6/6: East Austin Civic Leaders Join Shelter-Relocation Fight
June 6, 2007 – BREAKING NEWS: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUSTIN, TX - The City’s controversial plan to move Austin’s animal shelter from downtown to East Austin is coming under attack again.
This time the opposition comes from a coalition of East Austin leaders who say they will announce their plans to join Austin animal-welfare advocates in opposing the move at a press conference held tomorrow, June 7th, at 11am at City Hall. The East Austin coalition includes eight neighborhoods, a number of planning teams, and civic organizations PODER and TANK.
East Austin civic leader Daniel Llanes, who serves as Chair of the River Bluff Neighborhood Association and Coordinator for the Govalle-Johnson Terrace Neighborhood Planning Team, expressed surprise and anger over the City’s plan to move the shelter to his neighborhood. “There is no reason to move the shelter,” Llanes said. “Everything needed to improve the shelter can happen at its current location.”
Llanes also said that the City’s plans are an insult to the hardworking people of his community who dedicated substantial time to developing a neighborhood plan for the proposed site. Llanes said, “That property is designated in our neighborhood plan for single-family homes.”
The shelter-relocation plan has been heavily criticized by Austin animal-welfare advocates for months. Those advocates welcome the participation and courage of East Austin’s civic leaders who are standing up to the City’s staff.
Chandra Lewnau, member of advocacy group FixAustin.Org and long-time volunteer at the City shelter, was happy to receive the support of East Austin’s leaders. “We’ve known for a long time that this move was bad for Austin’s homeless pets. Through our discussions with East Austin leaders, we now understand that it’s also bad for East Austin. It’s a lose-lose proposition.”
In November 2006, Austin voters approved a $12 million bond to build an improved animal shelter. The bond ballot’s language did not specify whether the shelter would be rebuilt at its current site on Town Lake or moved to another part of town.
Since 2000, Austin’s pound has killed more than 70,000 lost and homeless pets. During the same period, its annual budget has nearly doubled.
AUSTIN, TX - The City’s controversial plan to move Austin’s animal shelter from downtown to East Austin is coming under attack again.
This time the opposition comes from a coalition of East Austin leaders who say they will announce their plans to join Austin animal-welfare advocates in opposing the move at a press conference held tomorrow, June 7th, at 11am at City Hall. The East Austin coalition includes eight neighborhoods, a number of planning teams, and civic organizations PODER and TANK.
East Austin civic leader Daniel Llanes, who serves as Chair of the River Bluff Neighborhood Association and Coordinator for the Govalle-Johnson Terrace Neighborhood Planning Team, expressed surprise and anger over the City’s plan to move the shelter to his neighborhood. “There is no reason to move the shelter,” Llanes said. “Everything needed to improve the shelter can happen at its current location.”
Llanes also said that the City’s plans are an insult to the hardworking people of his community who dedicated substantial time to developing a neighborhood plan for the proposed site. Llanes said, “That property is designated in our neighborhood plan for single-family homes.”
The shelter-relocation plan has been heavily criticized by Austin animal-welfare advocates for months. Those advocates welcome the participation and courage of East Austin’s civic leaders who are standing up to the City’s staff.
Chandra Lewnau, member of advocacy group FixAustin.Org and long-time volunteer at the City shelter, was happy to receive the support of East Austin’s leaders. “We’ve known for a long time that this move was bad for Austin’s homeless pets. Through our discussions with East Austin leaders, we now understand that it’s also bad for East Austin. It’s a lose-lose proposition.”
In November 2006, Austin voters approved a $12 million bond to build an improved animal shelter. The bond ballot’s language did not specify whether the shelter would be rebuilt at its current site on Town Lake or moved to another part of town.
Since 2000, Austin’s pound has killed more than 70,000 lost and homeless pets. During the same period, its annual budget has nearly doubled.