Austin Pets Alive!

FAQs

Who is Austin Pets Alive!

Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) was founded in 1997 as a private-sector support organization working with government entities, other nonprofits and the public to stop the killing of Austin’s adoptable dogs and cats. We have been implementing small scale projects to help Austin’s pets, pet owners, and shelters since 1997. Our leadership team has demonstrated success in nonprofit development, government, law, marketing, and fundraising, as well as veterinary medicine, animal behavior evaluation and training, and in the development of animal fostering and adoption programs. In addition, we have a wonderful volunteer organization and are always looking for additional support in this area.

What are we doing?

In 2008, APA embarked on a bold and aggressive initiative to create an Animal Resource Center.  This will encompass all of APA’s existing programs while creating a “safety net” for Austin’s pets and their owners. APA! hopes to take on the 7,000+ animals that our city shelter is killing each year and give them a better chance at survival.

Does Austin really need another animal facility?

Yes!!!  The existing shelters are overfull and cannot expand.  They have been in operation for more than 50 years while Austin has grown exponentially.  Thousands of animals are killed each year because there is no time to place them all in permanent homes. Our facility will help people find appropriately matched animals, provide shelter for homeless animals, and help reduce the number of “surrendered” pets by providing solutions for many common causes, such as behavior issues, medical problems, or financial crisis.

Why not just work with the existing shelters to increase their capacity?

That is exactly what we have been doing for the last 10 years. However, we believe that it will be another 10 years before our existing shelters are able to gear up to handle the number of animals that Austin has to care for — even with volunteer help. If today’s surrender and euthanasia statistics remain consistent through that 10-year period, it would mean the death of  nearly 100,000 healthy animals.  We don’t think waiting is a viable alternative.

Why do we think we can make Austin a No Kill City when so many others have tried and failed?

Our volunteers have direct and vast experience in this field.  We know inside and out the systems that are already in place in Austin and more importantly what gaps still remain.  It is this background and knowledge that will make our project successful.  It is very simple because we already know what to do.

Has any other city achieved No Kill status?

Yes! Cities both larger and smaller than Austin have met this goal, which proves it’s possible.  Check out San Francisco, Ithaca, NY, Richmond, VA, Reno, and others.  Here are some links:

Where will all the pets that are saved go?

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has published statistics that illustrate that there are more homes seeking out new pets each year than we previously believed.  In Austin, the number of new homes opening up for pets is about 74,000.  We believe that with better marketing and outreach, we will be able to place the 7,000+ currently euthanized each year in these homes.

What do we need?

We need donations to secure equipment, vehicles, and assist in the medical workup of each animal.  We need supplies like food, water, toys, and towels.  We need volunteers to implement this ambitious vision, and we need the community to be aware of what we are doing.

How can you help?

Write a check. Tell your friends about APA! Adopt a pet. Volunteer with us.  We need your help.  This is a grassroots, community-driven endeavor.

What programs does APA! offer?

APA!’s core programs are:

  • TLAC Rescue – We take the animals directly from the euthanasia list and put as many as we can in foster homes until we can place them.
  • Off-Site Adoption - Having many adoption locations throughout the community is the key to our high adoption rates.

APA! has implemented many lifesaving programs over the years and currently manages the following.

  • No-Kill Handbill – APA!’s daily e-mail newsletter which includes articles about lost and found pets, animals in need, news and information about APA! and the No-Kill millennium campaign, upcoming animal welfare events and more
  • PASS (Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender) – a small scale hotline in an effort to intervene at the point of animal surrender.  We counsel people on their decision to surrender their pets and try to work with them to find better life-focused solutions.
  • Healthy Dogs, Healthy People Program – We take dogs that have been at TLAC for over one month to our adoption locations in an effort to give them more opportunities for placement.  They join our own APA dogs for exposure and exercise on the Lady Bird Lake running trail where they can be “checked out” for a good run with joggers.
  • Bottle Baby Program- We have built a “station” for orphan babies who need milk supplemented so that we can combine resources rather than rely on many different foster homes and individuals.  The babies are housed here until they are “weaned” and then sent to foster for proper socialization.  Our goal is to save all the underage babies who enter the shelter each year.

Is every animal spayed/neutered before adoption?

Yes! APA! provides a complete medical workup including spay/neuter on every animal before adoption. This lessens the financial burden on the adopter, and ensures that placed animals do not contribute to pet overpopulation.

What are APA!’s funding sources?

We work partly from fees for service (adoptions) and part from public support.  We are growing our capacity to fundraise using grants as well as through partnerships with the shelters we serve.

How are donations used? What is the fundraising dollar raised to fundraising dollar spent ratio?

Our fundraising dollar raised to fundraising dollar spent ratio is 1:1. Currently we are 100 percent program oriented.  All administrative duties are performed by volunteers.  As we grow and secure funding, we will implement paid staff at the director/manager levels.

Are donations tax-exempt?

Yes, we are a 501(c) (3) recognized charity by the IRS.

Is APA sustainable?

Yes, we are using proven methods of fundraising as well as using best business practices to create efficiencies and ensure success.  Our amazing volunteer team of business managers and nonprofit gurus are establishing a model that is self-sufficient as possible, with additional support coming from the community. To ensure that we do not operate beyond our means, we have a scalable model that can be modified as needed to accommodate our cash flow.