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Austin Pets Alive!’s unique Elgin hub celebrated saving 10,000 animal lives through its relocation program last weekend with a well-deserved send off.
Ivy, a roughly nine-year-old dog from the Hondo Animal Shelter, was found tied to a tree with no food or clean water. She spent more than a year on the Elgin Transportation Hub’s relocation list before embarking on her long trip to Wisconsin.
A neglect case, it was court ordered that Ivy not be euthanized and she bounced around several Texas shelters.
“We knew she was special, she went through a lot,” Senior Director of Care Clare Callison said, noting that Ivy was unrecognizably skinny compared to her current hefty stature. “(Shelters) tried hard and we found her a home. She was destined to be our 10,000.”
The transport program based at 929 Old McDade Road has saved over 2,500 animals since moving to Elgin in April. The program began in 2021 to help overcrowded rural Texas shelters connect with rescue partners across the country.
The local hub now coordinates transport, provides health certifications and offers care for animals during layovers. Animals are assessed for health and behavior before being placed with appropriate rescue partners who can provide the necessary care and rehoming services.
“It came out of necessity, we didn’t really have a great plan. A lot of Texas shelters were looking for help,” Callison said.
Texas is among the worst states for shelter euthanasia rates, according to Callison. Many rural shelters operate with minimal resources and limited space, often facing difficult choices without rescue support.
The program’s network of over 50 partners provides relief by relocating animals to areas where demand for adoption is higher. Shelters in northern states often have fewer stray animals and higher adoption rates, making them ideal partners for the initiative.
Ivy was among 25 dogs and five cats transported to rescue partners in Wisconsin and Minnesota Jan. 30.
“We didn’t want her to be overlooked or left behind,” Callison added.
The program aims to save 3,000 animals in its first year at the Elgin location and 8,000 within three years.
A $10,000 matching donation is currently in place to support continued rescue efforts, APA! said, thanks to generous donors like Best Friends Animal Society, PetSmart Charities, Petco Love, the Meadows Foundation and the Pedigree Foundation.
Visit www.austinpetsalive. org for more information.
