PAWS Shelter of Central Texas reopened its Kyle campus on Nov. 5, months after shutting the location down over money troubles, and the very first animal to find a home there was a tiny orange kitten named Wasabi. The organization is holding a public open house at the Kyle facility on Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to mark the milestone.
The reopening caps a rocky stretch for the shelter. PAWS said it decided to close its Kyle shelter and shift focus to its Dripping Springs location in the summer, citing financial strain that made running two campuses unsustainable, according to KXAN. The Hays Free Press reported that keeping the Kyle campus running cost PAWS roughly $100,000 to $110,000 a month, a figure the nonprofit cited in explaining why it began winding down operations there in mid-July, per the Hays Free Press.
It wasn't the shelter's first brush with financial trouble. The nonprofit had announced it would temporarily shut its doors on Oct. 31, 2025, but community fundraising allowed the facility to stay open for a few additional months. Community members rallied then, though the two outlets differ on just how much was raised: KXAN reported more than $60,000 came in within less than a week, while the Hays Free Press put the total at more than $66,000 toward a $200,000 goal.
A Partnership Takes Shape
The path back to reopening began when the PAWS board and the Austin Pets Alive! board started exploring a possible collaboration to sustain PAWS operations. That exploration led to an announced partnership in September, which created Hays County Pets Alive!, an initiative the two organizations describe as focused on the specific needs of pets and people throughout the county, according to Austin Pets Alive!.
At the time of that announcement, the organizations expected the Kyle campus could reopen within approximately 60 days, with adoptions and foster support returning first, per the Hays Free Press. That timeline tracked closely with what actually happened: PAWS says the Kyle campus officially reopened for business on Nov. 5.
PAWS Shelter of Central Texas welcomed community members back into the reopened Kyle facility, according to Community Impact. Kyle campus Shelter Director Mara Hartsell said the organization's number one priority is to save more lives, and that fosters, volunteers, donors and staff across Hays County and the greater Austin area power the work of saving animals most at risk for euthanasia, per Community Impact's report. “We are honored to open this next chapter with you,” Hartsell said, adding that the partnership expands the local safety net and ensures regional animals receive shelter care and lifesaving support.
Wasabi Leads the Way Home
PAWS said a teeny orange kitten named Wasabi became the first Kyle resident to find his loving home after the Nov. 5 reopening. Hays County Pets Alive! says it aims to provide essential animal services to the region and supports the return of the Kyle shelter as part of that mission.
Looking ahead, PAWS and Austin Pets Alive! say their partnership aims to increase the number of lives saved by double through adoptions at both the Kyle and Dripping Springs facilities, and to at least double the number of foster homes available. PAWS also says veterinary technicians and a part-time veterinarian are being integrated to provide localized foster medical care across both locations, though those figures remain stated goals rather than confirmed outcomes at this point.
Thrift Store Grand Opening Set for Saturday
Hays County Pets Alive! plans to open a thrift store at 302 University Drive, Suite B, in San Marcos, with a grand opening scheduled for Saturday. Proceeds from the store will partially support operations at PAWS Shelter of Central Texas.
The Kyle shelter reopening also comes against a broader backdrop of regional animal-care planning. Plans for a regional animal-care facility involving Kyle, Hays County and Buda were halted for continued discussion after the proposed site was dedicated as parkland, requiring reevaluation. Separately, the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter is set to continue providing shelter services to Hays County through Sept. 30, 2027, under an agreement that does not include animal control services, according to Community Impact.
