In 2014, reflecting on my role as assistant director at an animal shelter in Virginia, a stark reality emerged: we operated with significant knowledge gaps that tragically led to unnecessary euthanasia. Decisions were often made out of fear and misinformation, not from a place of informed compassion for the pets in our care. Instances that haunt me to this day highlight this deeply flawed approach. When a puppy tested positive for distemper, a condition we now understand is treatable, the response was immediate and drastic. The puppy was euthanized away from the building, its body incinerated, and only then did we frantically search online, fearfully asking, “can humans get distemper?” This knee-jerk reaction, driven by ignorance, was emblematic of our operational model at the time.
Before my arrival, an outbreak of calicivirus, a common and manageable feline illness, resulted in the culling of almost the entire cat population. Behavioral assessments were equally flawed and inhumane. Dogs were sometimes given wet food, only to have it snatched away with a rubber hand, their growls interpreted as aggression warranting immediate euthanasia. Even dogs deemed to have passed this bizarre test faced further scrutiny in stressful, tight-leashed dog-to-dog introductions in confined hallways. Any sign of reactivity was deemed a death sentence. Cats with FIV, FeLV, or any ‘contagious’ condition were also routinely euthanized. We operated under the misguided belief that these conditions rendered them unadoptable and a risk to other shelter animals. These actions were not born of malice, but from a place of profound ignorance and the misguided notion that this was simply “how things were done.” There were no readily available resources, no conferences or training, to challenge these accepted but ultimately devastating practices. Our contracted veterinarian at the time did not provide guidance that would have led us to pursue life-saving measures for more medical cases. While the shame of these decisions remains, it is crucial to acknowledge that my supervisor was a constant advocate for saving more lives. This drive, however nascent, ultimately led us to a pivotal encounter with Dr. Ellen Jefferson and the revolutionary approach of Austin Pets Alive! (APA!).
Discovering the “Pet Alive” Mission with Dr. Ellen Jefferson
Our encounter with Dr. Jefferson occurred at a conference in Southern Virginia. Her keynote speech detailed APA!’s astonishing transformation from a 15% save rate to over 90%. Her message was clear and unwavering: the path to saving lives is paved with the commitment to give every animal a chance, especially those most vulnerable to euthanasia in traditional shelters. I learned that APA!’s core mission was to embrace the “pet alive” philosophy wholeheartedly. This meant actively working to save neo-natal kittens and puppies, cats and dogs battling illnesses like FeLV and distemper – conditions that were automatic death sentences at my shelter. It extended to dogs labeled with ‘behavior’ issues, senior pets with manageable health conditions, kittens with ringworm, dogs with mange (even severe cases), and animals with conditions like diabetes, incontinence, or paralysis. Dr. Jefferson spoke passionately about the battles fought and won to save these vulnerable animals, driven by a powerful goal: to end the unnecessary killing of pets in shelters across the nation.
Coming from an environment where a 90% save rate (excluding owner-requested euthanasia) was considered an aspirational, almost unattainable goal, Dr. Jefferson’s presentation was nothing short of revolutionary. It fundamentally shifted my perspective and the perspectives of many others present that day. When leadership positions opened at Austin Animal Center, my supervisor, a colleague, and I made the life-changing decision to move to Austin. We went to work within the municipal animal shelter and learn directly from the visionary who was proving that pets we had deemed unsavable could, in fact, be saved and thrive. For several transformative years in Austin, we worked in close partnership with Austin Pets Alive!. Together, we successfully elevated the City of Austin to a “noses-in, noses-out” save rate of 97%. This experience immersed me in a world where every pet was genuinely given a fair chance at a live outcome, where no animal was automatically written off as ‘not worth saving.’ This profound shift forced a painful but necessary reckoning with my past choices. It brought into sharp focus the self-deception we had practiced in Virginia, the insidious normalization of pet euthanasia, and the lie that killing pets was simply ‘part of the job.’ The memories of those days, the faces of the pets we failed to save, continue to serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for change.
Austin Pets Alive! Reaching 100,000 Lives Saved: A Beacon of Hope
Today, as we acknowledge APA!’s incredible milestone of saving its 100,000th pet, it’s crucial to recognize that this is far more than just a numerical achievement. It represents tangible hope and proof that the “pet alive” philosophy is not just an ideal, but a practical and achievable reality.
You Are Not Alone in Championing “Pet Alive”
For those currently working or volunteering in animal shelters, grappling with the heartbreaking reality of continued euthanasia, and feeling your spirit break under the weight of it, please know this: you are not alone. If you struggle to endure another day pretending that the killing of these animals is normal, acceptable, or ‘just another day at work,’ understand that your feelings are valid and justified. There is a community, exemplified by Austin Pets Alive!, that has just celebrated saving 100,000 pets – pets that were once deemed too difficult, too sick, or too broken to save. We, the advocates of “pet alive”, are here, we see you, and we understand your struggle. Our doors are open if you need to witness firsthand that a different path is possible, that saving these lives is not only feasible but profoundly worthwhile and that those lives – every single one of them – truly are worth fighting for.
A Heartfelt Thank You for the “Pet Alive” Movement
Austin Pets Alive! and the broader “pet alive” movement are built upon a foundation of love and tireless dedication from countless individuals. From city leadership to passionate community advocates, dedicated staff, committed volunteers, engaged board members, generous donors, supportive funding partners, nurturing foster caregivers, individuals who amplify APA’s stories on social media, influential figures whose lives have been touched by APA’s work, local media outlets, proud adopters, compassionate individuals willing to open their homes to senior pets needing comfort, dedicated dog walkers, consistent supply donors, emergency responders, engaged students spreading the word, those who continuously push for saving even more lives, and every single person moved by the story of one of these 100,000 pets – thank you. From a humble learner in this ongoing journey, thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to make this “pet alive” vision a reality.
