If a pet owner’s animal isn’t fixed and finds its way to the Austin Animal Center, that owner will spend a pretty penny getting it back. It’s $100 for the first impound fee, $5 a day for room and board, and a $50 fine to avoid a spay/neuter. City code currently gives the Animal Services director the power to spay/neuter on the second impoundment without the owner’s consent, but some, including a group called Spay/Neuter Advocates for Austin and City Council Member Ora Houston, want to change that rule to mandatory spay/neuter after first impound. Animal Services Chief Tawny Hammond warned Council in a Nov. 3 memo that doing so could increase population at the shelter and thus put the city’s highly touted no-kill designation in jeopardy. Council Member Delia Garza proposed three amendments to the language, trying to clarify that the sterilization would remain the owner’s decision. Houston objected to the amendments on grounds that they were “complicating” the issue, and the Spay/Neuter Advocates demanded time to consider and propose changes. The whole topic will be revisited on Dec. 8.
This article appears in November 18 • 2016.