Austin Animal Center (AAC) has announced restricted intake hours in response to ongoing capacity challenges. Beginning May 28, 2024, intake will be limited to 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Exceptions will be made for animals showing extreme signs of distress or injury, such as heat stroke, young litters needing bottle feeding, and animals with obvious injuries. Normal intake restrictions will still apply.
From May 8 to May 20, AAC experienced a 15% increase in onsite dog and cat populations. An additional 24 dogs have been boarded offsite at local facilities since April 30. On Monday, before opening hours, people were lined up outside the building requesting intake. The Travis County Constable’s Office also notified AAC that it would be seizing and bringing in 40 cats.
AAC aims to re-open fully once all boarded dogs return and animals are safely housed in permanent kennels. This situation reflects a broader trend seen across shelters nationwide, where increased intake and decreased adoptions have led many to consider euthanasia due to space constraints. Data from Shelter Animals Counts indicates that the median length of stay for large dogs in U.S. shelters has doubled since 2019.
To mitigate space issues, AAC encourages community involvement through adoption, fostering, volunteering, and reuniting lost pets with their owners.