Austin’s city animal shelter is waiving adoption fees through May 17 as part of the Bissell Foundation’s nationwide “Empty the Shelters” campaign, one of a number of strategies new director Monica Dangler is using to move more animals into new homes.

Intake restrictions and overcrowding have been a persistent problem at the Austin Animal Center. Dangler, who has led Austin Animal Services since February, says reopening intake at the shelter more fully to found and stray animals depends on moving animals out of the shelter faster and making sure more residents know about adoption and foster programs already available.

“A lot of people don’t even know where the shelter is,” Dangler says in an interview with CultureMap. “So part of this is making people aware of what’s available and helping them connect with the right animal.”

Pet adoption surged nationally during the pandemic, but that boom did not fully arrive at Austin Animal Center. Shelter data shows the city shelter system hit record adoption numbers in 2019, with more than 9,400 animals adopted before COVID-19 disrupted shelter operations nationwide. Adoption numbers dropped by nearly half in 2020 and, despite some recovery in recent years, have yet to return to that pre-pandemic peak as the shelter continues to face capacity pressures.

A large number of animals in Austin’s shelter system are currently living in foster care rather than inside the shelter itself. Part of Dangler’s effort to boost adoptions involves using the Adopets platform to connect adopters directly with foster caregivers, who can upload photos, videos, and notes about pet behavior, preferences, and temperament. A new red button on each animal’s profile allows potential adopters to begin the adoption process directly with the foster caregiver.

"When you hit that button and fill out your application, it goes directly to the foster themselves," Dangler says. "So, it's taking us out as the middleman, whereas, in the past, it had to go through us first."

Wrestlers at a March lucha libre event helped promote pet adoptions outside Austin Animal Center at 7201 Levander Loop.Photo from Austin Animal Services/Facebook

Staff at the shelter are also trying to rethink how they guide potential adopters through the process, redirecting visitors toward other pets that may be a better fit rather than ending conversations after one unsuccessful match.

Dangler says many visitors to the shelter are also unfamiliar with programs like Doggie Day Out and Doggie Sleepover, which allow people to temporarily take dogs out of the shelter for outings and short home stays, giving animals a break from kennel life while helping adopters interact with potential pets. The shelter also hosts multiple on-site events, such as Kittypalooza 2026, and participates in community fairs around the city.

“Not everybody is able to walk in the door and immediately say, ‘Yep, I’m taking that dog,’” Dangler says. “We want to give people opportunities to see how a pet fits into their home and their family.”

Large dogs currently stay at the shelter an average of about 56 days, while small dogs and puppies average about 15 days, Dangler says. Cats stay an average of 24 days. Reducing those stays is one of Dangler’s primary goals as director. She says she would like to cut average stays for large dogs closer to 30 days, reduce cat stays to about two weeks, and move puppies and small dogs out the door and into homes in closer to four days.

Dangler says maintaining Austin’s no-kill status begins long before dogs and cats ever enter the shelter system. It begins with responsible pet ownership in the community, making sure all pets are microchipped and wear collars and ID tags. It also relies on community members to reunite lost pets with their owners in the community, rather than taking them to a shelter, unless those animals pose a public safety threat, Dangler says.

“We cannot stay no-kill just by saying it,” Dangler says. “We all have to participate.”