Today, I am bringing in the new year at work preparing for our New Years adoption event. Austin Pets Alive’s event today features “Name Your Own Price” adoption fees for animals six months and older, with a $25 adoption donation minimum as well as a free raffle for an amazing prize of a two-night stay at a Kimpton hotel and champagne with every adoption. We here at APA! hope that Austinites looking to adopt an animal for a New Year’s resolution will take home one of the wonderful pets available here. Which brings me to what I want to write about today – shelter hours. The no kill philosophy tells us that we need to make the animals easily accessible for people, and being open later on weekdays, on weekends, and on holidays is vital as these are times when people have off and have time to look for their new family member.

I find it absolutely depressing when a shelter’s hours end at 5 or 6pm, or when they aren’t open for one of both weekend days. And as much as I know it sucks for the shelter staff – it is horrible when they are closed for holidays. These are the times people are looking to adopt, shelters should not make it hard for them. Austin Pets Alive did 30 adoptions on New Years Eve. 30. That’s 30 animals who are now in their forever home instead of spending another night in the shelter. That’s 30 more spots we have open at the shelter for animals who need a place to stay. If we had been closed, or closed early, the 30 dogs and cats would still be here and the 30 that take their place would be without shelter.

Between yesterday, today and tomorrow our goal is 100 adoptions and I personally believe we will surpass that goal. And Austin Pets Alive isn’t the multimillion dollar shelter or the city funded adoption center. APA! is the grassroots rescue group 95% run by volunteers. Any shelter can do this if they just change their mindset and their hours. Check your local shelter’s hours: If they are not set up to be accessible to the public, write or call and let them know that as a donor, you want them to be open later and on the weekends.

Happy New Year