Animal Services
Questions and Answers from the most recent public meetings in regards to the new shelter.
Town Lake Animal Center is the largest animal shelter in Central Texas, providing shelter to more than 23,000 animals each year and animal control services to all of Austin and Travis County. A division of the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department, the shelter is an open-intake facility - no animal will be turned away.
What's New
Become a Foster Parent for Austin’s Animals
Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department’s Animal Services took in over 20,000 animals last year. This included thousands of underage puppies and kittens. If these very young animals have an opportunity to thrive they can be adopted out into a loving, permanent home. That’s where the city shelter’s Foster Program can make a tremendous difference.
To qualify as a foster home parent, residents should live in Travis County, have a valid picture ID and have regular access to the internet. All animals in a foster home must have current rabies vaccinations. If the prospective foster parent rents, we will need permission from the landlord to foster at the address. Ideally, there should also be enough room in the foster home to separate them from owned animals.
You do not need any special training or skills to be a foster parent for homeless animals in Central Texas. Just a little room, a little extra time and a lot of love!
Click here for more information on becoming a foster home parent.
Animal Services Draft Documents
Review draft documents for increasing live outcomes.
Start your New Year with a commitment to a humane community!
Consider enrolling in the City’s free “Identifying and Reporting Animal Cruelty” class.
Date/Time: January 20, 6:30-7:30 PM.
Location:
- Town Lake Animal Center
- 1156 West Cesar Chavez
- Austin, TX 78703
Who: All can attend. The class is open to both the public and COA employees.
Enrollment instructions:
Registration is required to attend the class. To register, please select the Training link from the column above-left and complete the on-line registration form. Select the class from a drop down menu in the registration page.
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/health/registration_form.cfm
Virtual Pet Behaviorist
Now you can get pet-behavior advice from ASPCA experts 24 hours a day, right from your computer. Our nationally recognized team of animal behaviorists offers possible solutions to a wide range of issues at no charge. Simply type your pet's behavior problem into our easy-to-use database, and you'll receive step-by-step advice without leaving home.
QLESS
Don't want to wait in line? TLAC has a new paging system!
Use your cell phone to reserve your place in line.
Call 512-687-1472 or text "town lake" to 310-740-7906
We'll call you when it's your turn.
Hours of Operation
Shelter:
Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed City Holidays
Stray or unwanted animals can be safely dropped off at the shelter before or after hours in one of our overnight holding pens.
Animal Protection and Control:
Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
City Holidays, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Officers on-call overnight to respond to emergencies
Administrative Offices:
Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed City Holidays
Location
1156 W. Cesar Chavez St
Austin, TX 78703
Click here for directions.
Mailing address:
Town Lake Animal Center
PO Box 1088
Austin, TX 78767
Programs
Town Lake Animal Center provides a number of animal-related services to Austin and Travis County, including Animal Protection & Control, a Pet Lost & Found, Pet Adoptions, and Rabies Quarantine.
Because the shelter accepts accept all animals, regardless of health or behavior, and because there is a significant problem of pet overpopulation in our community, the shelter does euthanize animals that have no other humane option for lifetime care.
