Interested in becoming a foster for medical cases like Selma & Patty Bouvier?  Medical Fostering may involve.

Murphy is an adorable adolescent pup with a love of affection that squishes your heart and a silly mischievious streak you can’t help but laugh at.  He’s smart boy with all the potential in the world to make someone an incredible companion and best friend.

Murphy is also a sensitive guy who was having an incredibly hard time living in a shelter setting.  Thanks to one of our wonderful behavioral foster homes, Murphy was able to get out of the shelter and to receive the support he needed in a much calmer setting.  This boy with the irresistable grin is now ready to move from foster to forever home!

You see, as much as Murphy is a big, silly, gangly adolescent  pup, he’s also a sensitive guy.  He doesn’t handle the noise or the constant traffic of both people and other dogs that life in a shelter brings very well.  He couldnt seem to get a good night’s sleep or a moment to just relax and take a deep breath so he was constantly feeling stressed out and amped up and a little bit on edge. 

But Murphy is thriving in a home setting,  where it’s quiet when it’s time to relax and where he has people willing to be silly with him at play time, give him plenty of cuddles and affection (his very favorite thing), and to work with him on training that includes socialization and confidence building.  All he needs now is an adopter to fall in love with his sweet face and his silliness and give him that home setting for keeps.

Murphy was rescued from the Bastrop Shelter by APA! during the wildfires.  Before that, he was picked up as a stray.  We’re not sure if that experience has anything to do with this sweet guy’s aversion to the shelter environment but we do know he’s been waiting a long time for a home of his own. 

Murphy comes with a training scholarship and a giant fan club who all believe in him.  His sweet nature has stolen a lot of hearts and we think this dog is ready to step into a future where he’ll be more awesome and relaxed each day and keep his adopter forever entertained with his goofy antics.  He loves people and does well with other dogs like his foster sister, Maddie.

If you are interested in adopting this wonderful boy, email email hidden; JavaScript is required for details.  We promise that his cuddly sweetness and silly antics will make your world a better place.  We also promise that helping an amazing dog like this continue on the path to meet his potential is a journey you won’t regret.

Follow Murphy & the other Louie’s Fresh Start dogs on facebook!

Figaro, is a super loving adult cat rescued with trauma to his neck from unknown causes that has left a gash across the back of his neck 4 inches wide. He visits the medical clinic periodically to have his bandages changed, and charms everyone with his loud purrs and affection.  He enjoys the few minutes he gets, bandage-free.

While these cats may have significant things going on, many are just thankful for having a chance and for being alive.  Once healed, we are certain they will both finds home very quickly.

Interested in becoming a foster for medical cases like Frannie and Figaro?  Medical Fostering may involve force-feeding, administering sub-Q fluids (under the skin), or just periodic monitoring.  It may also mean frequent transports to/from the Med Clinic for checkups, prescription refills and just “checking in” with a status update.  If you are interested in joining the Medical Foster Team and learning more about what’s required, send an email to email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Have you considered being a medical foster for our cats like Amber?  Medical Fostering may involve force-feeding, administering sub-Q fluids (under the skin), or just periodic monitoring.  It may also mean frequent transports to/from the Med Clinic for checkups, prescription refills and just “checking in” with a status update.  If you are interested in joining the Medical Foster Team and learning more about what’s required, send an email to email hidden; JavaScript is required.

George needs your help to make his Christmas wish come true.  The handsome, snow white pittie mix with the light green eyes is hoping for the chance to turn his luck around and make his future a bright one.

George came to the shelter as a puppy…an adorable roly poly puppy without the ability to hear.  Being deaf does not have to hold a dog back one bit.  But being deaf in a shelter brings added challenges.   Without a home of his own, it falls to APA!’s Dog Behavior Team to get George the support he needs – and we are determined to do just that.

Any dog who comes to the shelter as a young or adolescent puppy and does not get adopted quickly reaches a threshold where the shelter environment no longer works for them.  Growing up in the shelter is far from ideal and, even with all of the behavior support a dog is provided, they cannot stay in that environment indefinitely.

George came to APA! when he was about 5 months old.  He is now 9 months old.

Mini George…

…and Medium George both like to go on outings.

Mini George…

…and Medium George are both very intelligent, thoughtful boys.

And, Mini George…

…and Medium George both love to nap.

From the tiny puppy George was when he came to us, to the bigger adolescent pup George is today, one thing has always been clear; this is a very special dog who deserves to live a wonderful life filled with all of the happy, normal doggie experiences.

Unfortunately, it has also become clear to us that George is not on the path to that life right now and that we need to intervene and change his trajectory.  We have done our best for George with our in-shelter behavior program and it’s time to step up our game.

George has the opportunity to participate in a 16 day intensive foster style board and train program through The Canine Center for Training and Behavior.  Unlike most traditional board & trains where a dog stays at the shelter or training facility in a crate or kennel and is taken out a few times a day to be worked with, George will be living at four separate trainers’ homes.  He will receive 1:1 training support in an environment that allows him to relax and just be a dog; something George has become too stressed in the shelter environment to allow himself to do.

Upon completion of this program, George will transition to a foster home with APA! where he will continue working the program and building the skills he’s learned at TCCTB until adoption.  What’s more, he will be far better prepared to thrive in his adoptive home when his people finally find him.

George’s foster/train program will cost us $500 and we can tell you he is worth every penny and more.  Please help us raise the money to get this special dog the support he needs to find his way home!

*Follow George and the rest of the Louie’s Fresh Start dogs on Facebook!

Chia would love to stay warm at your house.

Looking to bring some love home for the holidays? We have your answer!

APA! is hosting a Foster a Lonely Pet drive in the hopes of getting every single cat and dog out of our facilities (2807 Manchaca and Town Lake Animal Center) for Christmas Day. Fosters will pick up their selected animal on December 24 and return them on December 26.

Click here to fill out a foster application and sign up for the program (note the special box to check for the Foster a Lonely Pet program). Those who sign up will follow our normal foster screening process and will receive a phone call from an APA! representative to talk through our foster process.

Additionally, $50 off adoptions will be given for those that foster over the holiday! What are you waiting for? Sign up to give a homeless pet some love this holiday season!

Here are just a few we’ve found in this, our program’s first year…

Cupcake is thankful that she’s awesome.  She’s also thankful to her ever growing entourage for turning her into a doggie rockstar.  But, more importantly, Cupcake is thankful to be part of a program that’s changing the definition of what “adoptable” means.

Mustang Sally is thankful for her magical powers of cuteness.  She is also thankful to APA! and the LFS team for recognizing that high energy adolescent and young adult dogs like her are far overrepresented on shelter kill lists and are being killed under the label “behavior issues,” not because they are “bad” or “aggressive” dogs, but because there is often little to no in-shelter (or foster) behavior support available to help them.

She is thankful we are working to change that and that she and her soul sister Cupcake weren’t left behind because of the sparkly personalities that make them the amazing girls they are!

Rylan is especially thankful for his favorite APA! lady, Dawn, who has helped him so much.  He is also thankful to APA! and Louie’s Team for realizing that dogs shouldn’t die because they’re scared.  Instead, they should be shown that they don’t have to feel that way and given the help they need to overcome those fears.

We are thankful to have watched transformations like Rylan’s and to know the magic of a dog who used to be too afraid to come near you, romping freely up to his new friends in the play yard with a goofy bounce in his gait and a toy in his mouth.

Shastais thankful for zoomies!  She is also thankful to patient APA! staff and volunteers who gave her a chance to overcome her fear and discover what those zoomies are!  She knows she still has to practice being brave with strangers but she’s so thankful to have found people who will help her get there.

Murphy is thankful for cuddles and smooches and belly rubs.  He would be fine if that’s all there was time for in the world.  But Murphy is also thankful to have landed in a program working hard to figure out the best ways to help dogs like him.  Murphen is all for thinking outside the box!

Jennifer is thankful for running!  Oh my gosh!  Have you tried it?!  She is also thankful for wonderful places like The Canine Center for Training and Behavior that help the LFS doggies get special support like tutor days and Confidence Building Class.  Thanks to Louie’s Fund, Jennifer gets to do both!

Handsome brothers-separated-at-birth and resident APA! superheroes, Eeyore, Brock, & Zorro are thankful for their good looks, their athletic prowess, their charming personalities, and for the amazing behavioral foster homes where they’re currently able to kick up their paws while continuing to learn how to excel as shining examples of canine awesomeness!

Mason is thankful for YOU!  He’s thankful for all of the people here in Austin who are making No-Kill a reality.  He is also thankful that we are now in a position to push past that 90% target goal and save the last 10%.  Many (though not all) of the dogs in that 10% are just like those listed above (in fact, they quite literally ARE the dogs listed above).  They are medium to large breed dogs with behavior challenges who just need a chance and a little extra help.

Already, amazing organizations like Hard Luck Hounds and Firecracker Dog are springing up to join the Louie’s Fresh Start program in making sure these dogs are given the chance they deserve to live as loved companion animals.  You can help us by…

1.  Donating to Louie’s Fund (the sole source of funding for APA!’s Dog Behavior Team and the LFS dogs)!

2. Getting involved by volunteering, fostering, or adopting and LFS dog!

3. Advocating and sharing what we do to help raise awareness & following the LFS Dogs on Facebook!

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving, Austin, from the doggies and people of Team LFS!!  We truly are thankful for you!

It was immediately discovered that something was wrong with Patti – she was dragging her right leg. Throughout the next weeks Patti would sometimes drag her legs, or do a cute little “bunny hop” to move around, but her rear end was definitely weak/damaged. X-rays were done and we found that she has a congenital defect that causes hind-end weakness and an inability to hold her stool or urine.

Despite her condition Patti is a happy, healthy kitten. She plays, loves the company of people, is sweet, friendly, gentle and affectionate. She has an upbeat disposition and doesn’t let her handicap get her down. She loves children and other cats. She has a great personality, is well-behaved, brave, takes all of this all in stride, and still plays like a happy, confident kitten! Patti is not in the least bit shy. She entertains herself by hopping around like a bunny with her toys, but prefers to play with other cats or people.

Patti’s foster can’t keep her any longer, so we need a long-term foster that can care for her until we find her forever home. The medical team is working to firm up her stool some (its a little soft) so she can wear diapers to minimize mess. Currently her foster uses puppy pee pads and wet wipes to keep her clean as well as regular bathing (she loves to play in the tub :), and makes sure she is in a confined area (a large dog crate works best) when they aren’t home.
Patti is the perfect example of the kind of animal most people say “no way, I can’t handle that”, but that APA says “yes we can save her life!” Please help us continue saving special-needs animals like Patti by stepping forward to foster or adopt her today.

Email email hidden; JavaScript is required for more information or to foster or adopt sweet little Patti!