The table retails at $6,500, and includes felt color of winner’s choice, delivery (must be in Austin area) and set up. Minimum offer must be $750.

Email your offer to email hidden; JavaScript is required, and the highest offer at 7 pm on Friday, May 18 wins!

*Note: adoption special does not include post-parvo dogs or dogs whose adoption fee includes heartworm treatment.

Learn How to
Adopt Grace Grace is a black & white one year old kitty that was rescued from the shelter on Valentine’s day. When APA! rescued her, also rescued were her six 4-day old babies. This sweet family was taken quickly into the Neonatal Ward where bottle baby volunteers made sure she had access to food and water at all times, monitored her health and the health of her babies. Within just a couple of days, Grace made her way into a foster home where she had a clean, quiet room to care for her babies and have some room to stretch her legs. That’s all a mom cat really needs to raise a healthy family.

Grace’s expressive face, punctuated by her black nostrils, is incredibly endearing. It’s tiring being a mom! But through it all, she managed to maintain her own long coat, and her sense of humor. Mom cats put up with a lot of shenanigans as their babies grow…rough and tumble wrestling, pouncing, and climbing. But Grace is patient, thankfully.

Graces’s babies have all left the nest and have found new homes. Now, it’s Graces’s turn. Stop by to meet her at APA! Headquarters at 2807 Manchaca Rd. She’ll tell you about her day, and stand by the door to make sure you see her when you walk by. Grab one of our cattery brushes and spend some time with her. She’ll show her appreciation with plenty of grace and gratitude for having a chance at a new life.

As we zero in to conquer this piece of the puzzle, the dogs we are getting continue to require more resources, more time, and “outside the kennel” thinking to make sure we’re satisfying their mental and emotional needs. This has pushed the LFS program volunteer handlers to become extra crafty and creative with how they plan to help these dogs to reach their full potential.

Since the completion of the “Life Room” Project, LFS handlers now have quiet, relaxing, and private spaces to amp up their training plans with the LFS dogs. This space, combined with the dog behavior team’s weekly Group Training class, provides a host of opportunities to make sure we’re fulfilling these dogs every need. Keeping large dogs mentally stimulated in a shelter environment is super important. Another one of our most recent solutions has been incorporating basic Nose Work into training and behavior enrichment plans.

Nose Work is an easy-to-do activity that capitalizes on a dog’s natural instinct to use its nose to problem solve. The biggest “problem” a dog’s nose is supposed to solve? Finding food! LFS handlers started collecting cardboard boxes in a variety of sizes to hide treats in. We also use “Life Room” props as another vehicle to hide the smelliest of noms. Thank you to Cathy Cobb at Austin Dog Sports who offers this class to the public and allowed us to take part one night.

Learn How to
Adopt Leroy During a recent training class, we took this physically and mentally challenging activity and incorporated it. It was a huge hit! Oliver, a.k.a. Ollenpig (who recently was adopted!), and Leroy caught on so quickly. Both are was easily Nose Work stars. Volunteer Amy Fitzsimmons also gave Myley a one-on-one lesson on Nose Work. You can see how Myley did in the video below (hint: super amazingly awesome). The results are fantastic: confident, tired dogs that are developing a natural skill that they can eventually take with them to their forever home.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeosKDHRuQY

As we continue to think of creative ways to help save the “Last 10%”, the Group Training class will be one of the many forums the LFS program uses to try out new, fun stimulating activities. In order for these dogs to be ready to go home, we need to be help them overcome their behavioral challenges in not-so-traditional ways. We will continue to think “outside the kennel” until we are able to save each and every treatable “Last 10%” dog.

We have started a drive to raise funds to hire professional dog behaviorists help us work with and develop training plans for the dogs needing behavior support.  Can you commit to $25 per month to pay for an hour of professional training per month?  Our goal is to build up to 100 hours of training per month so we can save more of Austin’s homeless dogs this year!

You can set up a recurring or one-time donation here – just select “dog behavior program” in the program dropdown so we know your donation is to pay for training.  And $25/month makes you part of our Constant Companion Club!

Visit our program page and follow the LFS dogs on facebook to see how else you can help give these dogs a chance.

The surgery removed one cm of leg-bone and implanted a three inch plate and 8 screws. His knee now has full range of motion and much reduced swelling.  Since the surgery both legs have been more responsive to touch and the reduced swelling appears to have freed up pinched nerves and drastically improved his chance to walk again.

George will re-start formal physical therapy sessions later next week, meanwhile he is doing home exercises with his amazing foster dad to restore flexibility in both legs.  In addition to physical therapy,  George also needs leg braces or splints to give him some support while he rebuilds leg muscles and re-learns how to walk.

George is on the road to recovery thanks to all his amazing supporters and donors.  He has become well-known in the community and was a popular sight at the Pecan St Festival last weekend, spreading the now famous GOB love.  Please consider a donation towards this final step in his recovery, his leg braces and physical therapy, and hopefully our next update will be of George walking!

Who we need: We have projects for anyone with any skill set – the more hands, the better.

Note: While it’s not our only need, we are in great need of experienced labor workers – those with construction, moving, or renovation experience. But, don’t let the more labor intensive projects prevent anyone from helping out, as we have projects for everyone!

Major Projects:

• Dog kennels: Sweeping, cleaning, and painting kennels – we are finished with one section, and have two others to do before the end of the month. The newly painted section looks amazing, and our dogs are very happy in there!
• Vet Clinic: Clean, paint, and renovate old office space to be converted into our medical clinic.
• Cat Buildings: Remove old enclosures, paint and clean, move in new enclosures and get the space organized. We not only need helping renovating the kitties’ homes, but re-purposing old storage space for use as adoption offices.
• General fix-ups: Every space (not just those above) could sure stand to be cleaned, sanitized, and could use a fresh coat of paint.

What to bring: Closed toed shoes, wear comfy clothes people can get dirty, and bring any donations from our moving wish list. If people can even stop by Home Depot on the way over and grab a few paint rollers, trays, and some gallons of cleaning solution, that would be great.

How to get started: Just show up Saturday/Sunday anytime 10am-5pm and say you’re there to help with the renovations. If you’re available during the week, email email hidden; JavaScript is required and let us know when you’re available, and we’ll give you more info. We could definitely use help during the week too!

If you want to help but are unable to volunteer, check out ways to donate to our TLAC renovation fund!

Here are a few of the testimonials to her hard work.

Gloria spent the last year as a bottle baby feeder in the neonatal nursery, and a kitten foster, but this year she has really stepped up. Gloria is now the rescue coordinator for bottle baby kittens. She gets the calls from shelters that there are kittens with a life & death deadline. She coordinates with the Nursery Manager to assess room, and has the daunting task of potentially saying “no” if there is no room for more kittens. Not only that, but she also coordinates transport for the babies. This is an immense amount of pressure, but Gloria handles the volunteer position with gusto, compassion and a positive attitude. She is perfect for this position, and is doing a stellar job. – Shorey Russell

Gloria is this year’s Bottle Baby Rescue Manager and has done an AMAZING job so far!! We are so grateful to her for stepping in to take on this hugely important and stressful job within the BB Team!! – Hawley Layton

She is the volunteer rescue manager for the bottle babies and is great at her position! – Casandra Mensing

From everyone at APA!, thank you, Gloria!

Our first “Back in Black” featured dog is Nellie! Nellie, nicknamed Nellie Bellie, is a mild-mannered, shy girl who has had trouble standing out to adopters. You see, Nellie is a dog that usually needs someone to take a second look and spend some one-on-one time with her to understand why she is so special. She generally keeps to herself and can be extra reserved and shy with men. But, a little patience up front has a huge pay off. Once Nellie opens up to you, you’ll see the silly, relaxed side of this sweet girl who finds joy in the simple things: easy walks, new smells, tasty treats (hot dogs, please!), and bright-colored bandannas. She looks really, super, fantastically fancy in purple. Nellie also has a newfound interest in social media. You can find her (with the help of a ghostwriter) on Twitter tweeting her daily adventures and hopes for finding the right home at @NellieAPA .

For an adopter willing to take the time to earn Nellie’s trust, the reward will be tremendous. You’ll get a bandanna-loving cuddle bug who just wants a nice, relaxing place to call home. This low-maintenance girl would be ideal for an individual or couple with an extra dose of patience and the will to help Nellie build her confidence with new people. Those who are eager to share their couch and want a happy face to come home to after a long day of work should learn more about Nellie!