Feb 25, 2026

AUSTIN, TX — Nine animal shelters and rescues in the Austin area ask the public for help making room for stray and surrendered animals with an adoption initiative called Keep Austin Adopting.

Austin-area animal shelters today joined together to deliver an important lifesaving message to the Central Texas community. Representatives from TRAPRS, Love-A-Bull, Rescue ATX Dogs, Classic Canines, Austin Pets Alive!, Austin Animal Services, Austin Humane Society, Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter and Pflugerville Animal Welfare Services announced they are joining together to ask the public to adopt 200 animals. The same organizations are asking people to consider donating to their favorite animal welfare organization on March 4th and 5th for Amplify Austin Day.

Representatives from the animal shelters and rescues today expressed concern that area shelters need kennel space to provide safe care for stray dogs and cats in our community. In Austin, elected officials, animal advocates and the public have supported a live release rate of over 95% for shelter animals since 2019. To support that number, area shelters and rescues are asking people to consider adopting 200 pets with a “Name Your Own Adoption Price” on March 6, 7 and 8, 2026.

Representatives for the participating animal shelters and rescues include: Dr. Ellen Jefferson, President and CEO of nonprofit Austin Pets Alive!, Monica Dangler, Director of Animal Services at Austin Animal Services, Sarah Hammel, Director of Communications with Austin Humane Society, Misty Valenta, Shelter Director at Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, Rhonda McLendon, Animal Welfare Services Director at Pflugerville Animal Welfare Services, Sonal Patel, President of Rescue ATX Dogs, Caitlin Chapman, Director of TRAPRS and Jean Hubrath, Founder and President of Classic Canines.

Representatives from I Live Here I Give Here, who host Amplify Austin Day, the “biggest giving event in Central Texas” also spoke at today’s event. Amplify Austin Day has raised $122.4 Million for the local community since 2013. During a single 24-hour period, each year, in early March, people across a seven-county region will come together to support more than 700 nonprofits, including many animal welfare organizations, by making a donation at AmplifyATX.org.

Source: Austin Pets Alive