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Austin Animal Services donation fund holds ~$835,000 but earmarks risk FY26 spending shortfall, staff warns
Summary
Chief administrative officer Melissa Poole told the Austin Animal Advisory Commission the donation fund balance is about $835,000 but large earmarks — including $550,000 for a small-dog kennel project and $250,000 for dog-walker support — mean the department may face shortfalls if donations for FY26 do not materialize.
Melissa Poole, chief administrative officer for Austin Animal Services, briefed commissioners on how the municipal donation fund is managed and how the department plans to use the balance for several operational and capital needs.
Poole said the donation fund is governed by the City’s administrative bulletin on solicitation and that donors can earmark gifts for program areas such as pet placement, dog walkers, spay/neuter vouchers and an overnight emergency clinic. She told commissioners the donation fund’s current balance is about $835,000 but noted year-to-year revenue is highly variable — in 2024 a single donor contributed $275,000.
The FY26 spending plan Poole presented allocates roughly $550,000 for a planned small-dog kennel project, $250,000 to fund dog-walker positions, and smaller amounts for veterinary services, heartworm prevention contracts, rabies clinics and spay-and-neuter vouchers. Poole warned that, to date, the department had received about $248,000 in donations for the fiscal year and that the department may need to delay or re-scope the small-dog kennel project if anticipated donations do not arrive.
"Sometimes folks look at it and think we have this huge pot of money, but we have a huge pot of needs too," Poole said, explaining the rationale for holding some funds in reserve for specific capital and operational items. She said some donation units roll over from year to year and that the department honors donor restrictions when allocating funds.
Commissioners asked whether staff are actively marketing the donation opportunities; Poole said her team is exploring ways to promote giving (website links, social posts and council-office outreach) and that her office is responsible for outreach to raise awareness of donation options.
The commission did not vote to reallocate funds at the meeting but thanked staff for the detailed spending plan and encouraged outreach to increase donor awareness and participation.
Poole’s presentation frames an immediate fiscal question for the department: whether to proceed with the small-dog kennel project this fiscal year or reassign donation reserves to other pressing operational needs if new donations lag.
