No Kill: How Austin Did ItHow It Happened &

What It Means for You & Animal Lovers Everywhere

Austin, Texas’s Drive to 90% Saved

I. Why us?II. FixAustin.org & The Austin No Kill Political

Movement

III. Austin Pets Alive’s Lifesaving Programs

IV. The City of Austin’s Mandated No Kill Plan

V. Lessons from Austin: What It Means for You and Animal Lovers Everywhere

I.

Why Us

Ryan inspired by common sense that Austin could do better

• Nathan Winograd conference

• Redemption• San Francisco in 1990’s• Tompkins County SPCA:

First Open-admission “No Kill” shelter

Ellen inspired by common sense that Austin could do better

• Heard FixAustin

• Enormous opportunity to fill homes- AVMA

• Measuring Impact– Stop measuring Inputs

• Right thing to do

• Spay/neuter doesn’t save the animals already at or entering the shelter.

Martin Luther King

II.

FixAustin.org & The Austin No Kill Political Movement

Austin, Texas in 2005

Foster program? No.

Off-site adoptions? No.

Official save-rate goal: 50%

Save rate: 50%

Number of animals killed: 14,304

Austin, Texas in 2005

No Kill movement? No.

Animal-welfare stakeholderInterested in No Kill? No.

Interested City Council? No.

Shelter Staff Committed to No Kill Goal? No.

Interested public? YES!

FixAustin.org Goals:

1. Achieve a 90% or Higher Save Rate of All Impounded Animals

2. Rigorous Implementation of the Programs and Policies That Had Worked to End Shelter Killing in Ithaca, NY, Charlottesville, VA, and Reno, NV.

3. Progressive and Compassionate Shelter Leadership

What did we do?• Engaged in the Democratic Process.

• Professionalized Animal Advocacy in Austin.

• Cultivated Real Relationships with Decision-makers and the Press.

• Never, Ever Went Away.

What did the political movement accomplish?

• Informed and engaged the citizens of Austin about shelter issues and the promise that lifesaving reforms can bring.

• Created a huge “base” of animal lovers, volunteers, and advocates.

• Put No Kill on the City’s agenda.

• Helped inform and cultivate the interest of politicians and city leaders on the issue.

• Helped set the table for what came next.

What did Austin Animal Welfare Look Like in 2008?

• Had tried No Kill in 2000. – Decreased euthanasia from 85% to 50%– 50% euthanasia rate was static since

2001• Massive Spay Neuter Efforts

– 3 agencies = 25,000/yr– TNR

• Wellness Clinics– Emancipet and ATA

• Free Microchips• One No Kill Shelter (AHS): 2,000

adoptions per year• 80+ rescue groups- unknown # of

adoptions

What did Town Lake Animal Center look like annually 2002- 2007?

• 20,000- 25,000 annual• Live outcomes were

static at ~11,000-12,000 per year

• Euthanasia fluctuated between 11,000 and 15,000 depending on intake numbers

TLAC Year to Year Activity 2002-2007

24,663

10,916

27,163

24,357

25,489

24,807

23,960

14,055

12,343

14,304

12,887

12,466

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

FY 02/03 FY 03/04 FY 04/05 FY 05/06 FY 06/07 FY 07/08

Live Intake Euthanized

Austin Animal Center Pet Population Snapshot 2007

67% of cats killed

45% of dogs killed

14,055 total killed

III.

Austin Pets Alive’s Lifesaving Programs

Figure out which animals are dying, then build a program to

save them.

Have to understand “the why” before you plan the “how”

• Looked at Euthanasia stats past and present

• in other words who was dying and why?– age, species, breed,

reason

Why was this mass euthanasia happening?

• Everyone thought it couldn’t be done

• “Too many animals & not enough homes”– “Spay/Neuter is the only answer”– Should not divert funds from s/n

• “No one wants these animals” because they are “unadoptable”

• In fighting

What was preventing higher live outcomes?

Don’t dwell on the negativity

We Did Our Homework Before We Started

• Who could step up to prevent these deaths?– Rescue groups, shelters, spay/neuter clinics– No Kill Shelter vs. No Kill City

• Statistics– Know the euthanasia statistics

• How many? What months?• Why were animals dying in Austin?

– Species, Age

• Is there any info about reasons animals are euthanized at local shelter?

• What are we missing here?– Are there any programs out there in the world to

address the reasons they are being killed?

Made the Decision to Do It• Choose the Plan:

– Gain consensus for long term ambiguous plan– Political coup d’etat– Save the lives ourselves

• Recognized need for a new entity to save lives- US!

• Who will US be?– Austin Pets Alive

• What will our mission be?– To make Austin a No Kill City

• What is our main message?– This is an urgent crisis and we need to start acting like we did when Hurricane Katrina came –ACT NOW to save lives

• How will we meet our mission?– By focusing ONLY on the animals already slated for euthanasia

• Who will join us?– Met with Key Austin Stakeholders– Asked for support– Didn’t ask twice for help

How will we accomplish our Mission?• Divide and Conquer the Mission with

Committees/Teams– Recruited key members where we could – Held Town Hall Meeting to go over plan and

sign on volunteer team members• # of volunteers is directly related to amount of

success

– Created Action Items for each team• Be Smart!

– Know what you need to have set up BEFORE you start saving lives.

– Learn from our mistakes/successes so you don’t have to wait too long.

– It took us about 30 days to start saving lives.

• Started rescue and adoption in 2008

• No funding

• No facility

• All volunteer

Austin Pets Alive! in 2008

Where to start saving lives?

Developed clear rescue criteria to ensure measurable success

We started by saving the lives that we knew people wanted to adopt

Then worked towards the next lowest hanging fruitIf this dog/cat gets more marketing/training/medicine she/he has a greater chance of meeting the right person

Lastly, working on hardest cases that have an apparent lack of homes

Recognized need to emphasize adoptions as much as rescue

Puppies!

Why were they dying?

• Ran out of Time• Parvo/Diarrhea• Mange• Ringworm• Injured• Too young to

spay/neuter

Puppies!

How did APA save them?

• Foster homes.• Dedicated parvo

ward.• Treat diseases and

injuries while available for adoption.

• Foster until altered.

Puppies!

What did APA accomplish?

• Over 700 puppies saved per year since 2008

• 85% parvo survival rate

• Every single shelter puppy in Austin is safe now.

Small dogs!

Why were they dying?

• Out of time• Deemed

“aggressive”• Showed poorly in

shelter environment• Terrified• Bad patients

Small dogs!

How did APA save them?

• Foster homes!• Hold and Release

Evaluation Technique• Fractures heal very easily

with little intervention or loss of function

• “Sleepover” adoption meetings

• Foster-until-adoption programs (online advertising)

Small dogs!

What did APA accomplish?

• Saved over 300 small dogs from the “euth list” per year since Jan 2010.

• All shelter small dogs are safe in Austin now.

Kittens!

Why were they dying?

• Too young to be spayed/neutered

• Ringworm

• Seasonal supply/demand

Kittens!

How did APA save them?

• Bottle-baby trailer to handle mass feedings.

• Large-scale foster to meet seasonal supply/demand.

• Treat ringworm while available for adoption.

Kittens!

What did APA accomplish?• Saves 1,100 – 1800

bottle babies per year from AAC

• All shelter kittens are safe in Austin now.

Cats!

• Why were they dying?– Too many all at once– Injuries/illness– Ringworm– Behavior– Feline leukemia

Cats!How did APA! Save Them• High Volume Adoptions– Many venues around

town

• Foster homes!!!• Ringworm Ward• Barn Cat Program• Feline Leukemia

Sanctuary• City doubled adoptions

Cats!

What was accomplished:• All shelter cats are safe

in Austin now• City of Austin built

Community Cat Return Program

Large Breed Dogs!

Why were they dying:• Least desired by

adopters• Behavior• Some medical

Large Breed Dogs!

How APA! Saves Them• Play Groups• Marketing• Foster homes• Canine Good Citizen

Program• Shelter• City increased

adoptions

Large Breed Dogs!

• MOST large breed dogs are safe except dogs with significant behavior issues.– Even though not 100%,

only 2-3 per month die that could be saved with behavioral help and they die because of lack of space to keep them while training.

What else worked?

Multiple off-site adoption locations

7 days/week in high-traffic locations

throughout city

All positive, fun, friendly marketing

Empower Volunteers

PASS Program

Excellent Customer Service

Consistent hours, locations, service

Fast responses to on-line inquiries

Efficient, convenient

adoptions process

Play Groups for big dogs

What has APA accomplished?

Austin Pets Alive has

saved over 23,000 dogs & cats

since June 2008.

IV.

The City of Austin’s Mandated No Kill Plan

The City of Austin’s No Kill Implementation Plan

1. Change the mission of animal services = 90% save rate.

2. Off-site adoptions.3. Large-scale foster

program.4. Behavioral

Rehabilitation.5. Intake counseling.6. Community cat

spay/neuter & release.

7. Low-cost and free spay-neuter programs.

8. Provide advanced “euth” list to rescue partners.

9. Public awareness & new website.

10.Increase return-to-owners.

11.Moratorium on empty-cage killing.

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Septe

mber 09

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January

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August

1160.00%

65.00%

70.00%

75.00%

80.00%

85.00%

90.00%

95.00%

100.00%

Austin Animal Center Live-Outcome Rate Over Time

2005 2011Foster program? No. YES!

Off-site adoptions? No. YES!

Official save-rate goal: 50% 90%

Save rate: 50% 91%

No Kill movement? No. YES!

Animal-welfare stakeholder interested in No Kill?

No. YES!

Interested City Council? No. YES!

Shelter Management with No Kill goal?

No. YES!

Interested public? YES! YES!

A Tail of Two Cities

• This is an URGENT CRISIS every day!– Every day animals come in to the shelter– Every day animals are euthanized– Every day you need to act to get them out as fast as you

can

• Focus on the power of one to reach your goal– People did this so people can fix this– All we need is one action from one person, over and over

again.– Divide and conquer

2 Important Points if you want your city to be No Kill

Austin 2013

• FY2013 <2,000 euthanized, Largest No Kill City in the US

• APA adopted out- ~6000 in 2013

• Animals in Foster at APA ~500-1,000 at any time

• Active Volunteers at APA ~2,000 volunteer hours per week

• APA has expanded beyond the City of Austin to other high kill shelters WHILE maintaining 93% save rate– Who would have thought we could?

2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

2009-2013 Austin Animal Center Year to Year Activity

AAC intake

Euthanized

V.

Lessons: What It Means for You

& Animal Lovers Everywhere

“No Kill Equation” Austin No Kill Plan

Trap-Neuter-Release

High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter

Rescue Groups

Foster Care

Comprehensive Adoption Program

Pet Retention

Medical & Behavioral Rehabilitation

Public Relations & Community Involvement

Volunteers

Proactive Redemptions

Management with No Kill Goal

1. No Kill was no accident.

2. No Kill is achievable.

In Austin, it all started with a small group of people who said enough is enough.

Even in one of America’s largest and fastest-growing cities with a 20,000+ intake, and even in the face of

exceedingly entrenched and powerful opposition.

There were 3 “No Kill” communities in 2008.

Now there are ~100.

3. No Kill is inevitable.

FixAustin.org was the first No Kill political-action group in America.

Now there are hundreds.

4. No Kill is a choice.

You get to decide what role you will play:

(a) lead the lifesaving in your community;

(b) be an obstacle to lifesaving; or

(c) stand on the sidelines while lives are lost.

5. No Kill is fun.

(seriously.)

No Kill is love.(the end.)