four-legged hope.

several months ago, i wrote about big girl's & my volunteer efforts for
austin pets alive!,
an amazing rescue organization helping our hometown become
a no-kill city for homeless pets.

thanks in large part to apa!, austin hit no-kill status
[a minimum of 90% of homeless pets coming into the city shelter
leaving alive to forever homes]
for the first time last february.

this past summer, austin achieved & has sustained
the highest animal-save-rate of any urban community in america.

despite more than 20k dogs & cats impounded at our city shelter each year,
it looks like our hometown will save an annual average
of over 90% of them for 2011 —
which is particularly stunning considering only three years ago,
about half of all pets impounded in austin were killed.

just last month, the city shelter hit its highest save-rate to date
— 96% — putting down only 56 animals total in august;
two years ago, in august 2009, the shelter killed 600 homeless pets,
more than ten times what had to be done this year.

of course, crossing the official 90% no-kill status line
doesn't necessarily mean we're truly no-kill;
the city shelter, with the help of austin pets alive! & the austin humane society,
is aiming toward being a community where
NO healthy or treatable animals are killed.

but while the work goes on, three-thousand cheers for austin,
where the hope still lives for pups & kitties awaiting their forever homes.


image source: our apa! puppy love, skipper inkspots, three months.