Group helps at-risk pets find a 'Home for the Holidays'
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Storm the Shar Pei got a nice bath on Sunday, in order to put his best paw forward for what could turn out to be a very big day.
He was one of many pets at the 'Home for the Holidays' adoption day, put on by the non-profit group Austin Pets Alive, which saves dogs and cats from a shelter's kill list and adopts them out to permanent homes.
As part of the event, those who adopted the first ten dogs and cats had $25 knocked off the adoption fee.
While Adoption Counselor Evan Olsen said they have made great strides towards their goal, there is still work to be done.
"It's been incredibly exciting to see change really happening, to see the numbers, the percentage reduction of animals that are being killed at the shelter," she said.
The whole purpose of the group is to eventually make Austin a no-kill city, and these adoption events help to bring them closer to achieving their mission.
"When we have a big event and we place a lot of animals in loving forever homes, that means we can go pull more animals that wouldn't make it out of the shelter alive without Austin Pets Alive," she said.
For adoption counselors like Savannah Lightfoot, the impact she has made is worth all the work.
"It just feels so much better knowing that you're saving a life," she said. "Knowing that you're making a difference for an animal."
The cost of adopting a cat can range from $75 to $125 depending on the cat, while it costs $150 to adopt a dog.
The adoption fee includes immunizations, microchipping and spay or neuter surgery, as well as several months of pet insurance.