Many people have contacted FixAustin.org in recent days about Town Lake Animal Center's proposed cuts to funding for free and low-cost spay/neuter services operated by local non-profit Emancipet. As Austin's only animal-welfare advocacy organization dedicated to saving the lives of our community's homeless pets through the implementation of cost-effective solutions proven to bring No Kill success to other communities, we adamantly oppose TLAC's proposed cuts to low-cost and free spay-neuter services. These services are integral to Austin becoming a No Kill City.
But at FixAustin.org, we also recognize that in a budget crisis, no City service is off the table and some cuts will be necessary. That's why we think the right approach is not only to oppose TLAC's proposed cuts, but also to develop alternative solutions to reduce Animal Services costs. We want to use a scalpel, not a hatchet, to reduce costs. And with a host of other animal-welfare groups in town, we're developing a list of more targeted cuts that will have little-to-no impact on life saving. Stay tuned for updates!
Mike Martinez, Bill Spelman, Chris Riley, & Perla Cavazos – 5 Paws
For the last several years,
Mike Martinez has been the City Council’s preeminent voice for protecting our community’s companion animals. Martinez voted against the City’s ill-planned effort to move Austin’s animal shelter from Town Lake, co-sponsored a resolution directing the Animal Advisory Commission to recommend positive changes at Austin’s animal shelter, and led the Council’s effort to reduce the sale of unaltered pets in Austin.
Austin’s animal lovers should also feel confident in supporting
Bill Spelman,
Chris Riley, and
Perla Cavazos. Returning to the City Council, Spelman has a well-deserved reputation for demanding the enactment of best practices in city government, and he will fight for the implementation of proven programs to benefit Austin’s lost and homeless pets. He is a policy wonk and “good government” expert—characteristics that will prove invaluable to helping Austin finally achieve “no kill” status.
Riley and Cavazos are both thoughtful, articulate, and intelligent advocates who have committed to implementing proven programs to reduce the unnecessary killing of homeless pets at Austin’s animal shelter. Both are able to quickly understand complicated issues and have shown genuine interest in increasing the outlook for our community’s companion animals.
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Lee Leffingwell – 3.5 Paws
Even though
Lee Leffingwell could do more for Austin’s lost and homeless pets, we’re happy that he has doggedly (we couldn’t help ourselves) fought for an adoption center to stay open on Town Lake after the main shelter moves to the eastern edge of the City. That alone scores points with us. Plus, Leffingwell has demonstrated an important willingness to consider policies and programs disfavored by shelter bureaucrats yet proven successful in other communities.
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Sheryl Cole – 2 Paws
Sheryl Cole has not been an advocate for Austin’s homeless pets, largely deferring to shelter bureaucrats on critical policy issues. We appreciate Cole’s openness to citizen input and her adoption of "Lightning,” a dog she saved from Town Lake Animal Center. But we are deeply disturbed by her support for an apparent plan to turn the current downtown shelter into an office building for City bureaucrats rather than entirely dedicating the space to a first-class adoption center as needed to save the lives of impounded pets.
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FixAustin.org is Austin’s only non-profit organization advocating to end the killing of Austin’s lost and homeless pets through the implementation of proven, cost-effective policies and programs that have dramatically reduced shelter killing in communities across America. Candidates not listed here either did not respond to our questionnaire or we did not have enough information about them. These ratings are not endorsements. We also received questionnaire responses from
Josiah Ingalls and
Sam Osemene.
