May 06, 2024

Transporting pets from Texas to shelters across the country, even as far as Canada, isn’t a new process for APA!.. We’ve done it hundreds of times at this point, with our Transport Program beginning out of desperation to save pets across Texas during Winter Storm Uri in January of 2021. Whether by air or by road, our team has worked with many partner shelters both in Texas and throughout the U.S. to save dogs and cats who otherwise wouldn’t have made it out of the shelter system alive.

The latest milestone for APA! is the establishment of the APA! Transport Hub, a dedicated space tailored to our Transport Program’s needs. This hub, inaugurated recently, marks a significant step forward. While not every pet we assist needs to pass through Austin, many do for a brief ‘pit stop’ while awaiting transfer to their receiving shelter. Previously, we faced logistical challenges housing these animals at our main shelter, sometimes impacting the availability of space for local pets in need. Now, with the APA! Transport Hub, we have a dedicated facility ensuring the smoothest possible transit experience.

Housing pets at our main shelter location at times caused some logistical issues for other pets in Austin who needed a safe haven. And even though we’ll continue to plea for short-term fosters for transport pets who need to hang out in Austin for a small period of time, this transport hub allows us the ability to be flexible and will be the dedicated location for everything we need to ensure that the pets’ travel is as seamless as possible.

On Tuesday, April 22, we successfully completed our first transport out of the APA! Transport Hub. Getting ready for these transports happens in the wee hours of the night and while no small feat, the Transport team has the process well-choreographed and this new space refined that even further as it allows more space to move around, get the pets walked and ready to load up.

April 22 Transport Itinerary:

1:00 AM: Alarm goes off, throw on some work clothes and go!

1:30 AM: Arrive in Elgin, start setting up flight kennels and collect paperwork and airport “go bag”

1:35 AM: Start dog walks

2:30 AM: Start loading dogs and cats into flight kennels

3:30 AM: Leave for airport

4:00 AM: Arrive at airport, unload dogs and cats on the tarmac and organize by destination airport

4:05 AM: Pilot arrives and does pre flight check

4:15 AM: Load dogs and cats into the plane — a game of tetris!

4:45 AM: Prepare for take off

5:00 AM: Take off! The dogs and cats are off to find their loving homes!

Each transport represents a lifeline for dogs and cats who might otherwise face euthanasia in under-resourced shelters. Through our Transport Program, we’ve forged a network of compassionate individuals and organizations committed to improving the welfare of shelter animals. We are immensely proud and grateful for the APA! Transport Hub, a vital asset in our mission to save the lives of countless pets and contribute to reducing the needless euthanasia rates in shelters across Texas.

Source: Austin Pets Alive