAC. He said that 70% of those appendixes were in paper form. Everything has been given to the city, who is supposedly scanning it all and will post it all online. We'll post a link to that as soon as it's up. I just spoke with the chair of the AAC. He said that 70% of those appendixes were in paper form. Everything has been given to the city, who is supposedly scanning it all and will post it all online. We’ll post a link to that as soon as it’s up.

]]> By: austinpetsalive http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-931 austinpetsalive Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:52:53 +0000 http://www.austinpetsalive.org/?p=4492#comment-931 I had the same question, Cam. That's what the AAC published electronically. I will see if I can find the other pieces and will publish them too. Suspect the AAC does not have them in electronic format, which is why they've been left out. I had the same question, Cam. That’s what the AAC published electronically. I will see if I can find the other pieces and will publish them too. Suspect the AAC does not have them in electronic format, which is why they’ve been left out.

]]> By: Cam http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-930 Cam Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:15:46 +0000 http://www.austinpetsalive.org/?p=4492#comment-930 I read the recommendations document linked above. It references several appendices that aren't attached. Are those available for public review also? I read the recommendations document linked above. It references several appendices that aren’t attached. Are those available for public review also?

]]> By: austinpetsalive http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-922 austinpetsalive Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:18:48 +0000 http://www.austinpetsalive.org/?p=4492#comment-922 Thanks Cindy! First, you can <a href="http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/groupemail.htm" rel="nofollow">email city council</a> and let them know that you support the AAC recommendations and APA's proposal. (Or even if you don't, you can just let them know that you want to see a no-kill Austin). And we're having a volunteer orientation next Sunday. We have them about every three weeks. <a href="http://www.austinpetsalive.org/volunteer/" rel="nofollow">You can sign up here.</a> Once you submit your volunteer app, you'll be emailed an invite to orientation. Thanks Cindy! First, you can email city council and let them know that you support the AAC recommendations and APA’s proposal. (Or even if you don’t, you can just let them know that you want to see a no-kill Austin).
And we’re having a volunteer orientation next Sunday. We have them about every three weeks. You can sign up here. Once you submit your volunteer app, you’ll be emailed an invite to orientation.

]]> By: Cindy http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-919 Cindy Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:31:34 +0000 http://www.austinpetsalive.org/?p=4492#comment-919 My husband and I converted our guest suite into a kitty condo and have adopted 4 cats from Town Lake Animal Shelter since November that were within a day of being killed. They are loving, beautiful, healthy cats. It breaks my heart to think these wonderful little souls would not be here simply because someone with no animal behavioral experience at Town Lake said they were "too sick" or "they hissed at someone" or they "had a cold." This heartless killing has to stop - I am ashamed of Austin. Austin Pet's Alive you are AMAZING! I see all the cats you foster and am learning of all the enormous efforts you are doing to make Austin a no-kill city. What can I do to help the cause? My husband and I converted our guest suite into a kitty condo and have adopted 4 cats from Town Lake Animal Shelter since November that were within a day of being killed. They are loving, beautiful, healthy cats. It breaks my heart to think these wonderful little souls would not be here simply because someone with no animal behavioral experience at Town Lake said they were “too sick” or “they hissed at someone” or they “had a cold.” This heartless killing has to stop – I am ashamed of Austin. Austin Pet’s Alive you are AMAZING! I see all the cats you foster and am learning of all the enormous efforts you are doing to make Austin a no-kill city. What can I do to help the cause?

]]> By: Brandy http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-918 Brandy Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:24:04 +0000 http://www.austinpetsalive.org/?p=4492#comment-918 I am so glad to hear that someone is working on a viable solution to this horrible problem! I hope that, if APA succeeds in gaining control of TLAC, they will foster a more welcoming atmosphere for adopting animals than TLAC currently fosters. My husband and I looked into adopting a pet from Town Lake recently, and it was a very unpleasant experience. We ended up adopting a pet elsewhere. I understand the necessity to ensure that pets are going to responsible, permanent homes, but do potential adoptive families need to be treated with suspicion and hostility, as if our very presence is an imposition on shelter staff? This hardly seems to be the best way to encourage adoption! I think if an attitude that embraces adoption as an exciting and positive experience for all parties was adopted at Town Lake, then people would be more inclined to pursue adoption of an animal from that facility. BEST OF LUCK TO APA! I am so glad to hear that someone is working on a viable solution to this horrible problem! I hope that, if APA succeeds in gaining control of TLAC, they will foster a more welcoming atmosphere for adopting animals than TLAC currently fosters. My husband and I looked into adopting a pet from Town Lake recently, and it was a very unpleasant experience. We ended up adopting a pet elsewhere. I understand the necessity to ensure that pets are going to responsible, permanent homes, but do potential adoptive families need to be treated with suspicion and hostility, as if our very presence is an imposition on shelter staff? This hardly seems to be the best way to encourage adoption!
I think if an attitude that embraces adoption as an exciting and positive experience for all parties was adopted at Town Lake, then people would be more inclined to pursue adoption of an animal from that facility. BEST OF LUCK TO APA!

]]> By: Sally http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2010/02/aac-recommendations-and-apas-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-916 Sally Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:25:06 +0000 http://www.austinpetsalive.org/?p=4492#comment-916 Thanks for the reply! That makes me feel better, adoption assessment, animal assessment, animal care, chasing all the paperwork, are real WORK! Work that deserves pay. So the cost savings would come not from the transformation of paid labor to free labor but in the ability to fund raise, that makes sense! Thanks for the reply! That makes me feel better, adoption assessment, animal assessment, animal care, chasing all the paperwork, are real WORK! Work that deserves pay. So the cost savings would come not from the transformation of paid labor to free labor but in the ability to fund raise, that makes sense!

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