Pack Team 4 - SDR

08/03/2024

Experience the excitement of Olympic Synchronized Tail-Wagging! 🤣

07/04/2024

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07/02/2024

07/01/2024

I’m so sad about this. I wish the shelter could get more funding. 😢

Effective tomorrow, July 2, we have made the very difficult decision to close intake. Exceptions will be made for animals with life-threatening illness or injury, or those that present a clear public safety risk. Previously scheduled appointments will still be honored; no further appointments will be scheduled at this time.

If you find a sick or injured animal:

1. Call 311, advise them that you need assistance with a sick or injured animal and ask to speak with an Animal Protection Officer.

2. Wait for an Animal Protection Officer to pick up the animal. Do not bring the animal to the shelter.

If you have found a loose pet that is not injured, please visit our Lost and Found Pet website for guidance: bit.ly/lostfoundaac

We did not make this decision lightly.

Post-pandemic life looks very different in animal welfare. Shelters everywhere are struggling; adoptions have slowed down, particularly for dogs. The average length of stay for dogs since 2019 has doubled nationally, and it’s no different for us. Our average length of stay for all dogs in 2019 was 19 days. This year, it is 37.8 days.

In the past few months we have:

- Filled two temp positions to help with our foster program.

- Offered rescue partners $500 to pull any medium/large dog, $250 for a small dog, and $50 per cat.

- Contracted extra days with a high volume spay/neuter veterinarian to expedite surgeries for adoptable animals.

- Launched a VIP adoption program to provide an option similar to foster-to-adopt.

- Put 24 dogs in boarding at a cost of $5-6,000 per week since the end of April.

- Launched a finder-to-foster program.

Adoption fees have been waived since June 2023.

On July 18th, we will have an item in front of City Council to approve a contract with another organization (in addition to our contract with Emancipet) to provide more community spay/neuter services.

We need your help, Austin. Achieving the level of no-kill that we do (over 95% live release rate) is simply not possible without our community’s assistance.

06/23/2024

My heart goes out to the lost pup in Austin, Texas! If you happen to come across her, please contact Jack Jack's Pack immediately at 737-704-4459 or 512-470-9877!! She's lost in the Greenbelt and still just a baby at eight months old. Let's help bring her back home! 🐾 Valerie Henson PT4

06/14/2024

How are you planning to celebrate Flag Day? "When in doubt, wear red, white, and blue." 📅🇺🇸

06/04/2024

Hey everyone, after twelve years of service, I've decided to reorganize Pack Team 4 Street Dog Rescues. I’m not sure exactly what that’s going to look like yet. I want to let you know that I'm forever grateful for all your support! Do you have a question? email me at [email protected]
Sincerely, Valerie Henson. 💜

There are two groups diligently trapping dogs in the Austin and surrounding areas Jack Jack's Pack Street Dog Rescue and TRAPRS - Trapping, Rescue, and Pet Recovery Service

05/21/2024

Are you a rare foster who loves caring for babies? 🐣JJP needs your help! You will receive full support from Jack Jack's Pack, who recently found homes for nine German Shepherd puppies and twelve lab puppies by hosting adoption events most weekends. JJP will cover all expenses. Please call or text Sasha at 512 470-9877 and mention Mia, the mama's name. You would be a lifesaver. Sasha has a plan.🙏😇💜
Watch this video below, you will melt 🫶
https://www.facebook.com/reel/787980869965159

05/09/2024

A CALL TO ACTION IN SUPPORT OF CHANGE AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER

WHAT: A peaceful sidewalk demonstration ✌️

WHEN: Saturday, May 11, 2024, arrive at 12:30 pm. Demonstration begins at 1:00pm (and will last until approximately 3:00pm)

WHERE: The sidewalk along Congress Avenue Bridge (and Congress Avenue, as needed) Meet at the old Austin American Statesman parking lot:

305 South Congress Avenue

Keep Austin No-Kill:New Management NOW Count me in! A CALL TO ACTION IN SUPPORT OF CHANGE AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER WHAT: A peaceful sidewalk demonstrationWHEN: Saturday, May 11, 2024, arrive at 12:30 pm. Demonstration begins at 1:00pm (and will last until approximately 3:00pm) WHERE: The sidewalk alo...

03/10/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/UidbzhNZhRJd6cjQ/?mibextid=QwDbR1

[THE RAISED PAW HAS A MEANING]
Do you ever notice that your dog lifts her paw while sniffing or observing something, or maybe during a social interaction? This is not a coincidence. In fact, it is communication. 🙂

Dogs will often lift one of their paws - left or right, front or back - during a moment of uncertainty. They noticed something in their environment they are not sure about. This may be something they are interested in or worried about.

In a social context, for example when meeting another dog or human (or even an object), a raised paw is a calming signal, one of the many body language signals first described by our teacher and dog behaviour expert Turid Rugaas. Calming signals are used by dogs when a situation is becoming tense or uncomfortable and they are trying to keep the peace and be polite. 🐶🐶

A paw lift is usually nothing to worry about - a dog just needs a moment to make up her mind. In meetings, it should be interpreted together with other calming signals. Sometimes we may need to help our dogs de-escalate the situation and sometimes they will do so on their own, through precisely this type of communication. How do we know when to intervene? There is no simple answer, but the more we study body language and the more we observe our dog, the easier it becomes to decide. Turid Rugaas' book On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals is a great place to start. We recommend it to all our clients and dog carers everywhere. 👍

To find out more about body language, why not take a look at this blog post: https://www.smilingleash.com/blog/really-seeing-your-dog

P.S.: A paw lift is a calming signal used by all breeds and is not to be confused with pointing, a behaviour developed in certain hunting breeds and used for indicating prey. When pointing, the whole body of the dog is engaged is a specific stance.

01/11/2024

Hey there, just wanted to share some good news with you! A dog was safely rescued by Jack Jack's Pack and Pack Team 4 - SDR yesterday. Long story short, we followed the dog for several blocks by car until we finally caught up with him. He crossed William Cannon and was almost hit. I was terrified for him. He had been out been out for over 24 hours. Thankfully, he is now in good hands! Chas Jacquier made a textbook capture with a snappy snare when the dog ran between two houses. I also helped by securing the dog further with a catch pole around his neck. Check out the photo; you can see the snare on the ground, which unfortunately broke, but we were still able to rescue the pup and before the freeze!

12/31/2023

Hey there! Have you heard about the amazing Lost Pet Recovery training course that Kat Albrecht-Thiessen has put together? It's the perfect opportunity to learn all the essential skills you need to become a pro at finding lost pets. You'll be able to connect with other MAR TRAINED rescuers and receive additional training and support. Trust me, this is an incredible chance to make a real difference in the lives of lost pets and their owners. Don't miss out! 🐕

The Missing Animal Response Network will be holding two different online training courses that start in January. Why not give the gift of TRAINING for Christmas for the pet rescuer or pet industry worker in your life? This training is excellent for anyone involved in working with dogs or cats.

MAR FIELD COURSE - where we teach everything you need to know about lost pet behaviors, recovery techniques and technologies, tips and tricks to increase your recovery rates, humane trapping and luring, forensics and much more. Course is 8-weeks long, meets every Monday at 5pm PST / 8pm EST starting Monday January 8th. Cost $350.00.

MAR K9 TRAINING - where our instructor gives you homework for your dog to learn how to track the scent trail of a lost pet. You then videotape your dog (using a GoPro) as you do your homework, upload it to a secret page, we evalaute your videos, discuss this with you, and assign new homwork. We offer these in rounds of 10 weeks, but it typically takes 5 rounds of consistent training (almost a year of training) for your dog to be ready to work cases. This K9 training meets every Tues at 10am PST / 1pm EST starting on Tuesday January 16th. Cost for 1 round of training is $750.00.

You can also make "split payments" when you regsiter if finances are tight. To learn more or to secure your space, visit our registration page at:
https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/missing-animal-response-training-registration/

12/24/2023

May the peace and joy of Christmas be with you today and throughout the New Year. 🎄2023🥳2024

07/07/2023

Thank you!!! The deposit has been covered. 💜🐕
6 years ago, we were told that Ruby should be put down by a trainer because she was a risk of biting. The trainer never evaluated her because the Good Samaritan watched the entire time. We had her re-evaluated by another trainer, and since has been living with a family. Recently family dynamics changed, and the mom is moving into an apartment and wants to keep Ruby with her, but the deposit is more than she can afford. Can you please help? We only have to raise $100 more.

I am helping raise funds to cover the pet deposit for Ruby’s mom. She is going through… Marcela Curran needs your support for Help Ruby stay with her mom!

07/05/2023

Your newly adopted dog has just arrived and off you go, racing ahead, thinking of all the wonderful things you’re going to do together.

Long hikes, playing in the local park, chilling at your local dog-friendly cafe, visiting family, and even a play date with the dog at number 12? All these things and more...

Just remember your dog has her own wants and needs. She has her own history.

She hasn’t rolled off a production line, pre-packed to slot in to your world.

She’s an individual, a sentient being with her own preferences and feelings.

No one’s saying you can’t both enjoy all or some of the above, but she needs time to get to know and trust you first.

She needs time to rest and adapt to her new life.

Take time to get to know your dog, understand what she is communicating to you and be patient while you gradually gain her trust.

Slow down your expectations in those early days, then take a deep breath and slow yourself some more.

Be kind. Be patient. Respect what she is communicating.

Give her space to make her own choices whenever you can and do your best to look at things from your dog’s point of view.

Don't rush things that need time to grow.

©️ Caring for Rescued ex Street Dogs 2018/ revised 2020

06/24/2023

"This is how I DON'T share." 🤣
Sleep isn't an excuse to give up control.
Love, Olive

06/09/2023

Update: A Temp Foster has been found! It might just be someone you know. (not me)🎊 More to come..❤️

I need your help. Maggie goes to her foster mom on 6/18/23. 🎉(In nine days) But I would like to trap her next week, and I need someone with experience to keep her safe for a few days before she heads to her foster mom. I want her to decompress, sleep, and come down from her eleven months of surviving on the streets. Her potential rescue Austin German Shepherd Rescue still needs to evaluate her before she goes. If she doesn't pass her evaluation, she has a scheduled intake appointment with Austin Animal Center on the 29th. Could you help me? AGSR will supply you with her with food and supplies. The longest she might be with you is until the morning of June 29th. Austin, Texas.
First Video: https://vimeo.com/828828996/808fd30dea?share=copy
Second Video: https://vimeo.com/832930302?share=copy
Third Video: https://vimeo.com/834388314?share=copy

This is "Street Dog Maggie" by Pack Team 4 Street Dog Rescues on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

06/03/2023

We are very close to getting Maggie off the streets.... meanwhile... a couple of skunks decided to take over Maggie's feeding station! In the end, I think they called a truce. 🤣🦨
Click on video.

This is "Skunk(s) took over Maggie's feeding station!" by Pack Team 4 Street Dog Rescues on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people…

04/22/2023

Update. Olive has been adopted! 👋❤️🎉🎉🎉

Olive is available for adoption in Austin, Texas. Please get in touch with [email protected]. 😍 Turn up the volume!

03/29/2023

The Street Dog Coalition is back!
Austin Clinic
Friday, April 21, 2023
10:00 AM 1:00 PM
Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center
4430 Menchaca RoadAustin, TX, 78745United States (map)
Our Austin, TX team will be hosting a street clinic for pets of people experiencing homelessness on Friday, April 21 from 10am to 1pm. They will be set up at the Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center. Services being offered include free physical exams, vaccinations, parasite control, and spay-neuter vouchers. Dogs and cats welcome. https://www.thestreetdogcoalition.org/clinics-and-events/2023/1/28/austin-clinic

03/17/2023

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2023!

02/04/2023

🐕

A HIGHLY effective method for finding the owner/guardian of a found dog is to place large, FOUND DOG signs at the intersection near where you found the dog. Oftentimes, the dog you've recovered has only been lost for a few hours...during a time the dog's owner is at work and is not even aware their dog is lost! So by you putting out highly visible signs immediately, you can often catch the attention of the panicked dog owner who is driving frantically in the neighborhood seeing if they can find their dog. PLEASE SHARE this important tip in your network!

02/02/2023

Amazing!

01/25/2023

Hey Austin, print a few out and hand them to the folks you see at the lights with pets! The Street Dog Coalition will be giving out FREE pet care! Saturday, January 28 from 11am to 2pm. They will be set up behind University Baptist Church on the Drag, 2130 Guadalupe.

https://www.thestreetdogcoalition.org/clinics-and-events/2023/1/28/austin-clinic

01/22/2023

Yes!!! This applies to dog pictures too! I often have to put Lost Pet Posters together and find that I have to settle on a picture that doesn't show the whole dog. Thanks for the post, Kim. 📸🐕🐈

If only ONE THING I could beg cat owners to do? Stop and take a useful picture of your cat. Right now.

Make sure your cat is standing up, side view, facing the camera against a plain background. WHY? You need the perfect photo should you ever have to make lost cat posters or use it for identification purposes.

The point is to show your cat as others will see it outside, not curled up sleeping in your bed.

As a cat detective, I'm amazed at the photos missing cat owners use in flyers: cats upside down, asleep, lying on their side, or curled up in a bed.

Make it easy for people to recognize your cat! My recent case files include a cat lost during a home invasion, fire, flood and even simply a kid leaving a back door wide open.

A good clear picture could make all the difference in your recovery effort. I think it's one of the simplest most important preventative measure you can take. And you can do it RIGHT NOW. Totally free.

A close second would be getting your cat microchipped. JUST IN CASE. Thank you!