The Austin Humane Society
"AHS" was founded on November 11, 1952 and recently celebrated its 55th Anniversary! AHS began with the dream of formally establishing the only non-kill shelter in the city of Austin. With its dedicated staff and over 450 volunteers (donating more than 40,000 hours each year) AHS adopts out approximately 2400 animals each year. Since day one, the purpose of The Austin Humane Society has been "To protect animals of all ages and needs, and to prevent needless cruelty to animals."

Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Program

As well as being Austin's largest no kill, non-profit animal adoption shelter, the AHS distinguishes itself with its Feral Cat Spay and Neuter Program – run by Leticia Stivers.

Thousands of feral cats live in cities across North America, exposed to the weather, poor nutrition, and prodigious reproductive tendencies, these cats often have short lives filled with hunger and ill-health. However, with a well organized Trap-Neuter-Return (T/N/R) program entire colonies of stray and feral cats can be humanely trapped, examined, vaccinated and neutered before being returned to their territories where they can live out more safe and extended lives, watched over by the T/N/R team.

Launched in March, 2007, the AHS program has found great success with The Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Clinic. Thanks in part to generous PetSmart Charities and ASPCA Mission Orange Grants, every week the clinic offers sterilization and ear tipping of feral cats, along with a general exam, vaccinations and flea preventative. Joining forces with area businesses, business owners and community members are taught how to humanely trap feral cats so that they can be brought in and spayed or neutered. The AHS is currently on track to meet the goal of having spayed or neutered 1500 feral cats in 2007 alone. Growing by leaps and bounds month to month – the AHS goal for 2008-2009 is to spay and neuter 5,000 cats.

AHS chosen for ASPCA® Mission: Orange ™

Austin was chosen as a target community by the ASPCA for the ASPCA® Mission: Orange™. — a focused effort to create a country of humane communities, one community at a time, where animals receive the compassion and respect due to them as sentient beings, and where there is no more unnecessary euthanasia of adoptable animals simply because of a lack of resources or awareness. Austin has a long history of working toward the goal of becoming a "humane community". The City of Austin and County Commissioners Court passed a resolution in 1997 to make Austin a "no-kill" city. Now, as a target community in the ASPCA® Mission: Orange™ campaign, it hopes to realize that dream in the near future. The AHS is one of four Animal welfare organizations working with the ASPCA on this initiative, other Mission Orange partners are

• Town Lake Animal Center (the city-funded shelter);
• Animal Trustees of Austin (a stationary spay/neuter and wellness services clinic); and
• emanciPET (a mobile and stationary spay/neuter clinic).

Community Support Programs

The AHS offers numerous community based programs to help educate the public and raise awareness when it comes to animal welfare, including Humane Education, Dog Training and Pet Loss Support. In addition the AHS has an active Foster Care Program through which members of the public can temporarily house and care for puppies and kittens that are a) less than 8 weeks old and/or under 2 pounds, b) in need of medical care or c) when there is no space in the shelter. When space becomes available in the shelter, those foster animals that are healthy enough will go back to the shelter to be adopted out. On average, the program helps provide care for more than 700 kittens and puppies a year.

In conjunction with outreach to the community, AHS also has a special relationship with Texas A&M University. Started back in 1972, through the efforts of the Capital Area Veterinary Medical Association, Texas A&M University, and the Austin Humane Society - senior veterinary students and their instructors have come to Austin once a week to neuter animals ever since.

Austin Humane Society Contact Details

Austin Humane Society
124 W. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78752

(512)646-PETS (7387)
www.austinhumanesociety.org

"I think, what makes The Austin Humane Society so unique is the relationships and trust we build with our adopters on a daily basis, by giving our new adopters renewable pet insurance when they walk out the door and the added security of the 24PetWatch Microchips with each animal, we continue to build strong relationships, giving adopters peace of mind". Frances Jonon, AHS Executive Director

Key Fundraising Initiatives

Funded solely by private donations from the community, AHS relies heavily on three key fundraisers throughout the year. In the Fall, AHS takes furry fashions to new heights, with "Rags to Wags" fundraiser and fashion show. Last fall, in its second year, the event brought in an estimated $263,000 dollars in to the shelter. Throughout the year, two other fundraising events also bring in big donations: February’s "Sweetheart Social", and March's annual car giveaway. This year thanks to the generous donation of longtime shelter supporter Austin Businessman Jim Bagan & Mazda South, a 2008 Mazda Miata will be raffled off. All the money raised through raffle ticket sales go directly to the shelter. Click here to purchase raffle tickets.