Sep 03, 2026
In 2009, Austin charted a bold new course. The City Council passed a resolution directing staff and the Animal Advisory Commission to construct a No Kill plan — a blueprint that Council unanimously adopted just months later. This plan became the North Star guiding every step forward. Austin Pets Alive!’s safety net programs, combined with a close partnership with the municipal shelter and a compassionate community, built the roadmap that made transformational lifesaving possible.
By 2011, Austin reached a major milestone on the horizon: achieving official No Kill status by reaching a 90% live-release rate. Reaching this destination wasn’t the result of a single leap, but the steady movement of an entire community rallying around a shared goal.
That momentum only accelerated. Year after year, the live-release rate continued to rise, establishing Austin as the largest and longest-running No Kill city in the nation — and serving as a beacon for other communities embarking on their own lifesaving passages.
This September, we are celebrating 15 years of navigating this path together. Join us on this Journey of Lifesaving as we share the stories of pets whose lives were transformed, honor our continued partnership with Austin Animal Services, and celebrate the incredible community of fosters, adopters, donors, and volunteers who make every step of this voyage possible!
Source: Austin Pets Alive
