Austin Animal Shelter Clears 130 Dogs in Adoption Push

Austin Animal Center has stopped taking new animals since the heat wave started nearly two weeks ago. They have reached indoor capacity. The Center is trying to find ways to house and keep all their animals cool at their facility.

Austin’s city animal shelter cleared more than 100 dogs and puppies out of overcrowded spaces over the weekend after a public push for adopters and fosters, according to local rescue groups that helped lead the effort.

By the end of the weekend, about 130 animals had left Austin Animal Services, either through adoption, foster placement or transfers to partner organizations, advocates said Monday. The surge came after the shelter said it needed to move roughly 70 dogs out of temporary setups over the weekend, including crates in hallways and conference rooms, to comply with fire safety requirements.

The weekend effort drew support from groups across Austin’s animal welfare network, including Austin Pets Alive!, Rescue ATX Dogs and Love-A-Bull, which sent volunteers to help residents meet dogs and navigate fostering or adoption.

The shelter had already seen early movement by Friday, when 38 dogs left with adopters or fosters, but the broader weekend response quickly outpaced the original target.

“By choosing to adopt or foster from our local shelter and rescue organizations, our community members have once again shown us how truly important compassion and second chances are to them,” Macie Sharpe, vice president of Love-A-Bull, said in a statement.

Sonal Patel, president of Rescue ATX Dogs, said the placements helped Austin Animal Services, which has been plagued with overcrowding and intake issues, continue taking in animals from the community. Suzie Chase, Community Affairs Officer with Austin Pets Alive!, called the weekend response a sign of how strongly residents continue to support the city of Austin’s no-kill goals.

Even after the weekend push, dogs remain available for adoption through the city shelter, and animal welfare groups said rescues across the area are still in need of fosters, adopters and volunteers.