Last year was extremely challenging for animal shelters in the US, and Austin was no exception. The Austin of yesteryear found tremendous pride in leading the country in No Kill during a time when shelters struggled the most to save the lives of even half of the pets who entered their care. In this new era of humane struggles, where pets are guaranteed not to be killed while other pets are left on the streets, some living in crates for too long, and people struggle to keep their pets without support, our city must take the lead in progressive, lifesaving solutions. Austin Pets Alive! has been relatively quiet about these issues on public platforms as we wait for the much-needed shelter audit to bear fruit, and I regret that choice. APA! has been given a microphone for pets in our community over the last 15 years, and we need to help be the voice of animals in need both publicly and behind the scenes.
