A Note from Dr. Jefferson

Jun 07, 2014

Dear friends,

APA! urgently needs your help!  As many of you know, we have been desperately seeking a new home for years. We now have a unique opportunity to potentially stay on the land where TLAC is currently located.  We need your support of an item our City Council will vote on Thursday, June 12th to Keep APA! in the Heart of Austin.

Here’s how you can help:

• 
  
  Email all City Council Members TODAY: http://austintexas.gov/mail/all-council-members
  
  
  
  
  • 
    
    Subject line: I support including APA! in the Master Plan of Lamar Beach (the current location of APA!/TLAC) and continuing operations on Lamar Beach after the master planning phase.
  
  
  • 
    
    These emails are most effective when you use your own language and include a personal story about what APA! means to you
  
  
  • 
    
    I have included an example of an email at the bottom of this note
  
  
  • 
    
    Ask all of your friends to write a letter too
  
  
  
  


• 
  
  Attend Thursday, June 12 City Council Meeting! We need about 200 people to show up.
  
  
  
  
  • 
    
    Please RSVP here: supportapa.eventbrite.com
  
  
  • 
    
    You will receive an email with more information regarding time, location, etc.  following your RSVP
  
  
  • 
    
    Please get everyone you know to attend!
  
  
  • 
    
    Make signs - “We support APA! staying in the heart of Austin!” “We love APA!" "We support Item #60"
  
  
  • 
    
    Wear your APA! shirt
  
  
  
  


• 
  
  Sign-up in support of including APA! in the master plan for Lamar Beach and continuing operations after the master planning phase at the kiosk in the lobby of City Hall (beginning noon Monday the 9th).
  
  
  
  
  • 
    
    You will sign-up "not to speak" and "in favor of Item #60" from Council.
  
  
  • 
    
    The more people who sign-up in support of Agenda Item #60, the better.  This assures your support is logged if the meeting runs late and you have to leave before the agenda item.
  
  
  
  

There is another item on the agenda for June 12th which supports animal welfare in Austin, especially the large breed dogs. Item #68 directs City staff to request funds for capital improvement projects to expand kennel space at the Austin Animal Center on Levander Loop. As you will recall, that facility was designed prior to Austin’s commitment to no-kill.  No-kill is a journey, not a destination.  Additional kennels at AAC is helpful.  And keeping APA! in the Heart of Austin is essential to Keep Austin No-Kill.

Here’s why we need your help:

• 
  
  OUT OF TIME & VIABLE OPTIONS:  The City of Austin (COA) and the State of Texas have given APA! a deadline to leave the TLAC facility by May 2015 because it is in need of demolition.  We have searched for other properties to no avail and we are almost out of time.  We need the Master Plan to move forward very quickly to ensure continued operations.


• 
  
  HELPS THE COA: The City is committed to operating an adoption center at Lamar Beach but does not have the funds to build or operate the center; APA! will raise the funds to build and operate the center.


• 
  
  APA! RESCUES REQUIRE HIGH VISIBILITY & ACCESSIBILITY: APA! provides shelter, care, and adoptions of the “bottom 50%”: the large breed dogs, the FeLV+ cats, Parvo+ Puppies, Ringworm positive kitties, and senior dogs and cats.  We must provide the greatest visibility to the least likely to be adopted cats and dogs; we must keep APA! at the center of the City.


• 
  
  APA! PROGRAMS THAT HELP KEEP AUSTIN NO KILL REQUIRE VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers and fosters are crucial to the success of APA! and the awareness of Austin’s no-kill status. We must provide this massive volunteer force an easily accessible location. Volunteers are key to operating programs like the Parvo Puppy ICU, Bottle Baby Nursery, Dog Behavior, and the Medical Clinic.  ALL of the dogs and cats served by these programs were killed prior to APA! developing these programs.


• 
  
  The City is committed to Keeping Austin no-kill: APA! is essential to the city’s no-kill status.  Because Austin is the largest No Kill City in the US, we need APA! in the heart of Austin.

As you can see, being included in the Master Plan for Lamar Beach is our best option.  Please come to City Hall on the 12th AND send an email to every City Council Member! With one click you can send an email to all members: http://austintexas.gov/mail/all-council-members Your emails and your attendance at the meeting are the best way to show how important keeping APA! in the heart of Austin is!  Do it for your furry loved ones both with us today and those who have passed.

Here’s an example of an email to send to city council members:

I am writing to express my support of including APA! in the master planning phase of Lamar Beach.  Without APA! this city wouldn’t have reached no-kill and won’t be able to stay a no-kill city.  Both my cat and dog were rescued from APA! and are loved members of my family.  I don’t know what I would do without them to greet me in the morning and when I come home from work. I know the importance of adopting a rescue pet because of everything I know about APA! and their fight to make Austin a no-kill city.

I volunteer at APA! – me and about 200 other people every week.  If APA! weren’t located in the center of our city, I’m pretty sure a bunch of us wouldn’t be able to volunteer. And I’m pretty sure even more people wouldn’t know the importance of adopting a pet. Let’s keep APA! in the heart of Austin just like our pets are in our hearts.

Thank you for your support over the years.

Ellen Jefferson