Public urges Austin Animal Center to offer foster option when adoptions are canceled for medical reasons; staff says policy change is under review

A public commenter told the commission March 10 that an adoption she had arranged was canceled four hours before pickup when the animal encountered a medical complication, and she asked the Austin Animal Center to offer medical foster options to prospective adopters instead of leaving adopters uninformed.

Caitlin Banas, who identified her address in Round Rock and said she works with Austin Animal Center volunteers, said the adopter was told only that “this is just the policy” and was advised to call daily to check whether the animal would be available. She credited an Austin Animal Center admin, Sadie Spalding, for proactively contacting her and helping apply as a foster, and said the shelter should make that offer the default when animals on hold are medically appropriate for fostering.

ASO staff responded during the staff briefing that, once made aware of the concern, they were reviewing the cancellation process. Jason Garza said staff will begin asking adopters, when an adoption is canceled for a medical hold, whether they would be interested in fostering once veterinarians clear the animal for a foster placement: “we're going to just follow‑up with questions like once the animal is available and the vets have cleared it to be available into a home, whether they'd be interested in fostering or not.”

Commissioners asked staff to follow up with specifics on the particular 311 incident cited in public comment; Garza said he would investigate and provide more information to commission staff for distribution to commissioners.

Ending: The commission did not adopt a new policy at the meeting but directed staff to follow up with the commenter and to implement the described change to follow up with adopters about fostering for medically held animals.