Austin Pets Alive!, an animal welfare pioneer in the Lone Star state, is expanding its impact with a new transport hub in Elgin, Texas, the first of a multi-phase plan dubbed Yes Alive! The new facility, set to open doors on Monday, will enable the rescue organization to shuffle dogs and cats at high risk of euthanasia from South and Central Texas to safer havens up north.
The hub, backed by a hefty $3.85 million grant from the Best Friends Animal Society, aims to ambitiously save an additional 8,000 animals over three years. It's a pivotal move for APA!, which operates without city funding, leaning instead on the generosity of private donors and organizational partnerships. Their efforts have only been bolstered by the recent reveal of their renovated hospital facility in Sunset Valley, detailed in an event conducted Saturday afternoon. Reports from CBS Austin highlighted the revitalized space aimed at enhancing care for at-risk pets.
Lindsey Klem, a passionate advocate for animal welfare and member of APA!’s Young Professionals Board, expressed her enthusiasm for the expansion to The Daily Texan. "They never turn away any animal and are willing to do whatever it takes to save that animal’s life,” Klem said. This commitment is shared by fellow board member and UT alumna Germana de Falco, who underscored the organization's influence on the wider no-kill movement, stating, "I always look at it as what I’m donating to doesn’t just help no-kill in Austin, but helps to move the entire movement of no-kill."
Post-pandemic times have seen APA! grapple with a 20% surge in animals needing shelter and care, creating an urgent need for the expansion. This growth plan, which is expected to eventually tip the scales at an estimated $44 million, also includes a clinic hospital, a rehabilitation center, and a revamped Town Lake Animal Center. APA! spokesperson Sanchez, mentioning the strides made by the organization, told The Daily Texan, "The Town Lake facility just isn’t capable of housing all of us and also housing our animals in a good environment."
With the community's support already pouring in, APA! is set squarely to dramatically augment its capacity to safeguard the lives of countless animals. As Sanchez highlighted, the goal is not merely to expand, but to completely reenvision the concept of animal shelters, aiming for a more foster-centric approach that fosters not only animals but community involvement. "It looks like a way that communities can help support the animals in their city and that we can provide a better quality of life for them," Sanchez articulated.
