We Can Save Them All...

Rello is available for adoption through Austin Pets Alive.

I just love the Best Friend's Animal Society's 'Together, we can save them all' campaign. I truly believe that saving every adoptable animal is 100% possible - in fact, I live in a city where we have set goals of ending the killing and guess what? Our shelters consistently save more of our homeless animals than any other city in the United States. The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, where I spent my spare time volunteering has been a no-kill open admission shelter for many years. How? Hard work and dedication to saving lives. It's a simple concept that many shelter just won't try. 

This weekend, we were happy to attend Best Friend's annual Strut Your Mutt event in Austin and as always, we had a blast meeting new friends, making new clients and of course enjoying all of the puppy love that we could handle! 

Strut Your Mutt is a collaborative effort between Best Friends and Rescue Organizations around the country. Basically, the shelters raise money through Best Friend's, after the event, they reap the rewards of their hard work fundraising to help their programs! In Austin, we have a healthy competition between cat and dog organizations and as it always seems to happen, this year's winners were once again the wonderful Shadow Cats Rescue. It's always fun to see the cat group leading the 'dog parade' through the park. 

Nugget is available for adoption through Austin Dog Rescue!

In addition to the fundraising, the daily festivals are put on around the country. Our Austin event brings out dozens of our local rescue organizations to showcase their adoptable dogs and we fill the park with adorable pups of all sizes. Nugget, featured here with her rainbow wings, is available for adoption through Austin Dog Rescue!

If you are looking for a pet, this event is always a great one to attend - or of course, check out the many amazing rescue groups that helped to make it a success - I guarantee that you will find your new best friend!

Stephanie Conrad
Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

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Hector, the Parvo Puppy

Pit Bull Pride - Day #23

Hector is a little pittie mix that was nursed back to health after being infected with Canine Parvovirus (Parvo). He arrived at Austin Pets Alive with an uncertain fate and thanks to the loving treatment, he is now happy, healthy and living life in his new forever home!

So, today for Pittie Pride Day 23, we are celebrating Austin Pets Alive and Hector!

Austin Pets Alive (APA) has always been a favorite rescue organization of mine. In 2008, APA took on the challenge of changing Town Lake Animal Center (now Austin Animal Center) into a shelter that actually saves lives vs simple housing before killing them. 

Austin's city shelter certainly wasn't the worst in the country, however with the amazing influence and leadership of Austin Pets Alive along with our many other area rescue organizations and pet loving community, Austin has become the largest No Kill community in the country. 

Now, APA can certainly be credited with many HUGE accomplishments within the city shelter, but when it comes to their own organization, this little local animal rescue runs programs like no other. 

One of their most impressive accomplishments is their amazing successes within their Parvo Ward. APA treats the highly contagious pets in an isolated ward.  The clinic treated 256 dogs in 2011, with an impressive 88% survival rate!

Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious, life-threatening virus that infects rapidly dividing cells in a dog’s body, most severely affecting the intestinal tract. 

APA is committed to providing care to a huge number of animals in their clinic and relies on donations in order to continue these life-saving programs. 

Click here to learn more about Austin Pets Alive's Parvo Program!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

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(AAPA) Amazing Austin Pets Alive!

Austin Pets Alive should really change it's abbreviation of 'APA' to AAPA - Amazing Austin Pets Alive... because that's what they are... amazing! 

Austin Pets Alive started making changes in 2008, when Ellen Jefferson, DVM stepped in as leader of this organization. Not only did she come in with a mindset to save animals, but she stepped up for the animals that were not even given a second glance at Austin's City Animal Shelter (at the time called Town Lake Animal Center). 

Austin Pets Alive has grown at an astounding rate. This is not because they pump money into advertising for their organization, nor is it because they are lucky. It has to do with hard work, dedication and the ability to set and follow through with the goals they want to achieve.

In 2008, the goal was to save all puppies and kittens that would be killed at our city shelter. With hard work, that goal was achieved and APA was able to focus on new goals and find creative ways to achieve those. Their successes began to show within the Austin Shelter system as save rate percentages started to rise. 

Since 2008, Austin Pets Alive has saved 13,000+ animals and has been a huge part in our city's success of saving about 92% of all animals within the past year. Wow!

Today, APA not only continues the Puppy and Kitten program, but they have expanded and run programs that focus on saving the behaviorally challenged dogs that might otherwise be killed within the shelter system. APA runs an amazing Parvo program that provides medical treatment to dogs and puppies that have contracted this serious, life-threatening virus. APA works to promote adoption with a positive outcome for every pet in their area, as well as offering services to surrounding area shelters. 

Unfortunately, in a couple of months, Austin Pets Alive will be losing their main building due to the lease running out. Unfortunately they are unable to renew and are going to need to relocate to a new location. 

Right now, the old Town Lake Animal Center sits empty, with the exception of a few kennels being utilized for overflow from the new city shelter (Austin Animal Center) and the 60 kennels that APA is contracted to use as they continue to pull animals from the city shelter. With 240(ish) kennels available for use, Austin Pets Alive is asking the city to contract with them to obtain use of this otherwise empty space as they search for their new location.

Austin Pets Alive needs our help, as their supporters and friends, to reach out respectfully to the city of Austin and ask that they allow Austin Pets Alive to use this space to continue saving lives!

You can email the entire Austin City Council by clicking here!

You can also read "A Letter from the Executive Director: APA!’s Request for Full Use of the TLAC Space."


Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

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A win for the Pit Bulls!

Ohio Lawmakers have finally come to their senses! Today, Governor John Kasich signed H.B. 14 into effect!

This means that Ohio, which previously had a statewide vicious dog label on all 'Pit Bulls' , no longer will discriminate against the Pit Bull type dogs based solely on appearance! Each dog will have the opportunity to be judged as an individual! What a win for the pitties!

My Pit Bull, Holly taking a nap with 'her kitty' Izze Belle.

Great Job to the Ohio Government! As a Pit Bull owner, I am proud to see you moving in the right direction! Now, it's time to step up and put a law into effect banning individual local governments within Ohio from enacting these ridiculous laws. 

Not only has this law been ineffective at preventing the dreaded 'dog attacks' but it has certainly been a cause of countless deaths of innocent dogs solely because they are labeled before given the chance to prove their own individuality. 

Myself and one of the Pit Bull labeled pups available for adoption with
Austin Pets Alive just after the Bastrop Fires happened earlier this year.

The changes that were put in place today with the signing of this new law not only takes away the label to pit bulls but more correctly shifts the blame of incidents to the owners and to truly dangerous dogs vs. targeting family pets. It will also allow the Animal Control employees to spend their time focusing on the important cases where truly dangerous dogs may be involved.

Unfortunately, this does not mean that all discrimination is gone within the state, as many local governments still have laws that discriminate against particular breeds. However, this is a positive step forward and it will make change possible within all of Ohio! 

Not only have Breed Discriminatory Laws proven unsuccessful in every area where they have been implemented, but they cost millions in taxpayer dollars every year! The former vicious dog law in Ohio is estimated to cost around 17 million dollars each year in taxpayer money.

As a celebration for Pit Bull lovers everywhere, I will be offering all Pit Bull Themed necklaces (minus those that are reserved for charitable organizations) at only $5 this week! Show your pittie pride with a Pit Bull themed Necklace designed by The Pet Studio!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

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Austin Pets Alive! - A Blazing Day of Adoptions!

As word begin to spread that the wildfires (which are currently blazing their way through Texas due to the extreme dry and windy conditions) were causing panic at the Bastrop shelter, Austin Pets Alive! kicked into high gear to see what they could do to help our neighboring pet lovers. 

APA! offered to house the animals from Bastrop County Animal Shelter. By  reaching out to the community and asking for help, they were able to make space for the incoming guests. The number of community members that stepped up to share their homes for a night or two was amazing and by midnight last night, all dogs that were currently living at the Austin Pets Alive! facility were moved into temporary foster homes, creating that precious space to house each animal brought in from Bastrop.

Austin Pets Alive! took in only the dogs from the Bastrop Shelter, the feline evacuees were safely transported to the Austin Humane Society. By 3am last night, the kennels at APA! were once again filled with freshly vaccinated pups and they were each tucked in for a good night's sleep. 

A few of the pups available for adoption through Austin Pets Alive!

As I arrived at Austin Pets Alive! this morning, the facility was buzzing with activity, the long line of adopters waiting to finish filling out paperwork to take their new pet home, potential foster parents learning about the APA! foster program, volunteers walking dogs and of course the Shelter Staff watching over and ensuring everything ran smoothly as APA! hosted free pet adoptions all day! 

I signed in and asked where I was needed, several stations needed some water and hand sanitizer refills, a few pups needed walks or to get moved to outdoor kennels, but mostly, I was needed to help guide new pet parents as they were looking to bring a pet into their homes. So, I happily took my assigned position in the kennels as a temporary adoption counselor. 

Potential adopters visiting dogs in the kennel area.

My kennel area hosted approximately 14 dogs when I first arrived, by the end of the day, 3 had been moved to outdoor runs to enjoy the cooler weather and each of the others had an adoption pending or they were already on their way to their new forever home!

As the day went on, several numbers were announced. At one point, we heard 20 dogs had been adopted, at another time, 30. However, the true final count at the end of the day showed that 64 dogs found their new forever homes through Austin Pets Alive today!

The kennel area, all empty, just before I left today.

Personally, I am overwhelmed at the amazing number of caring individuals that stepped up today to either volunteer, transport, donate or adopt a pet during this very scary situation. People that I know personally and those that I don't. People that have made an impact and have helped save thousands of animal's lives. People who set aside their own schedules and make time to scoop poop, clean a litterbox, fluff a blanket or fill a water bowl. These people have all made an impression on me today and shows me that no matter what, there is always good in people. 

Nearly 500 homes have been lost and over 25,000 acres have burned, but our community is standing together to ensure the safety of both humans and animals. With these animals tucked in safe at home tonight, my hopes are that the remaining people and animals in the Bastrop area (and all areas effected by disaster) are able to find their way safely. 

Myself with one of the rescue pups. 

Thank you Austin Pets Alive! for all of the amazing work that you do! 

To donate to Austin Pets Alive!, please click here. Donations are desperately needed to help cover the costs of Veterinary Care.

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

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