Austin has seen an outpouring of support for its furry residents as more than 200 dogs and cats from Austin Pets Alive were successfully placed in foster homes ahead of an impending winter freeze. This significant effort has left the shelter emptier than it has ever been since its inception, according to shelter staff.
Luis Sanchez, the head of public relations at Austin Pets Alive, shared that the organization aimed to find foster homes for 75 pets before the storm hit. This initiative was crucial to ensure that all remaining animals would be sheltered indoors during the severe cold snap, which was expected to last for over 50 hours.
Initially, Sanchez felt the goal was ambitious, but the response was overwhelming. Within just one day of outreach, 65 animals had already found temporary homes. “The wait times were around two to three hours due to the high volume of visitors at the shelter,” he explained. “At one point, we had to stop taking names for the waitlist, as we reached full capacity. There were more people than dogs available.”
Jamie Gomez, a Texas State University student, traveled from San Marcos to the shelter after learning about the urgent need for foster homes through a TikTok post. After a five-hour wait, she was delighted to find that only a few dogs remained. She was paired with a large mixed-breed, affectionately dubbed a “pound puppy surprise,” named Nico. “I just wanted to do something to help. It may not seem like much, but it’s something,” Gomez expressed. “I love him so much.”
Allison Swearingen, the senior program manager for dog placements at Austin Pets Alive, played a key role in connecting numerous dogs with foster families in the lead-up to the storm. She noted that the shelter typically houses around 150 dogs, but on Tuesday, only 18 were left. “We’ve literally never had this few dogs on site before,” she remarked, highlighting the remarkable community response to help pets that were not even their own.
As Swearingen’s team managed the growing list of foster parents, she had to redirect many interested individuals to other local shelters, which were also experiencing a surge in volunteer interest. Sarah Hammel, communications director at the Austin Humane Society, confirmed a significant increase in fostering inquiries. Elizabeth Ferrer, marketing program manager at the Austin Animal Shelter, reported 66 fosters and nine adoptions over the Friday and Saturday leading up to the storm. “We had to turn people away because we couldn’t process the influx of foster volunteers quickly enough,” Ferrer stated.
Sanchez reassured that even without the foster volunteers, the dogs in the outdoor kennels would have remained safe, as the shelter staff is prepared to house them in their offices if necessary. However, the large number of fosters not only provided comfort for the pets but also created space for the shelter to take in animals at risk of euthanasia from other locations, including San Marcos and Bastrop, as well as strays found in the cold.
Out of the 203 pets placed in foster homes over the weekend, 40 have since been adopted, and 25 have opted to extend their stay until the following week. However, Swearingen cautioned that the shelter will soon fill up again as new animals are brought in, including many of those who were fostered over the weekend.
Gomez, who is unable to foster Nico long-term due to her busy college schedule and living situation, expressed her willingness to return for him if another storm arises and the shelter urgently needs help. “He loved being on my bed; he was really into cuddling when he felt like it. He definitely got attached to me,” she recalled fondly. “He was just a really, really good dog.”
