In early 2021, when Texas faced one of the most severe winter storms in its history, the Austin Pets Alive! Transport Program emerged out of desperation to save shelter animals across the state.
What began as an urgent effort to move as many pets out of harm’s way as quickly as possible has since evolved into a full-scale program. Now, just four years later, we celebrate an incredible milestone: 10,000 lives saved!
When our teams reflected on the work accomplished in February 2021, it became clear that this was more than just a response to a natural disaster—it was an opportunity to create a lasting pathway for saving at-risk animals.
Over the next four years, the Transport Team built an infrastructure that connected shelters in need to shelters and rescues in communities where demand for pets outpaces the number of available animals. Animals have traveled from as far as deep south Texas all the way to Canada! Our teams coordinate direct transport from originating shelters to receiving shelters or may need to schedule a “pit stop” where pets stay at our APA! Transport Hub until their final leg of the journey is ready.
Meticulously planning each trip, the Transport Team coordinates flights and road transports. They receive urgent pleas from under-resourced shelters that have run out of options for pets with so much life left to give. In response, they connect with shelters and rescues eager to welcome these animals into their care. To date, over 500,000 miles have been traveled, linking more than 200 shelters across the country and saving 10,000 lives—each mile an invaluable step toward a second chance.
Among these many lives are pets like Charlie, our 1,000th transport; Darla, the Golden Retriever puppy saved from euthanasia at the last moment; and Ivy, our 10,000th transport. Each of their stories has been rewritten because of the power of connection and an unwavering commitment to animal welfare.
Sweet Ivy waited for over a year to join a transport. First brought to our attention in June 2023, she was likely overlooked by receiving shelters due to her breed and heartworm-positive status. Ironically, one of the only things keeping her alive while she waited was the same factor that led her to a shelter in the first place. This 9 -year-old pittie mix was seized in a neglect case southwest of Austin. Her original shelter notes read: "Ivy was seized by the city… on the grounds of neglect. She was not being fed and was left attached to a tree with no clean water for her to drink and very little room to move." Because she was part of a court case, her shelter was likely under instruction not to euthanize her for space. Finally, a hero partner stepped up for this deserving dog — foster-based rescue, Fetch WI, based in Madison, Wisconsin offered her a place in their program!
When Ivy entered the shelter system, she was unsurprisingly underweight, but she never let her true spirit fade. With love and care, she regained her health and revealed her super silly and friendly personality to all she meets! She’s always happily greeting her visitors with that classic Pittie smile and tail wags. An APA! Transport Coordinator, Briar Cole shared “you’d never guess how she spent her life before being seized by animal control. She doesn’t show it on her face or through her behavior. She trusts that we’re looking out for her!”
Now on January 30, 2025, we celebrate Ivy, our 10,000th transport! Her story embodies more than just her own journey—it represents the 9,999 animals before her who found safety and love, the dedication of the Transport Team, and the promise of the next 10,000 lives we are committed to saving. DONATE HERE to help us drive them home.
