Austin's Furry Furriends: A Guide to the City's Local Animal Shelters

Going to the Live Music Capital of the World any time soon? You might as well enjoy the sights, sounds, and the furry babies in Austin's city animal shelters. Join in on the city's efforts to rescue, adopt, or foster pets in need, and get your heart filled with love and joy while you're at it.

Austin Animal Center

7201 Levander Loop Bldg. A, Austin, TX 78702

The municipal shelter for the city of Austin, Texas, Austin Animal Center, helps thousands of animals in a multitude of ways. It provides temporary shelter until they find their forever homes. It takes in stray and owned animals regardless of breed, age, health, or species. Aside from this, it enforces animal regulations and assists people with their animal-related concerns. This includes impoundment, quarantine, and rabies control.

Learn more about Austin Animal Center

Austin Humane Society

124 W. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78752 

Having the distinction of being the longest-standing no-kill, non-profit pet and adoption center in Austin, the Austin Humane Society has been serving its community since 1952. It is dedicated to saving homeless cats and dogs, reducing the pet population, and educating the public about responsible pet ownership. It has programs to find loving homes for homeless and abandoned pets, help them and their hoomans in times of crisis, and prevent future homelessness through spaying and neutering.

Learn more about the Austin Humane Society

Austin Pets Alive!

1156 West Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX 78703 

Unable to bear the thought of Austin being a city with a kill rate of 87%, Austin Pets Alive! was born. Its objective of saving the lives of as many pets as they can has materialized, with thousands of pets placed in their forever homes. Since its founding in 2008, it has saved more than 120,000 lives. It is also proud of pioneering comprehensive and innovative programs to save animals most at risk for euthanasia. Austin Pets Alive! is also active in hosting events such as "Dog Day Out" and "Second Chance Saturdays" to engage the community and promote adoptions.

Learn more about Austin Pets Alive!

Safe In Austin Rescue Ranch

14601 Honeycomb Dr. Leander TX, 78641 

Starting its story with a dog named Angel, the Safe In Austin Rescue Ranch rescues abused and neglected animals. It provides them with unconditional love by rehabilitating and rehoming them. This city animal shelter takes in a variety of animals, including birds, cats, cows, dogs, pigs, rabbits, goats, sheep, horses, and other exotic animals. Its barn is also home to several chickens and turkeys, specifically Amelia the Chicken and Phoebe the Turkey.

Learn more about Safe In Austin Rescue Ranch

Austin Wildlife Rescue

5401 E. MLK Jr. Blvd., Austin, TX 78721 

Similar to Safe In Austin Rescue Ranch, Austin Wildlife Rescue helps orphaned, injured, and sick wild animals. It takes in birds such as songbirds, raptors, and waterfowl, mammals like squirrels, raccoons, opossums, bats, and reptiles and amphibians. However, it does not accept domestic animals, adult deer (without spots), Muscovy ducks, Monk parakeets, and other non-native species. If you're in the Austin area and find a wild animal in need, contact them to get advice and guidance on how to transport it to the facility safely.

Learn more about Austin Wildlife Rescue

Kate To The Rescue 

11601 W. Hwy. 290 Suite A101, PMB# 331, Austin, TX 78737 

Rescuing and rehabilitating street dogs and cats saved from San Antonio, Texas, Kate To The Rescue was an answer to the city's huge stray dog population. With almost 150,000 pups living on the streets, Kate has made it her mission to save them all. If you want to help Kate, or if you're looking to adopt, this local animal shelter has several adorable dogs on its website you can check out.

Learn more about Kate To The Rescue

Friends of Austin Animal Center

P.O. Box 41525, Austin, TX, 78704 

Caring for thousands of animals each year, Friends of Austin Animal Center provides support to the Austin Animal Center, the largest no-kill animal shelter in the United States. It aims to enhance and improve the quality of life for animals in the shelter. It finds them loving homes through fundraising, volunteer programs, community outreach, and other advocacies that benefit the welfare of animals in its community. It also helps animals with medical issues, behavioral challenges, shelter stress, and ownership costs to help remove all barriers to adoption.

Learn more about Friends of Austin Animal Center

Thundering Paws Animal Sanctuary

P.O. Box 1555, Dripping Springs, TX 78620 

Prioritizing the needs of homeless, neglected, injured, and abused cats, Thundering Paws is a no-kill, non-profit animal sanctuary located in Dripping Springs, Texas. It is home to a number of cats but also takes in the occasional dog. Aside from shelter, it provides food, water, spay/neuter services, vaccinations, medical care, and plenty of love and attention. It takes pride in providing kennels with enough space for each animal to live comfortably. This includes access to play yards, pools, and playscapes.

Learn more about Thundering Paws Animal Sanctuary

Lizzy's Animal Hospice

PO Box 693, Dripping Springs, TX 78620 

Another city animal shelter that offers specialized service, Lizzy's Animal Hospice, is a sanctuary for elders (10 years old and above) and terminally ill pups in kill shelters. It also takes in those who would eventually end up in kill shelters, giving them the care they need, finding them loving families, and humane end-of-life care. It relies on foster families to ensure that the senior dogs they care for do not have to spend their remaining days in a shelter environment.

Learn more about Lizzy's Animal Hospice

Wags, Hope & Healing

P.O. Box 340486, Austin, TX 78734 

Summing up its mission in four words, Wags, Hope & Healing does the following: rescue, rehabilitation, outreach, and enrichment. It helps animals from cruelty, abuse, neglect, and homelessness. It provides resources for pets and their hoomans to keep them off the streets and out of shelters. It supports their community leaders and law enforcement in taking action to protect animals from cruelty and neglect. It also holds spay and neuter programs to fight overpopulation and promote health. 

Learn more about Wags, Hope & Healing