Break-In at APA!’s Town Lake Animal Center Leads to Dog Injuries, a Beloved Dog’s Death, and a Search for Missing Pets
Aug 14, 2025 Thursday afternoon update: The dogs missing at the time of our original message have been found. We’re grateful that most are okay and are heartbroken that this happened and that sadly one dog has passed. Our dogs, staff and volunteers are going to need time to recover and heal. We’ve been asked what people can do to help now(thank you). The answer to that is fostering. Please come in person or email [email protected]. We’d love help with both the dogs directly affected that could use a quieter place...
An Urgent Message from Dr. Jefferson: Austin, We Need You to Speak Up for Pregnant Cats and Dogs in Our Shelters – TODAY
Aug 12, 2025 Friends, I need to discuss something urgent with you, and we need you. Each of you. Starting Tomorrow, August 13, the Austin City Council will vote on a budget proposal (Agenda Item 19) that would allow spay procedures on pregnant shelter dogs and cats, even when safe, loving foster homes are ready and waiting to care for them. Let me be clear: This is not the cost-saving measure it is falsely proposed to be. It is a waste of taxpayer money, shelter kennel space, and expensive veterinary time to perform complex, risky, bloody...
Flood by the Numbers
Aug 04, 2025 On July 4th, the Central Texas floods swept across our state, becoming one of the most devastating natural disasters in the state’s recent history. Austin Pets Alive! immediately engaged in ensuring that the pets of Central Texas were looked after, looked for and kept safe. Now on August 4th, we look back and are immensely grateful for our community and proud of the selfless and tireless efforts our staff and volunteers gave. The numbers speak for themselves; but they were only achievable because people came out to help us...
Protecting Puppies and Kittens Starts with Proper Shelter Training
Jul 22, 2025 How APA!’s Training and Education Center is Fighting Preventable Diseases and Saving Lives Every year, thousands of puppies and kittens arrive at animal shelters across the country, full of potential and in need of care. But for many of them, the threat of deadly—yet preventable—diseases like parvovirus and panleukopenia is dangerously close. At Austin Pets Alive! (APA!), we’re on a mission to change that. Through our Training and Education Center, we’re providing essential knowledge and hands-on...
Helping Our Neighbors Affected by Devastating Floods in Kerr County
Jul 04, 2025 *THIS BLOG WILL BE UPDATED REGULARLY DURING THIS EMERGENCY RESPONSE. The Situation: The Guadalupe River is overflooded and has caused loss of life and devastation in Kerr County. There will be a lot of pets hurt and displaced during this, and our support is needed. Our team is already in Kerrville, providing medical care onsite and transporting animals to APA!. We will be working with Kerrville Pets Alive! over the next several days and, if possible, bringing more pets from the Kerr County shelter. This will allow...
A Day in the Life of Me: Honey Bun the Shelter Queen
Jun 26, 2025 Hey there, future human. It’s me, Honey Bun — yes, the Honey Bun. You might’ve heard about me. Smart, independent, loyal, and if I’m being honest, a bit of a diva (but in a good way). I’m here to give you the inside scoop on what my best day ever looks like — and maybe, just maybe, convince you that your couch needs a little extra sparkle. (Spoiler: it’s me. I’m the sparkle — just ask my foster.) 🌞 Mornings Done Right: Sunshine, Sniffs, and Breakfast The perfect day...
We Don’t Just Play with Puppies and Kittens All Day
May 01, 2025 May is Mental Health Month—a time to raise awareness, share stories, and shed light on the many facets of mental well-being. For those of us working in animal welfare, this month hits close to home. From the outside, our jobs may look like an endless stream of tail wags, purring, and adorable adoption photos. While there is no lack of those perks, there’s another side to our reality that is far more complex, emotionally taxing, and deeply human. Let’s be honest: animal welfare work is often misunderstood. While...
How Organizations Value Volunteers
Apr 21, 2025 How do you determine the value of a volunteer? Is it through the dollar amount of a volunteer hour? The number of hours they give each year? Each Volunteer Appreciation Week, we celebrate the incredible impact of our volunteers—often by recognizing those who dedicate countless hours and by sharing the tangible difference their efforts make for the animals in our care. In 2024 alone, volunteers contributed 82,334 hours across all APA! programs. That’s the equivalent of 40 full-time staff positions. Their impact is felt...
Ways to Help APA! Save the Tiniest Lives this Kitten Season
Apr 17, 2025 With Spring comes an influx of kittens found in need and sent to our shelter – kittens so small and fragile they need bottle feedings and other care around the clock to survive. Austin is at the center of innovation with caring for and saving these tiniest of lives, but we need your help to help all who need us this Kitten Season. 1. Volunteer or Foster From feeding and nursery upkeep to transport and data entry, there’s an opportunity for everyone in the nursery or at home. No experience...
Thinking Outside the Shelter Walls to Support Dogs In Need
Apr 14, 2025 Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) establishes programs whenever a gap in the shelter system’s live-outcome strategy is identified. APA!’s programming played a key role in making Austin the largest and longest-running no-kill community in the country. One of the last challenges to address was finding a path to live outcomes for big dogs, particularly those needing behavioral rehabilitation. To meet this need, APA! launched its Behavior Program in 2012. Our Behavior team works with dogs on a range of behaviors, from leash...
