6,161 Austin animals euthanized in 2009

AUSTIN (KXAN) - 6, 161 of Austin's four-legged residents were were euthanized in Austin in 2009.

It's a number that has drawn attention and criticism from Austin Pets Alive !, a local non-profit.

APA is now trying to take over the adoption program at Town Lake Animal Center and wants to make Austin a no kill City by 2011.

"It is inexcusable, inexcusable," said Don Rau, while holding his dog Rosceaux, who he adopted off the kill list last year.

Rau and his wife Erin, like the city's Animal Advisory Council, are supporting APA's efforts to step in and commit to a "no-kill" policy.

"I kind of view the shelter as being full of patients and I really feel like we can find more live outcomes for the ones that are there," said Ellen Jefferson, APA's president and head veterinarion.

APA volunteers showcased animals on the kill list at an event on South Congress Saturday.

The group wanted to prove they could be more creative when it comes to getting animal adopted than the current staff at Town Lake Animal Center.

They blame the bottom line for Austin's current policy of allowing euthansia.

"It's much more expensive to save an animal than to euthanize it and that's how every city has ended up in the predicament. It's the easiest, cheapest thing to do," Jefferson explained.

Jefferson said they're willing to pay that cost to get the kill rate down to zero.

However, their comprehensive plan to take over the adoption program at Town Lake could mean lost jobs for some shelter workers.

Town Lake's staffers said the crew already in place is working well.

"Our euthanasia rate is by far the lowest of any of the open in-take shelters in the state of Texas and frankly in most of the country," said Amber Rowland, Town Lake's program development manager.

Still, APA volunteers have already been working with the center for two years and said without their help, Town Lake wouldn't have had as much success at all.

"We know for a fact we have been responsible for about 2,000 not being on that list," Jefferson added.

The proposal is set to go before the City Council for consideration the first week of March.

Rowland, however, would not comment on the proposal, but said the Center is working on a response.