Austin Animal Services Office Announces Addition Of A Public Dashboard

Press release from the City of Austin:

November 5, 2021

The dashboard will provide easy access to performance and measurement data including the number of animals impounded and adopted.

Austin Animal Services Office (ASO) announces the addition of a public dashboard that will provide easy access to performance and measurement data including the number of animals impounded and adopted.

Currently, ASO’s data is only available on the City of Austin Data Portal. The main goal of the new dashboard is to create greater transparency in a format that is easier to use.

The dashboard will be rolled out in phases and the initial phase will consist of the reports that are currently on the City of Austin Data Portal.

Meanwhile, ASO staff will continue to work in coordination with IT to fine tune the remaining data.

You can view the new dashboard at the link below:

https://www.austintexas.gov/austin-animal-center-dashboard

The first phase of the new dashboard includes:

• Intakes by animal
• Animals adopted
• Animals returned to owner
• Animals euthanized
• Total live release rates
• Foster program
• Animal vaccinations
• Spayed/Neutered at shelter
• Animal deaths in shelter/foster care
• Animals transferred to rescue organizations
• Animals lost, stolen, or missing
• SNR program
• Intact animals adopted/returned to owner
• Reporting definitions

After all of the phases are completed, the dashboard will meet all the reporting requirements in City Ordinance No. 20191017-025 and will provide additional dashboard numbers for:

• Animals over four weeks of age that received vaccinations
• Amount of money paid to third-party providers of services to the City-operated animal shelter for emergency medical treatment
• Number of animals spayed or neutered at the shelter
• Number of animals spayed or neutered outside the shelter
• Number of animals that died in the shelter or within the shelter’s foster program
• Number of animals transferred to a rescue organization
• The City-operated animal shelters live release rate goal
• Number of cats released under the animal shelter’s shelter-neuter-return program

“The City of Austin and the Animal Services Office is dedicated to ensuring that information on our programs and services is delivered to the public in a way that makes it easier for them to see what is occurring in our department”, said Don Bland, Animal Services Director. “Transparency is a top priority for us and for the community, and this will help ensure that.”

The Austin Animal Center (AAC) is an open-intake facility where lost and surrendered animals in need of shelter are accepted regardless of age, health, species or breed. The goal of the Austin Animal Center is to place all adoptable animals in forever homes through adoption, foster care, or rescue partner groups.

This press release was produced by the City of Austin. The views expressed here are the author’s own.