AUSTIN, Texas — Austin Pets Alive! is asking for support from the public.
The shelter said it is in jeopardy of losing its location because it has not yet reached an agreement with the City of Austin. The "no-kill" shelter is asking for people to sign a petition in support of the shelter.
"By signing, you are asking the Austin City Council to recognize the historic and internationally-significant role of Austin Pets Alive! and to ensure APA! can remain a safe haven in the City of Austin where deserving pets are guaranteed protection and life," the online petition read.
So far, more than 12,000 people have signed the petition.
KVUE reached out to the City of Austin for a statement on the status of the shelter's agreement with the city. The City of Austin responded Wednesday with the following statement:
"The City values its partnership with APA! and has been negotiating to ensure that the City's investment of tax payer dollars are focused on supporting animals found in the City's jurisdiction. The City is committed to maintaining No Kill status and will continue to do so not matter the outcome of negotiations. Nationally, a City can claim that it is a No Kill community if it can maintain a 90% or better live exit rate. The Austin Animal Center is mandated by City Council to achieve a 95% live exit rate and, just last month, reported a 97.5% live exit rate."
APA said it serves more than 10,000 pets annually at their Downtown Austin location near Lady Bird Lake.
In 2019, Austin raised its goal from saving 90% of the animals it takes in to saving 95%. "No-kill" does not mean no animal deaths happen at shelters, it just means that there are fewer deaths. In 2018, Austin took in 15,860 and euthanized just 285 animals. That's a save rate of 97.5%.
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