The Austin Animal Center, which serves the largest no-kill city in the country, is celebrating its fifth anniversary of achieving no-kill status. The center's Animal Protection Office is an integral part of achieving and maintaining this status. In many communities, there is conflict (real or perceived) between the roles of animal control agencies and animal shelters. In Austin, the Animal Protection Office is seamlessly integrated into the shelter's lifesaving efforts through the unit's emphasis on proactive community problem solving and education while maintaining a model rabies control problem and commitment to safety. In this engaging session, hear how Austin's Animal Protection Office leverages limited resources to engage the community in animal welfare and keep people and pets safe. This presentation was recorded at the 2016 American Pets Alive! Conference.
About Lee Ann Shenefiel
Lee Ann Shenefiel is Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer at the Austin Animal Center in Austin, Texas overseeing Animal Protection, outreach and prevention programming and the center's volunteer program.A recognized leader in no-kill animal sheltering, the Austin Animal Center saves over 94% of the almost 18,000 animals it takes in each year. Community-focused programs serve thousands of area residents and help keep pets with their families. Prior to coming to Austin, Lee Ann was the Business Operations Manager at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in northern Virginia and has over a decade in public service with a focus on connecting the community and government resources.
About April Moore
April Moore has served as Animal Protection Supervisor with the Field Services Unit based at the Austin Animal Center for over 10 years. She played an integral role in helping the Animal Services Office become the nation's largest no-kill open intake animal shelter by developing community policies and programs that promote lifesaving and connect community members with the resources needed to keep their pets safe and healthy. The Field Services Unit serves over 1 million residents in the Austin and Travis County area through response to over 30,000 calls for service, emergency response, neighborhood canvassing and outreach events.
About Maria Alvarado
Maria Alvarado is the Program Coordinator for PawEdu, an online education platform offering courses in animal welfare. Maria received her bachelor's degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M University in 2011. Her background includes work in veterinary diagnostics, medical devices, veterinary client relations and pet services. Maria also volunteers with various animal rescue groups in the San Antonio area.
