Animal Advisory Commission Holds TLAC Violating State Law

Tonight, the Austin Animal Advisory Commission unanimously voted that Town Lake Animal Center is failing to comply with Texas law's mandate to humanely separate sick and healthy animals.

We were particularly struck by a comment from the Animal Commission's Chairperson, Larry Tucker, who said:

“With a $5.5 million annual budget, you would think that shelter Director Dorinda Pulliam could at least treat the animals humanely before they are killed. But we discovered that the shelter is routinely and inhumanely confining sick and healthy animals together, in direct violation of State law.”

We are saddened but unsurprised that TLAC is not treating animals humanely. Read more on the story here: http://www.fixaustin.org/page/HealthCode

We Don't All Want the Same Thing

In a conversation with an aide to an Austin City Council member today, we were told again that we should all get along--- because we and the shelter manager who has presided over the unnecessary deaths of over 100,000 homeless dogs and cats "all want the same thing."

How do we say this nicely? Um... No. You are wrong. We do not all want the same thing.

We want our community to become a No Kill city by implementing the proven, cost-effective policies and programs that have led to dramatic reductions in shelter killing in communities all over the country. They want to continue the status quo policies and hope (against all rational thought) that continuing to do the same thing, over and over again, will effect a different outcome.

We want an off-site adoption program that will bring the wonderful, healthy and happy impounded dogs and cats to the people of Austin. They think that there is no point to having off-site adoptions because no one wants the dogs and cats that don't get adopted at the shelter anyway.

We want a foster program that will expand the capacity of the shelter by saving young kittens, young puppies, and dogs needing a little extra TLC to get adopted. They want to rely on old excuses and to blame the public for the deaths of all animals at the shelter.

And, perhaps most importantly, we want a shelter manager who embraces proven, cost-effective life-saving methods and rejects long-disproven myths to justify killing dozens of dogs and cats every single day. They... well... do not.

So can we please stop saying that we all want the same thing? We do not, and saying so doesn't make our disagreements go away. Worse yet, saying so fails to recognize that there are different paths from which to choose. The path of respect for every life and the path of bureaucratic resistance. Those are different paths, and they lead to different places.

So please stop saying it: We don't all want the same thing.

Is the Mueller Redevelopment Austin's Most Pet UN-Friendly Neighborhood?

When the City of Austin released plans for its own, master-planned community at the old Austin Mueller Airport, a lot of people (including us) had reason to be excited. Mixed-use neighborhoods, parks, wide sidewalks and front porches were promised--- the kind of neighborhood we would all like to be a part of.

But then came the great animal-shelter debate of 2007. The City's shelter management decided it would be best to move the animal shelter away from its prime, central location in the heart of Austin's vibrant downtown in favor of a site in an industrial area on the City's eastern outskirts. At the time, we wondered why the Mueller Redevelopment wasn't being considered for the new shelter because it was city-owned property, being designed as a mixed-use, walkable development. What more could we want for the new animal shelter? Why Mueller was "off the table" was a question we didn't learn the answer to until years later: As is turns out, the leaders of the master plan lobbied the City Council against including the animal shelter in its design. Mueller 1, Animals 0.

If that wasn't enough to be pissed off at those who designed the Mueller Redevelopment, we've now discovered that the leaders of the neighborhood have also decided to ban all owners of pit bulls from the neighborhood. In Section K-2 of the Mueller Redevelopment's Rules and Regulations, there it is: breed discrimination in the worst form. The rules expressly ban ownership of a "pit bull terrier."

It is truly remarkable that in a City as progressive as Austin, the leaders of the City's own master-planned community have fallen to ignorance (at best) when it comes to breed discrimination. Anyone who has taken a moment to do a little research could have learned that pit bulls are among the best dogs you'll ever own, once considered America's Nanny for their calm, steady stewardship of families and children. Mueller 2, Animals 0.

So who would be banned from the Mueller Redevelopment based on its leaders' ignorance? Well, we could start with former Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter. Throw in Helen Keller and General George S. Patton. Celebrities John Stewart, Jessica Alba, and Brad Pitt are also banned from living in the Mueller Redevelopment. Geez, come to think of it, I guess we're in good company.

"July 4th Dogs" Expected to Flood the Shelter - What You Can Do

While Fourth of July fireworks and parties are fun and exciting for people, they can be terrifying for pets, especially dogs left alone in backyards. In their fear they break chains (illegal in Austin!), and go over, under, or through fences. They may be miles from home and unable to find their way back by the time the noise is over and they calm down. Shelters across America are so inundated with lost dogs over the next few days that they've even coined a term for them – "July 4th dogs." The fate of these family pets is often tragic - death in a frightening and unfamiliar place. Even if the "July 4th dogs" make it home again, other dogs who have been at the shelter longer may pay with their lives as shelters make room for the flood of new arrivals. Cats can be victims of July Fourth as well. Don't let your dog or cat become a statistic - keep them inside on the Fourth!

Here are some tips to keep your pets safe this Fourth of July:

• Keep dogs and cats inside your home the evening of the Fourth.
  
• Make sure all pets are wearing well-fitting collars with up-to-date tags. Better yet, get them microchipped and make sure to keep your contact information updated.
• If you'll be away from home, provide safe chew toys (like stuffed kongs) to distract your pet.
• Consider crating pets known to be especially anxious or who may become destructive or break out through a window. If you don't have a crate, confine them to one room with safe chew toys and remove any objects they could destroy or that would be harmful if chewed or eaten.
• Leave a radio or tv on to cover the noise of any fireworks or loud parties.

Don't forget to keep pets safe during the heat of the day by providing a continuous supply of fresh water, a shaded place if outside, and limiting exercise to morning and evening hours. And NEVER leave your pet in the car in the summer, even in the evening.

Lost Pets
If your pet is lost, visit the shelter every day or check online until found. Post large flyers with color photos of your pet around your neighborhood. Post a lost pet ad on Craigslist and check the found pet ads. Contact your neighbors or post to your neighborhood's mailing list or newsletter.

Found Pets
If you find a lost pet after the Fourth, if possible keep them at your home while you look for their owner to ease the strain on the shelter and save lives. If the pet isn't wearing tags, you should take it to the shelter to be scanned for a microchip, photographed, and entered in their lost and found database, then bring it home with you.

Some other communities, like Albuquerque, New Mexico, are taking special steps to ensure pets and owners are quickly reunited this holiday. We hope to see Austin's shelter take such a proactive approach in the future.

Other articles of interest:
Pet Detective Tracks July 4th Orphans
July 4th Safety Tips for Owners
Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe This 4th of July
Don't Let Your Dog Become a July 4th Dog
Chew Treats Needed to Calm Shelter Dogs on July 4th (Austin)
Valley animal shelters to be closed on 4th for lack of space

KVUE News Seeks FixAustin.org's Comments

In Austin, we're well known as the independent animal-welfare advocates in town. We don't take money or any other resources from the City, so we can speak with an unbiased voice on animal issues.

Today, we used that voice to speak against Town Lake Animal Center's ill-advised proposal to cut funding for low-cost and free spay-neuter services next year. You can watch KVUE reporter Steve Alberts's coverage of the controversy here: http://bit.ly/Hv4XS