21 Fun Ways To Keep Your Dog Busy Indoors on a Rainy Day

I’m excited to let you know that on February 17, 2022, Austin City Council approved a one-year extension on our Town Lake Animal Center (TLAC) license agreement so that we can continue to negotiate the much longer-term license of 75 years. You may recall that we didn’t want a long extension at first, but we now have a more equitable agreement in place which allows us to serve our mission and the City of Austin at the same time while we go into another year of negotiation.

We are very pleased with this agreement, as it has unrestricted our work for the next 12 months. This means we will be able to help any animal in need and intervene in euthanasia lists, while also committing to our continued partnership with Austin Animal Center and to all the dogs and cats in Austin that need our specialized help. We believe this extension will give us enough time to negotiate the terms of the public-private partnership between APA! and the City of Austin so that it is strong and successful, long into the future.

While continuing to negotiate with the city the terms of the 75-year agreement to build and operate at our TLAC campus, we will have time to find the right spaces to house our pets during the eventual demolition and rebuild of the TLAC facilities as well as to move the part of our operations that will need more space than the future restricted TLAC site can provide. The APA! Board of Directors has been continuing to work hard using their connections to lead the search for potential properties to support our planned expansion throughout Austin.

As part of this property search, we are moving ahead on locating land of our own to house a rehabilitation center for dogs who have experienced trauma and provide sanctuary for dogs and cats. This land will also act as a transport hub for animals who are in imminent danger of death in shelters across Texas so that we can connect these cats and dogs with organizations in other states who don’t have enough adoptable pets in shelters to fill the loving, adoptive homes that are available in the northern region of the country.

Knowing that much of what we do will no longer fit at the future TLAC site, we are also continuing our search for additional facilities in Central Austin for adoptions, clinic, and treatment wards such as parvo and ringworm, as well as exploring properties that would be suitable for foster and clinic services and would make fostering more accessible to all of Austin. Though these centrally-located real estate options are few and far between, we are determined to find the right match for our needs.

We will continue to update you on our progress toward these exciting possibilities, and let you know how you can help join us as we work to build an even brighter future for pets and people. Thank you so much for caring about APA! and being such an important part of this lifesaving journey.

Imagine eating preservative-packed canned or dried food day in and day out. We’re not sure about you, but our bellies, and feelings, hurt just thinking about it. (Meanwhile, our taste buds have completely shrivelled up in protest at the mere thought!) Fresh food, on the other hand, tastes great, feels great, and does so much […]

The post Fresh Dog Food For Thought appeared first on Animal Wellness Magazine.

When you get a new puppy, you tend to fall in love right away and want to do everything possible to give them the best…

The post Puppy Food vs Adult Food: What’s The Difference? appeared first on Puppy In Training.

Commercial low-end kibbles aren’t good for your cat, but what if he won’t eat anything else? Here are some tips and tricks for adding nutrition to his diet. Cats don’t like change. They thrive on a regular routine, and that extends to their food as much as anything else. A kitty that has grown accustomed […]

The post Is Your Cat Addicted to Kibble? appeared first on Animal Wellness Magazine.

We were taught in school that the genes we inherit from our parents are the biggest driver of health outcomes. Since Antonie van Leewenhoek’s discoveries in the 1680’s that there are visible differences in microbes from the mouth vs. feces, the microbiome and its influence on health and behavior is slowly being realized (cardiovascular, neural […]

The post How much does the microbiome REALLY contribute to animal health and wellness? appeared first on Animal Wellness Magazine.

Following this 5-point holistic healthcare plan will help your senior dog or cat stay well and live longer. As a holistic veterinarian, I like to divide my patients into three populations based on age. The first stage is puppyhood and kittenhood (until animals are 12 months old), then adulthood (five to ten years depending on […]

The post A holistic healthcare plan for senior dogs and cats appeared first on Animal Wellness Magazine.