Austin Pets alive saves the lives of 12,000 pets per year, who come through the Austin shelter --…read moreand countless more with their outreach to animals and organizations throughout Texas and the country. APA!'s mission is to promote and provide the resources, education, and programs needed to eliminate the killing of companion animals. Their vision is that every shelter animal, in Central Texas and beyond, gets a true chance at the life they deserve. Austin Pets Alive! is not an average animal shelter. They pioneer comprehensive, innovative programs designed to save the animals most at risk for euthanasia. They have a 95% animal save rate...the highest in the country. I volunteer as a dog walker every day. The dogs are well cared for, and they ensure that each dog gets walked 3 times a day. In addition, they participate in play year activities to make sure they get proper exercise and socialization. The kennels are always kept clean and hosed down after pet accidents. They have matchmaker services to make sure an adopted pet is compatible with their new owners. And they offer a lifetime of behavioral support, by dog behavior experts, for adopted dogs. Austin Pets Alive values their volunteers and hold appreciation meetings twice a year. The most recent one as at AGBG, with free pizza for everyone. They were voted best nonprofit for several years.

I dropped off my 10 week old kitten to get neutered at 8am. They told me to pick up later between 5…read more-5:45 pm. When I got there to pick up they told me that they hadn't even started the procedure yet. They finally finished up around 6:15. ***So they left a tiny kitten in a box with no food or water for 10 hours! The team there seemed overworked and not trained well. I found incompetence across the board at APA. Will never go back.

We adopted Doodlebug (now known as Mabel!!) from this rescue and couldn't be happier. She was very…read moreloved and well taken care of Trina in foster care. They really made sure we were a good fit and have checked in on her to make sure the transition was going smoothly. I'd recommend this rescue highly. We are so happy with our new girl!!

From the owner: Abby's Little Friends Rescue is a not-for-profit (501(c)(3)), no-kill organization that is…read morededicated to rescuing pets and giving them a second chance in life. These pets have been abandoned, lost, abused or for other reasons given away. We give them the health care and love that they may need, evaluating them for behavior and temperament, and placing them in the loving homes they deserve.

AP really cares and does a great job saving lives and helping to get these cats and dogs into new…read morehomes. Super appreciate all they do.

Great place, found our new dog here. Staff was helpful. Animals are well taken care of.read more

Lil Paws Maltese Rescue is responsible for bringing joy into our home. We recently adopted an…read moreadorable little maltipoo. She came to us housebroken and full of love. I contribute that to the amazing and compassionate volunteers who run this rescue. Their puppies are raised in the homes of these caring individuals so they have been trained and socialized with love and care. If you are interested in adopting a dog needing a forever home, Lil Paws Maltese Rescue is where you need to go. They have meet and greets every month to find good matches for their puppies. We are so in love with our new fur baby.

I'm sharing this as a genuine concern for animal welfare and transparency…read more I've noticed this individual adopting animals from local shelters while simultaneously requesting donations and then selling the animals at retail-level prices. That raises serious ethical questions. Animal shelters exist to place pets into safe, permanent homes--not to supply inventory for resale. If money is being exchanged beyond standard adoption fees, the public deserves clarity on where funds are going and whether shelters are aware. Donations should support care, vetting, and rescue efforts--not personal profit. If this is a legitimate rescue operation, transparency, nonprofit status, and itemized use of funds should be clearly provided. Otherwise, this feels misleading to donors and unfair to families who adopt in good faith. I hope proper oversight is in place to protect the animals and the community.Donations solicited under the appearance of animal rescue while animals are sold at retail prices.

I recently attended one of the free spay and neuter clinics hosted by Austin Animal Free Spay and…read moreNeuter Clinic and greater good charities for my puppy, and overall, I had a great experience with just a few things to keep in mind if you're planning to attend. The clinic was scheduled from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM. I arrived around 8:30, and as expected for a free event, the lines were long--but honestly, that's understandable when such valuable services are offered at no cost. One of the great things was that there was no limit to the number of animals you could bring. Once I got there, I was greeted by friendly staff who gave me paperwork to complete. A staff member kindly informed me that the process could take a while, which I appreciated. I ended up waiting in line for about four hours. If I had known ahead of time, I definitely would have brought snacks and water to help pass the time--but I was fine overall. Before they took my puppy back, they thoroughly explained the procedure and all the services included: the spay/neuter surgery, vaccines, microchipping, and preventative medications. Talk about saving money! They promised to take great care of him, and I felt reassured as they carried him back. Around 4:30 PM, I received a call to pick him up. He looked good at first, but as I drove down the highway, I noticed some bleeding. I turned around and rushed back to the clinic. The staff explained that male dogs can be a little more sensitive due to the number of blood vessels involved, and it wasn't unusual. They immediately took him back, cleaned him up, and made sure he was okay. One of the amazing volunteers even helped me clean the blood off my car and blankets--who knew peroxide worked so well? Once home, I noticed his microchip had started to migrate out. I texted the number they provided, and they told me to bring him back in for a check-up. I did just that two days later, and he was given a clean bill of health. They were quick, responsive, and made sure everything was taken care of. They also mentioned that they host these events frequently. If you're considering getting your pets spayed or neutered, I absolutely recommend bringing them here. The wait can be long, but the care and services are worth it. They treat your fur babies with love and compassion, and you leave knowing your pet got the attention they needed. Thank you to the entire team for your patience, hard work, and dedication. Look out for more free spay and neuter clinics it will save you tons

I adopted my kitty on Clear the Shelter Day, 8/29/25…read more I love her very much and is now a part of my family but... 1) they led me to believe by answers to some questions that she had been there for a couple months when in reality she was a stray that had been picked up 8/20, just 9 days earlier. 2) there is NO way to call them post adoption. I had to drive there to talk to them because she has had diarrhea since I took her home. 3) even though the diarrhea was obviously pre-existing, I was told I would have to take her to MY vet, paying a significant fee. I have adopted before from the shelter in Georgetown and this was NOT how they handled things at all. I was constantly in touch with them for 3 months after I brought him home, went back to them for his 2nd round of shots at no charge, and he was in exceptional health when he came home. If he had not been, I would have been able to bring him in if illness arose within 7 days. They cared about the animal, not just about getting it out of their shelter. So sad. I will never adopt from them again.

I love this place and stop here at least once every week if I'm driving by. As usual today I ran…read morein to the dog area and filled my palms with doggy treats from the dispenser on the wall and went cage by cage giving treats to the big and little pups. Even the mean ones :). They all are lovable in their own way. 16 years ago I adopted my current pup from here and that's why I love to support them even with my old girl at home.

I had an excellent experience adopting my cat Macaroni from AHS…read more Very easy to get signed in, look at cats, and find the perfect friend for you! The staff was super helpful and extremely giving (we forgot a carrier and they gave us one for free + a blanket). I'd highly recommend for adoptions/fostering. These cuties need a good home! It was $85 for my 3 year old cat

Great concept. My daughters 8 and 9 enjoyed it, only downside is it was full of people half way…read moreinto our scheduled time slot, too many people not enough cats basically. There is no food, but are beverages available for purchase .

We spent a Purrfecto Sunday afternoon of cappuccinos, cozy vibes and a room full of kittens :D ! A…read morefantastic cafe for the ultimate serotonin boost! These resident cuties are adoptable if you have the time and a loving home for adoption :) ! The employees are very warm and friendly, and are open to answering any questions you have about any of the cats :) ! Like most cat cafes, there are really only a few drink choices. I didn't see any snack choices. So keep in mind that it is probably best to eat a full meal before coming, especially if you decide to do the longer 70-minute kitty play session instead of the shorter 30-minute session. There are also fun and quirky Kitty headbands, keychains and other merchandise you can purchase to support these adorable kitties :) ! You'll definitely leave this place feeling happier and relieved :) ! Cat therapy is definitely very therapeutic :D ! We came in on a walk-in basis, but had to wait a bit. I would recommend making an appointment ahead of time so you don't have to wait and so you don't risk coming in if certain time slots are completely booked up. A sister location is expected to open eventually in San Antonio :) ! We can't wait :D ! But until then, we'll still visit this location in Austin every now and then ;) !

it helps animals in need of adoption and humans can come to see animals and pet and buy themread more

This rescue is amazing! It is 100% Foster-based, which means all of the animals in their care are…read morein homes with families to look after and care for them until they are adopted. Everyone associated with the rescue is a volunteer and they give their heart and soul to provide opportunities for dogs to find forever families. Most of the dogs are coming from shelters and other rescues in areas of Texas where the support services for animal welfare are lacking. Full disclosure, I am a foster with AjK Family Rescue, and have the upmost respect for everyone involved in the organization. My family has personally adopted two dogs from AjK.

I just recently adopted my new dog through GRR and it was an incredible experience start to finish…read more Yes, it's thorough and yes it takes time, but I definitely feel like that is by design and ultimately matched me with a pretty incredible pup - you shouldn't be in a hurry to find your next family member! The care and passion for each dog is apparent, and I had a whole support team throughout the process to ensure I had all the information and resources I needed to bring my Cooper home.

short version: most of the people in the org are nice but it all depends on who you get as your…read more"matchmaker". if you get Jennie Lou then I wouldn't waste your time and just start looking for another place to get your golden. don't waste almost a year like we did. just be careful on facebook a lot of the group posts are scams. i had high hopes for GRR, i've been following them for a couple years and they were the first people i reached out to about donating stuff when i lost my last golden of 15 years. After going through the intense interview process we were assigned a matchmaker. I thought this process would be exciting but it was not. JL didn't have the best communication, not hearing from her 1+ months at a time and even getting us confused with other couples. She was usually abrasive and condescending over the phone. I felt like I had to keep reminding her that we've had goldens before. We tried to suggest dogs that popped up on the website or facebook page and were reprimanded for doing so. We said that a main requirement was making sure the new dog got along with our current one but that never seemed like a concern to them. JL would call us about a dog that just came in that they didn't know anything about and give us a couple to hours to decide and we'd have to go pick them up in 2 days from the Vet right after being spayed. I felt like they just wanted to throw something at the wall and see what sticks. She kept telling us to trust the process (over and over again) so we did with one of these last minute dogs and it did not work out. In fact she wound up having giardia and gave it to our older dog. Then we got gaslighted for saying it was a bad match and I once again had to remind her that we've had young goldens before. This is when I started asking around and it seemed like everyone I talked to that had a positive experience adopting from GRR had a different matchmaker than us. Before giving up i sent an email to the GRR President and VP pleading to try one more time with a different matchmaker and instead of responding they forwarded it to ours and she proceeded to chew me out over the phone like i was a child. I was never mean or ugly or anything in that email. if there was room i'd paste the email in here. As I'm writing this it's been 3 months since we've heard from JL. No check in or anything. In that 3 months we've found another golden rescue (based in dallas), got approved and already have had the new dog a couple months now. We've also met several other people that used to get their dogs from GRR that are working with this new rescue now. They were assigned JL as well and just gave up and left like we had to. Hopefully you'll have better luck than we did with GRR.

My communication with SOS began right before Christmas. I filled out an application and was…read moreinterested in 3 different kittens. Someone reached out to me stating the kitty I wanted was still available. I filled out an application, but for some reason, BOTH my references didn't receive their forms. So, we had to forward the form to them to get it filled out ASAP as SOS was indicating they hadn't heard from out references. We had the situation fixed within a day or two (it was during Christmas time). I sent an email to Dee to touch base if they've received the forms from our references and then nothing but crickets chirping. I waited and waited and waited (knowing my references filled out their form and giving them the benefit of the doubt) but then this morning a got an email that the cat we'd been waiting in for 3 weeks+ was adopted. No reason, no explanation, nothing. I even sent an email this morning (giving them the benefit of the doubt) and have not gotten an answer per usual. It's amazing to me, they want to come do a home visit, get our references, want to speak with our vets, want all our pets shot records at a fast rate, but their communication is slow AF. This was supposed to be a Christmas present for our family after losing 2 pets (we used to be a dog family until my son asked for a cat) but now 4 weeks of work is GONE without even an ounce of communication besides an email from Petfinder that the cat we were waiting almost a month for is adopted. I've helped neighbors, family members, friends, etc find various pets to love and find a good home within the San Antonio area, this place is the ONLY place where you gotta give a lot, but the respect isn't

I'm officially a proud parent of one Siamese cat! We were on the hunt for our first kitten to adopt…read moreto our family, but wanted something more exotic. We found the Siamese Oriental and Snowshoe Cat Rescue network (SOS) via adoptapet.com. SOS is an incredible non-profit rescue center that takes in exotic breeds who have been abused or neglected. Though their application process is extensive, I appreciate how well they vet their candidates. They want to ensure their kittens find the purrrrfect forever home. In addition to the detailed application questions, you're required to submit your driver's license, a utility bill to verify your address, and 3-4 references (one of which cannot be a friend), along with your current pets' most recent vaccination records. Adoption rates vary depending on the feline's age and breed. Once your application is approved, you'll have a phone interview with a staff member or the executive director, Dee, to discuss the care of your potential new cat and address any lingering questions. Our application process took about 2.5 weeks from start to finish, including the interview. If you're in the area or want to make the trip to meet your potential new cat in person--it's definitely an option! We visited Ms. Dee's home and left that same day with the 9-week-old kitten we had applied for.