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Austin Animal Services reports higher intake, near‑96% live‑release rate and details strategic plan progress
Summary
Austin Animal Services told the commission it recorded a 26% month‑over‑month intake increase in April, a live‑release rate of nearly 96% and 11,112 sterilization surgeries this year through contract partners; staff outlined procurement and program changes to expand foster and spay/neuter capacity.
Austin Animal Services reported an increase in animal intake in April and outlined the first‑year progress on a department strategic plan during the commission meeting.
Jason Garza, an Austin Animal Services staff member, told the commission the shelter impounded 1,100 animals in April, 1,068 of them companion animals, a 26% increase from the prior month. "We had a live‑release rate of almost 96%," Garza said. He also reported 406 adoptions, 352 animals placed in foster care and 79 reclaimed animals for the month.
Garza warned there are data‑cleanup effects that can misstate monthly euthanasia counts: "The data report shows 117 animals that were euthanized this month, but there are actually 35 animals," he said, adding that a records audit is underway to correct outcomes logged in the shelter database.
In a broader presentation, staff outlined six strategic priorities — humane care, open intake, public health and safety, spay and neuter, live release and staff and volunteers — and pointed to specific actions under each. The report said the department achieved a 34.9% increase in subsidized spay/neuter for owned animals and cited a total of 11,112 sterilization surgeries performed with contractors such as EmanSpa and Greater Good/GoodFix.
Chief Administrative Officer Melissa Poole described operational changes intended to improve animal care and throughput: revised cleaning and disinfecting standard operating procedures, weekly inspections with a goal of daily checks, expanded playgroups and increased medical checks, and an extra day of surgeries on weekends. Poole said staff procured a third‑party architect to develop plans for a small‑dog kennel and are pursuing bond funding for some facility improvements; she said the current bond scope stands at about $3 million.
Staff also discussed technology and foster‑management tools: implementation of a shelter management system, plans to procure DuBert for foster management and Petzl for post‑adoption follow‑up, and a pilot to expand 'dog day out' and overnight programs to increase placement and adoption outcomes.
Commissioners pressed staff on the timing of reopening intake and whether volunteers and partners could sustain recent adoption momentum. Garza and another staff presenter said they hoped to have parts of the foster‑management tool implemented within 30–60 days and that continued community events and partner support were critical to increasing capacity.
The commission did not take any separate binding action on the strategic plan update at the meeting; staff asked the commission to consider participating in a future working group to develop specific performance measures for the plan. The department said it will return with an online dashboard to share these metrics publicly.
