"No Kill" policy on city's agenda

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin's four- legged residents were barking loud Saturday afternoon, but it is the city council who will have the final say about the future for these residents of Town Lake Animal Center .

"I'm hoping city council votes in favor of increasing adoptions by a large number very quickly," said Ellen Jefferson, Austin Pets Alive! president.

Jefferson, an animal advocate, wants council members to adopt a comprehensive plan allowing her non-profit to take over Town Lake's adoption program, which would include creating four off-site adoption centers.

"That will save an additional 1700 lives a year, so that's really exciting," Jefferson explained.

Some council members see Jefferson's point and also believe an entire overhaul needs to happen to make Austin a no kill city.

"If you are dealing with only one piece of the issue then you are really not solving the problem," said Laura Morrison, an Austin city councilmember.  "You need to deal with all the pieces."

The biggest piece to promote adoption is a moratorium on killing any animal as long as there is a cage to fill it.

"There are a lot of cages there that go unused because they're trying to limit disease spread, which is completely understandable," Jefferson added.

The quality of care is why some would see Town Lake Animal Center phased out when the East Austin facility opens next year.

That decision must be made in the wake of a health department memo calling cage conditions unsanitary.

"The cages may not be that great, they may harbor diseases, but for those animals, it's better than a body bag," Jefferson explained.

Council members said they're taking that into account, for now the proposal up for vote would keep the facility open for the first six months that the new East Austin shelter is open.

"If we need to deal with structural issues, lets deal with them today," Morrison said.

Jefferson is urging anyone who has an animal to come out to Thursday's council meeting to show their support for Austin's four-legged residents.