Love this rescue! I'm a volunteer for APA! and was pleasantly surprised with how well they are run. The animals are very well cared for. Their bedding and bowls are washed daily! I realized that my own dogs must be neglected because I definitely don't clean their stuff that often! They pull dogs from Austin Animal Center and treat them for any medical problems, train them, get them set up with fosters etc. Love their mission to keep Austin No Kill. They even take in Parvo puppies in their special unit. Normally these animals wouldn't stand a chance in another shelter/rescue. They always have great events to raise awareness. I highly recommend adopting an animal from this rescue and/or becoming a volunteer! read more

Today is my birthday. I adopted a dog 10 years ago from APA outside a petsmart and have the best life with my dog dotti. Today I wanted to get her a friend. I go in today spent a full hour meeting dogs before asking them to bring one out to meet me. We talk about who would work well with Dotti and my lifestyle. I meet the perfect dog. Perfect. They tell me because I have a dog I need to bring her to meet this dog at 12 tomorrow. I'm excited I said of course. Never told that apparently she could still have been adopted in that time period. I would have paid for her ahead of time, put a deposit whatever was needed because when you pick a dog you are committing to 15-20yrs with this animal if you're lucky. Then two hours later I get this email pictured. Explain to me how this is a good policy! Never told this dog isn't really on hold for you even thou a different dog you wanted to see was on hold for someone else! But this dog wasn't on hold for me? This is completely ridiculous. My friend had a terrible experience with you getting her dog and thought maybe that was just yall dropping the ball once but apparently that's just how yall like to run shit now. Now I know. Happy you help animals, disappointed you play with people's emotions read more

Austin Pets Alive! - Email from shelter - Animal Shelters Near Me - Austin, Texas

They walked us through the adoption process quickly and thoroughly. It all happened fast, which was a nice surprise. Everyone was very kind and records of our kitty were accurate. read more

Austin Pets Alive! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Thank you to the APA for saving and caring for so many animals that would otherwise have been euthanized or left in horrible conditions. Did you know most other shelter euthanize cats/kittens with ringworm instead of treating it? I got my kitty back in 2015 and she's still my sweet baby Pebbles. Some of these reviews are absolutely ridiculous, but in my opinion the APA is a kick ass organization run by wonderful staff and some amazing volunteers! Dogs at APA get out of their cages and walked at least twice a day, and have play group! Which is more than most shetlers. They get tucked in at night with fresh blankets and kong treats. Until these sweet babies find their forever homes they are given so much love and attention at the APA. Thank you again for your amazing work saving these furbabies and helping them find homes. read more

Austin Pets Alive! - Happy Face!!! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Austin, Texas

I adopted my cat from APA several years ago and the process was excellent as it was contactless and almost entirely between myself and the foster parent. Unfortunately our experience adopting in person from APA's TLAC facility was terrible. I love APA's mission and what they do for animals, but the unwelcoming and chaotic environment set by volunteer staff made our adoption day a stressful disappointment. We came by TLAC on Saturday to meet a dog we saw on the APA website. We joined the mobile waitlist to enter the building and after about 45 minutes, got our text that it was our turn. We stopped at the greeter's table and she said we could head into the kennel area to see the dogs, and to come back to the front when we knew who we wanted to meet. We walked around a bit, saw the dog we were there for, and came back up to the front. The greeter then asked us to join the waitlist. I said we already had before - is there a second waitlist? She said, "Oh, you aren't [my name], are you? We texted you 30 minutes ago. Why didn't you say something?" I told her that we came to the desk as soon as we got the text and she only told us to go into the kennel. This was our first time at TLAC and we did not know the procedure, and it felt like we were already being scolded for not asking the right thing when we arrived. Luckily, a matchmaker was available to see us even though we were 30 minutes "late," and we met our dog. The meet and greet was great and our matchmaker was very helpful. We decided to sleep on the decision and come back the next day. We would visit with our dog once more to make sure the connection felt right, but we were mostly confident we would be ready to take him home. We came back the next day, Easter Sunday afternoon. We waited in the mobile waitlist for about an hour for a matchmaker to become available. She confirmed that our dog was still available and took us to a playpen to visit with him once more. Another 10-15 minutes passed and we saw our matchmaker walk back and forth across the yard and consult with several other staff members. When she came back she informed us that our dog was not onsite, but had been taken that morning by an unknown staff member for a "sleepover." Nobody could identify who took him and this person had not notified staff. Our options at that point were to proceed with the adoption without seeing him again, and hope the person who took him could return him that day; or to come by the next day after they could locate the staff member who had him, and complete the paperwork then. We discussed it privately and then met with our matchmaker again to problem-solve. We would not be available during APA's weekday hours to pick him up, and as they cannot hold animals, we would risk losing him if we could not pick him up that day. At this point they identified that it was not a staff member but a volunteer who took him, but they could not reach her by call or text. We agreed to kill time in the area while they tried to get a hold of her and hopefully have our dog brought back to the facility that day. We spent the next 3 hours driving around the city waiting for a call. At about 6:30 they contacted us to tell us that the volunteer had finally gotten in touch. She apparently started driving back, but the dog got car sick, so instead of continuing on to TLAC she turned around and took him back to her home. They advised us to complete our paperwork and come back the next day. We could pick him up slightly after their normal closing hours. We talked this over and then decided to call back to ask if it would be possible to pick him up directly from the volunteer, or at a more convenient location to her, that evening. We hoped we could avoid having to spend another day of back-and-forth after all of this. The person we spoke with remarked that "If they told you to pick him up tomorrow, you can just pick him up tomorrow." She then told us that the volunteer was "not available" that evening. The entire day was stressful and frustrating. We planned to spend the holiday weekend acclimating our dog to the home, but the day was wasted by the disorganization at the office. I do not blame the matchmakers for this, but it did not seem like anybody knew exactly what was happening. It is also concerning that a volunteer can take an animal away from the facility without any staff members knowing that the animal is gone and who has them. It was worth the stress in the end to take our dog home. However, I wonder if other adopters have had similar experiences and do not communicate them because the joy of adopting their new friend is worth the frustration. I think it is important to let potential adopters know what they might encounter from staff and volunteers at TLAC. read more

This place really cares about their animals and people. I recently fostered and adopted a dog that they rescued from another shelter. He was at a kill shelter and had parvo which was basically a death sentence. Not only did they nurse him back to good health; they stayed on top of his care with extra supplements and gave us food when his stomach was still a little upset. Their employees and vets are knowledgeable and friendly. I love that they have a "match maker" that will make sure your new buddy fits your lifestyle and vice versa. They're not just forcing all dogs on every person - they actually tell you when a dog may not be a good fit for you and explain why. Huge shout out to Lara for helping us find our pup. Lastly, I reached out to the complementary behavior team about puppy mouthing/biting + I was floored at the amount of education they replied with. So, so helpful. Not only did they coach me through the mouthing situation, they included a ton of other suggestions based on the email I wrote to them (ie. I work from home + they coached me on how to train "tie down") - incredible! This experience has felt customized and proactive every step of the way + I am so appreciative of everyone at APA. I'm telling everyone how awesome you all are. Thank you!! read more

Austin Pets Alive! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Austin, Texas

APA is a big part of Austin's goal to be a no-kill city, and it's a volunteer-run animal shelter. The facilities themselves have expanded into the available space with stall-type runs that remind me of some makeshift-style horse stables I used at times in years past. It isn't the prettiest place and it is anything but peaceful, but they are all trying hard to do their job to serve and save Austin's homeless animals. They do operate on donations, both monetary and material. They are always looking for both. Volunteers are most welcome to come help walk dogs and provide other support. See their website for more details before you go. Applications for foster and adoption are taken online. If you are in the market for less popular dogs, definitely check them out, because some of these dogs have been here for a long time waiting for a forever home. I have two rescue dogs, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend getting a rescue animal. The key is in finding the right fit, and APA should be able to help you with that. APA now has two Thrift Stores (one south, one north) that are also volunteer run, with proceeds benefitting the APA shelter. See their reviews here on Yelp. A worthy cause. read more

Don't Donate or Volunteer! Just go straight to the Humane Society... they are ran so poorly! They didn't get the sex correct of the kitten I was trying to surrender. They wouldn't help w/kitten who had illness or needed vet help. They lack attention to detail and people skills. The management does what is best for the organization rather than the animal at hand. Anything business ran as a non-profit is still a business nonetheless. Do what you feel is best for those you want to protect; if only some of these animals could talk. read more

love APA with my whole heart, they do the best for the animals they can and i got my precious kitty chutney after fostering him from them read more

Austin Pets Alive! - chutney (apa tastee squeeze) - Animal Shelters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Love APA and their volunteer program! I volunteer at the cattery and adopted my kitty from APA a couple years back. Best decision I ever made! Thank you APA for supporting these sweet cats and dogs in need of another chance and a loving home. read more

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, they save a LOT of animals. On the other hand, they are terribly organized. On one hand, they are responsible for keeping Austin mostly a "no kill" city. On the other hand, they don't adhere to common nonprofit best practices. If you find a dog or cat at APA that you love, adopt her. But do everything else--including vet visits--elsewhere. But before you look at APA, check out the Austin Animal Center. They're much more professional. read more

so rude won't let you pet cats They want you to schedule a zoom meeting with a cat. The dogs are aggressive on the way out I loved it precovid but they really went downhill Don't recommend. read more

I don't know if it's me but when I saw all the dogs in their small encampments it was depressing. I know dogs can stink but boy, this shelter really needs the volunteers and staff to clean the whole area out because the smell is overpowering, especially inside each dog enclosure. And the cats? Their kennel is so small. I really feel bad for these animals. I wonder if the city and state have done their inspections on this site? Then again, it's the city of Austin, so I wouldn't be shocked if the inspection allowed this shelter to continue business. Something has to change for these dogs and cats and other animals to be saved and adopted. If you keep running a business like this, with dogs in small encampments, as well as the cats, plus the smell like when a kennel hasn't been cleaned for days, people will leave. And the staff there weren't too friendly. It made me sad to bring my little kids here and have them see these animals in their shelter. They asked me why is their place so small? Even little kids notice. See Texas Humane Heroes as your reference. read more

We have been paycheck donors to APA for years. It is money well spent. We visited APA recently because we have capacity for a new family member. APA is not as fancy as AAC but it is old school Austin cool. The staff was awesome - each and every one. Ex. Rain spent a long time with us going through dog personalities looking for a match. Note that APA does have stringent requirements for placing pets. We are cool with that. No one wants an adoption fail. Some things you may not know about APA: - The website is always up to date with current animals and descriptions. It has a search filter for recent additions. - Some animals are in foster homes but are easy to meet. These animals tend to be well socialized and the fosters have additional insights on the animals' personalities. Ex. Is this dog mellow around cats? - APA has a lifetime of behavioral help for its adoptees - a huge benefit. Most people don't train animals for a living and every animal has its own personality. - APA has a program on Facebook to allow animals in need of new homes to circumvent the shelter experience. Google 'Austin Pets Alive PASS Facebook'. - APA relies heavily on volunteers. There are many projects and shifts. The volunteer site is well done and shows what areas need help. There is ample training - even online. Note that APA appreciates regular commitments if possible for predictability. This is one great grassroots organization with a great mission and great people. read more

When I'm in the SoCo area, I like to stop by the Austin Pets Alive! trailers, next to Guero's. Annie, who was there last week, let me hold a sweet black puppy named "Fuzzy". He was standing on his tiptoes trying to get our attention and when I picked that baby up, he melted into my neck. I walked around for 20 minutes with my new attractive necklace until his fur made my neck sweat and I had to put him back. I am certain that he gave me more happiness than I gave him. APA recently received approval from the Austin City Council to move into the Austin Animal Center. One of their main goals, if you have not heard, is to make it a permanent no kill shelter. APA angels take animals off the ACC euthanize list and placed them with foster parents or in permanent homes. Their volunteers provide care to homeless pets and work tirelessly cleaning up poo, feeding, brushing, bathing and loving these sweet babies until they are adopted. If you think it's sad looking at a precious animal in a cage, think how they feel looking out at you. When you decide to own a pet, please think about adopting a rescue dog or cat, I can promise you that they will bring you more happiness than you can imagine. read more

Austin Pets Alive! - Sweet "Fuzzy"! Held him and carried him around at the SoCo trailers. He is adorable and needs a home. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was so excited to adopt a pet today. I took the day to go see about adopting a new kitten. Its been over six months since my last pet has past and I thought it would be a good time to give a good home to another kitten in need. I went to two different adoption places the first one only had two kittens. They told me of the second place that was not too far away, Austin Pets Alive on Lavander Loop. I went there and the staff seemed very knowledgeable and friendly. I went through and saw one kitten that reminded me so much of my last fur baby. I scanned his QR code and setup an account. I waited 30 minutes to just see the kitten. There was only one couple in front of me with 5 adoption people. 30 minutes and never did I get any notification saying it was my turn or that I could meet the kitten. I didn't get a text until AFTER I left the building in disgust...I was there to help but I felt taken advantage of by wasting my time there just to meet a pet. I hope that pretty little kitty finds a good home. I hope the staff of adoption people get a good talking to about time management. I will NOT be going back, ever...and I will not recommend them to anyone, ever. They are a waste of everyone's time and energy. Not just mine but the pets as well. read more

Today is the one year anniversary of me being rescued by a cat. I turned to APA to get a kitty to calm my remaining kitty Zoe who lost her buddies back to back a couple months prior. She was not the same and since she had never been alone in her life, I figured a new kitty would do the trick. Enter MimiNoir. This little ball of love turned out actually to be for me (who knew). I ended up losing Zoe this past Labor Day weekend, and would have been beside myself were it not for MimiNoir. It continues to amaze me what the unconditional love of an animal can do for us. I plan to get more involved with APA and give back and try to help these fuzzy givers-of-love find wonderful homes. Thank you, APA for all you do, and thank you, MimiNoir, for all you continue to do for me. I love you. read more

I can't speak to their facilities, as I've yet to visit them, so this review is specifically for the process of adopting a dog that's in foster care. I started following APA! on Instagram several months ago, just to see pics of cute dogs and because I'd been toying with the idea of getting one. Then, sensing my weakness, knowing of my extreme desire to have one (despite them being a huge responsibility) my boyfriend started sending me links to dogs on the APA! website. Most of the time I'd say "aw, he's cute" and then move on, able to maintain my sensibility. Then one day he sent me a link to an adorable Pekingese/Cocker Spaniel boy named Scooby Doo, and for some reason, I lost all sense of reason and logic and I contacted the foster for more information. The morning after I did that, I was lying in bed thinking, "No...no, I can't get a dog. It's so much responsibility, and do I really want to spend this kind of money and deal with the heartache when the dog eventually dies?" (Yes, I am a bit of a pessimist). Then I grabbed my phone, opened my email and saw one from the foster saying, "Scooby is such a sweet boy and I would love to schedule a meet-and-greet. I know he will be so excited to meet you." And I was like OMG, I'M GETTING A DOG. So, I worked with the foster to schedule the meet-and-greet and she offered to bring him to my place so he could see it, and we could see how he behaved there. He was a sweet boy, indeed, and that meeting sealed the deal. The process of applying and eventually acquiring my new dog was pretty simple, and APA! kept me adequately informed with regular communication every step of the way. I met some dogs from the shelter at my interview and they all seemed clean and well cared for. It was chilly that day, and most of them were even wearing sweaters or hoodies. All the dogs are examined, spayed or neutered, and brought up-to-date on shots. They are treated for any medical issues, and started on heartworm/flea preventatives. Their website site makes it easy to view the pets and to request more info, and their process makes it easy to adopt the one you want, provided you can prove that you'll be a good owner and will be able to provide for the animal. They even offer behavioral counseling, discounts on training, etc., after if your dog comes with some issues and you're willing to help him/her work through them (most likely unlike their previous owner...). I've already received follow-ups and a link to a community site where I can make a profile and provide updates on how Walter is doing. I can't imagine how hard it is to run or work for an animal shelter. To see dogs and cats come in from abusive homes, from wandering the streets, from all manner of neglect. And I can't imagine caring for them and then having to give them away, even if you know they are going to a good home. I'm so thankful for the volunteers and fosters at APA! I'm so glad they found my Walter (yeah, the name Scooby Doo had to go) and made sure he was taken care of and loved before I could get to him. And if you're trying to decide between a rescue or a buying a puppy from a breeder... well, I won't judge, because I understand why sometimes people wish to have more control/choice when it comes to picking a pet, but I will say that if you spend some time researching rescue shelters, you will probably find a dog that fits your needs/preferences. There are so many truly great dogs looking for homes, please consider rescuing one of them first. read more

Austin Pets Alive! - Walter (FKA Scooby Doo) - Animal Shelters Near Me - Austin, Texas

I freaking love Austin Pets Alive. This place is honestly the best. I've been volunteering here for a few years now, and I also adopted my cat Biggie about two years ago. As a volunteer: Volunteering here is amazing. I primarily volunteer with the Bottle Baby team, but I've also volunteered sporadically for a couple other programs (Big Brother Big Sister and Rufftail Runners, among others). If you live in Austin, love animals, and have a little time and love to give, you should definitely consider volunteering here. You'll meet a lot of amazing people while helping some amazing animals. There's tons of different volunteer opportunities available - everything from cleaning up dog doodie, to helping with marketing, to baking for a bake sale, to feeding orphan kittens. There really is something for everyone. As an adopter: A few years ago, I got sucked into fostering a sick kitty with a nasty gunshot wound in his leg. After a few months of fostering him, I foster-failed and adopted him. Austin Pets Alive! provided him with amazing, compassionate care while I was fostering him. He required multiple surgeries (including an eventual leg amputation), a ton of visits to the wonderful vet techs, and a whole lot of resources ($$$). Most shelters would have given up on him, but Austin Pets Alive didn't. The adoption process was really easy - a quick bit of paperwork, a conversation with an adoption counselor, and a reasonable adoption fee. After the adoption was complete, the behavior team gave me some great suggestions for some mild behavioral issues he was having. If you're in need of a furry friend, look no further than Austin Pets Alive! read more

I had reached out to APA in regards to a dog for adoption. I have extensive experience with this particular breed and made it known in my initial emails to APA and the foster. The foster responded with a long explanation of why this particular animal would not make a good pet and asked me several questions. I responded with my answers and got no further communication. I reached back out to APA and was told they would copy the foster on that email as well, again no response. To me this seems like an animal hoarder with a god complex. If these people were truly concerned with the well being of these animals I would think they would do more to help them get placed into good homes. In my opinion they are just hoarding animals and donations. It is no wonder they have an abundance of animals. I hope that this particular foster is not the standard that APA promotes, but in my dealings with this outfit it seems as though it is. They should not preach rescues if they are not going to let people rescue..... read more

I would given a negative 10 for a rating if was an option. This place is terrible. We adopted a dog about a year ago turned out the dog was pregnant she had a huge litter about two weeks later. The staff was rude and was basically just interested in making money off the puppies. We nursed them for 6 weeks then we get a nasty letter saying that we hadn't spayed and they were going to report the dog stolen to the authorities even though we were in constant contact with them. They of course said the puppies were their property because the dog was pregnant before we adopted her even though they didn't know. I'd love to know how the Vet that examined her prior to us taking her home couldn't tell she was pregnant she had a litter of 10 puppies. read more

This is a pretty great adoption center -- it's busy and full of healthy animals, with pretty sizable enclosures for visiting and meeting, as well as green areas for dogs. The staff are super friendly, helpful and knowledgable -- the main detractor is the circuitous route required to get into the driveway just to visit! Great organization - highly recommend visiting here if you are looking for a furry family member! read more

This place sold me a cat with sever feline aids. I paid 150$ for her two months ago and had to put her down this morning because they did not inform me of this sickness she had. read more

this place does not hold itself accountable, nor do they care about their customer service. dog bite story - i was at a large, off-leash park that i go to 5/6 days out of the week. every week. i've also spent years going to other dog parks, depending on where i lived. NEVER in my years of going have i had behavioral issues with my dog. never. not once. one day, as we were going through our same routine, my dog was attacked by another dog and left large lacerations on her face. what REALLY gets me is that the "owners" were fosters, couldn't even answer if that dog was up-to-date on vaccs, and she literally refused to talk to me which is some of THE WORST and most IRRESPONSIBLE behavior of dog ownership. apa refused to take any accountability, said these fosters had "training with the dog," what? 2 hours? compared to my years and me KNOWING my dog? they got "witnesses" that fabricated even the simple fact that they saw the incident. you can't possibly see a 2 second incident from 30 yards away, facing the opposite direction. anyway, apa is fostering out these dogs to college-aged kids who have no idea what it takes to be a dog owner and refuse to take on any form of responsibility. it's really a shame and disgusting, disappointing behavior. did i mention they had to pull that foster dog OFF of my dog? and my pup obtained facial scars. it's awful that this group represents our city. read more

This place is amazing, and I'll tell you why. The staff is friendly, and you can tell they care about every single animal that comes in there. Most importantly... I found my best friend here. On May 20th, 2019 I went to APA to look at their cats and kittens... I was honestly not prepared to adopt this day, but when I walked into their cat building I was cheerfully greeted by two girls. One was holding a tiny kitten with the most perfect pink toes I've ever seen. I personally have never been one to seek out adopting a female dog, cat, what have you, I always just preferred boys. This nice lady held this tiny kitten as she slept, and I walked around looking at the other cats. There was a beautiful seal point girl I was looking at, so I went up front to ask about seeing her, but another family was. The girl that was holding "Upsy Daisy" asked me if I wanted to hold her... I of course said yes. As soon as I got a hold of her, she passed out. Every time I moved my arm she mewed at me. "So sassy" I said to her. I held onto this kitten for almost an hour while talking to the staff and the girl that had been holding her smiled and said "it looks like she chose you!" She was right, and I knew it. I finally said I wanted to adopt her. I went through the paperwork holding her in my arms while another woman went over the surgery and shots procedure with me but honestly, I was just so in love with this tiny kitten I was holding, and to this very day, 7 months later, I still am. She is crazy, feisty, but so very loving and cuddly. I love her more every day. So thank you, APA for allowing me to find and adopt my best friend. I did name her Sassy, by the way read more

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I love what APA stands for. But they are such a mess operationally. You email 4 different channels to see pets or show interest. You usually don't hear back in a timely manner. And when you finally hear back the pups have been adopted out or are "in the process". If you're adopting from APA only adopt dogs they have on site. The dogs in foster are impossible to get in contact with in a timely manner. read more

Love this facility! I adopted my pup from here about a year ago and couldn't be happier. The whole process was really smooth from meeting the foster parents that were fostering my dog to the clinic taking care of him when he had an infection. I also volunteer here to walk dogs every once in a while and I can tell all the staff and volunteers really love the cats and dogs in their care. read more

So I need to write on two fronts. The first is for my cat that I adopted from APA. She apparently had feline leukemia and although APA claimed she was tested for it, she died in my arms two years later. She had also contracted ringworm at some point, and it's suspected that she got it from being at APA due to shared litter. The second front is from being a volunteer. I volunteered for two years as well, hoping to give back a little for my cat. Hurricane Harvey swept through and the place was a disaster. They had opened up a kennel that was owned by the city that was on the same grounds, and they tossed up an impromptu sign to help the volunteers figure out which dog was which. The problem with the sign was that it totally didn't follow the format the rest of the signs usually did and I apparently didn't see an extra column where there wasn't normally one, taking the wrong dog to walk than I intended. The normally unused kennel was in terrible disrepair and I didn't expect they would actually open up the front of it due to the ceiling caving in. So here I was, taking out apparently the wrong dog (due to bad signage) out the apparently wrong door (due to them apparently allowing use of a rotting cage). I got the husky out, got him out into the court yard, and noticed he was acting differently than the level I was trained for. I was taking him back to the cage to see what the heck was up when someone who worked for APA who I had never seen in my life ran up to me screaming at me. She said the dog was on some kind of special program, ripped the leash out of my hands, forced the dog back into the cage, and lectured me for 15 minutes on how she was assuming it was all purposeful. First off, you DON'T yell at a volunteer like that for a mistake (that was caused by your organization's crappy emergency practices). Second, she totally put me in danger by being so aggressive around that flighty dog when she should have just come up to me and calmly took the leash like nothing was wrong. Third, she was yelling at me in front of the public! People were staring at her! Totally unprofessional!! I got a snappy message from one of the other volunteers who had heard down the chain that I had screwed up (I hadn't), "she said she said she said" and I stopped volunteering right then. I tried sending an email to the volunteer coordinator but was apparently ignored. Also totally unprofessional. read more

I can't say enough good things about APA. I used to volunteer at Town Lake Animal Center in 1997 and 1998, when Austin was definitely not No Kill. APA has made a No Kill Austin a reality. I recently adopted a 16 year old cat from APA who would otherwise be on the euthanasia list for her age alone. APA pulled her from the shelter, got her into foster care, and now I have a very spry almost 17 year old who is a great companion (and takes adorable pictures). APA has been beyond generous with Yvette's care and their medical team does such good work. Their behavior management team will work with you to make sure your adopted pet adapts well to your home and can stay there for life. Other cities do not have it this good. If you've adopted an APA pet, make sure to get on their Facebook page: Austin Pets Alive! Adopters. There are tons of people there to give advice about taking care of your pet and to like all your cute animal pictures. If you're looking to get a new pet, please adopt from APA or Austin Animal Center. Either one will help Austin keep up its No Kill goal. If you have extra space in your house, contact APA about fostering a pet! APA always needs fosters. It's just a short term commitment to take care of an animal when there isn't enough room at the shelter. One last thing -- think really hard about the kind of pet you want when you go to adopt. Do you want them to be laid back, playful, quiet, chirpy, good with other animals, good with kids, etc.? Make sure to ask APA staff/volunteers or an animal's foster parent these questions to make sure your pet will be a good fit for your home. If you adopt a pet that is in foster, APA will ask you to email the foster parent. This is a good opportunity to ask these questions from someone who has gotten to know the animal really well. read more

I can't give them a great review. My husband and I had picked 4 dogs as possible adoptable dogs. From there online of adoptable dog we picked 4 dogs At 1 location were at the town lake shelter one was at the Windsor location. The day we went to see our picks we had narrowed it down to one dog "Pickel" We made all the paper work had basically a handshake deal. We went home anxiously awaiting our approval for pickel. By Saturday we were discouraged that we had not heard from them. So we drive back to the town lake shelter only to find they had adopted our pickel to some one else. My heart was broken. It was Monday before I could go look at the 4th dog. He was at a much nicer shelter read more

I love everything about this rescue organization. I rescued one of my dogs a year ago and he is the absolute best dog I have ever owned. Growing up my parents and I have always rescued big black dogs because I hear they are the last to be rescued and in my opinion they are the MOST beautiful so I don't understand how that can be true. But we rescue black cats as well. My lab mix and shepherd mixes have been the best and well adjusted dogs I have ever met. Argo was scared when I first rescued him but within a month he gained so much confidence and is the sweetest dog ever he isn't timid anymore and loves every person or creature that crosses his path. I am so beyond grateful that I was able to get Argo and he is such a joy to have in my life. Thank you for rescuing this baby and allowing me to adopt him. I will always be forever grateful read more

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So far I have had a great experience with APA. My colleague told me about this and we are fostering a dog. They take very good care of the dogs and the dogs seem to love them all. Yes they have long wait times but it's worth it. You can get on the wait list by calling. They are also very responsive on emails and I like the fact that their instagram and facebook pages are so much fun! Making adoption and fostering easier. read more

I adopted my dog Sammy from here. I strolled in about an 1 1/2 hrs before closing just to see what kind of animals they might have. Well they have a ton! However, I was able to find my forever pet after going down a few lanes. I also follow them on Instagram and I have to stop myself from going down to the shelter almost everyday. Everyone who works here is a volunteer and they rely on donations from the public to run. I love the idea that they're a non-kill shelter and they even helped save animals from the destruction of Hurricane Harvey in 2017. read more

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Adopted our loving kitten a week ago and it was a very fast process and now we have such a fun kitten and a playmate for our current cat. Would recommend read more

How can you give them anything less than 5 stars? Everything that APA does for the animals of Austin (and beyond) is so amazing and inspiring. The staff and volunteers are friendly and helpful, and you can tell they really love the animals. I adopted Rose in January 2012 from the location off South Lamar (before they had to close). They had just rescued her from the Lockhart pound where she was about to get euthanized (after just having puppies). The adoption process was quick and painless, and they still email me from time to time to check up on how she is doing. I could talk about how adopting Rose was the best decision I've ever made, or how she is THE BEST DOG anyone could ask for, but this is a review for APA :) So, thank you for everything you do. From the adoptions, to the rescues, to the foster and training programs. Thank you thank you thank you. read more

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It doesn't get any better than APA! I have a dog and a cat that I adopted through them, and I've volunteered in the past. It's just a really great organization that has done more for animals in the Austin area than anyone could have possibly imagined. They're a Godsend! read more

I wanted to adopt another dog or cat. But when we arrived no one assisted us. The place was properly cared for except the cat section smelled very bad and a closed in room. I pitied these cats. I then went to see if the dog section had any pets I could take home but all dogs were very large ..... since I have two small dogs I have adopted previously. Large dogs were not an option since they been attacked big dogs. This is a no kill shelter I spoke with several people that adopting a dog takes responsibility and taking care of your pet forever I will never give up my pets period!What is amazing is Austin Pets Alive is all volunteers which is a sweet gesture and I thanked all the volunteers who happened to be there. For many years I enjoyed volunteering for no kill shelters and fostered pets. Now I have twoshelter dogs and searching for another. This is an incredible organization and if you love animals look at my photos of these homeless dogs they need homes. Please help in some way and you will be blessed for your efforts. Not hard to do so please either give or help volunteer is a good gesture of loving these little animals that in return will reward you with unconditional love and kisses. My pets are my family for life. Thank you and I recommend this location which is easy access. LOVE AND HUG A PET read more

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Their website is not updated regularly. I emailed them to ask about a couple cats that were listed and I got response saying they would forward my info to the foster who would get in touch with me. Well, the foster never did that and when I checked back online both those cats were no longer listed. I can only assume that they had already been adopted out when I emailed and the person at APA didn't bother to look up if they were still available. Either way, I never got an email from APA or the foster saying they were no longer available, which is just poor customer service. On another date, the same thing happened. A couple kittens were listed as being available and onsite. I went to the shelter to check them out and they weren't there. Not to be defeated, I started looking around at the kittens that were there when a lady stopped me before I'd finished looking and said I could go look at the ones in the ringworm ward because they had a lot more kittens there. So I went and looked, but wasn't really comfortable taking home a ringworm cat. So, I went back to the main cattery to finish looking at what was there and they told me I wasn't allowed back in after visiting the ringworm ward. NO ONE TOLD ME THAT! You would think this is something you would tell a potential adopter BEFORE letting them into the sick ward. Needless to say I did not go home with a kitten like I wanted and will not be returning to APA. read more

I really respect the work that APA! is doing and acknowledge that operating as a nonprofit has many challenges, especially one that must deal with such a high volume of animals and "customers". That said, APA is incredibly irresponsible with the way they market and place animals in homes. Their focus is getting animals out the door, with zero regard for whether that placement is a good match. They deliberately omit important dog behavior details in favor of keeping the profiles positive, to the detriment of everybody involved-- but most especially the dog. I adopted a 5 year old dog from APA in February 2016 and recently had to surrender her almost exactly a year later because she was so aggressive and intense that even my own family was scared of her. APA glossed over her issues when I adopted her. I asked what a Belgian Malinois was, and the "behavior specialist" told me "oh it's just kind of like another shepherd, it's not a big deal". Wrong. They neglected to mention that she was crazy territorial and would attack literally everybody she deemed a threat to me or herself. The way they phrased that quirk of her personality? "She just really loves being around her person, and can sometimes be a little protective". I was her 5th owner, and though she got adopted out again quickly I just saw today, 2 months later, that she's back at the shelter. That means she's had 6 owners now. This is 100% APA's fault. I tried keeping her for a few months while they worked with me to place her elsewhere so she wouldn't have to go back to the shelter environment. I had to follow up countless times to get her profile updated and her scores corrected to accurately reflect the dog's personality. I wrote several descriptions AT THEIR REQUEST, and they refused to use them, preferring to post a glossed over happy-go-lucky profile for what I can only assume is a stuffed teddy bear, not a Belgian Malinois that needs a strong handler and child-free home. I brought up these concerns multiple times, with several different people, and I was told they wanted to "keep it positive for marketing reasons" in order to get the dog adopted. Look, I AM a marketer. There is a difference between showing something in a positive light and completely misleading a potential adopter. This is not an easy dog, this is not a family dog. This is a dog for an experienced handler who wants a challenge. APA now pushed this dog into 6 different "forever homes" in order to keep her out of the shelter. From what I've read of the other reviews here, APA has consistently misled adopters with other aggressive dogs. It is so clearly not in the best interest of the dog to be bumped from home to home, and in fact this is likely the biggest reason my dog had so many territorial issues. These dogs could be incredible in the right home, but your refusal to be honest about their personalities and needs are preventing them from actually getting TO that right home. This behavior is dangerous for people and dogs alike. APA, you need to get your act together when it comes to your aggressive dogs. read more

Came here with my boyfriend to see if we can find a cat to adopt. The cat area was so so dirty. The poor cats had their feces all over the floor.. when we went inside their "room" we had to walk around all of that. All the crates and rooms were so dirty:( Makes me sad that these poor animals have to live in those conditions. We decided to go to Austin Humane Society and adopted a cat over there. read more