Dogs, Cats, Pets & Animal Friendly Resources

Animal Trustees of Austin is a non-profit animal welfare organization helping lost, abused and abandoned animals in Austin and surrounding counties. Besides rescuing, fostering and placing homeless dogs and cats in the Austin community, Animal Trustees of Austin provides affordable wellness care as well as sterilization surgery to prevent the birth of unwanted dogs and cats. Animal Trustees of Austin does not return any animals to a shelter or euthanize them if they are not adopted. In addition, all Animal Trustees of Austin animals are spayed or neutered before adoption and receive a complete series of tests and vaccinations.

Formed in 1952, the Austin Humane Society is the city's largest no-kill, non-profit pet adoption center and is dedicated to saving Austin's homeless cats and dogs, educating the Austin community about responsible pet ownership and reducing pet overpopulation. The Austin Humane Society is a no-kill facility that accepts adoptable animals from owners, but space is limited and they do not handle strays. The Austin Humane Society also offers pet loss support groups and dog training classes.

Established in 1955 and still family owned, Bark 'N Purr carries a large selection of specialty pet foods, including organic dog and cat foods, general pet supplies and small pets such as the ferrets, gerbils, hamsters and guinea pigs. Bark 'N Purr also provides grooming services including hydro-surge baths, flea baths, nail and coat trimming, blow drying and teeth brushing. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable, especially on holistic and natural pet care, and pets are allowed in the store.

Austin is fortunate to have 12 leash free dog parks, the largest number of leash free dog parks in any Texas city. Only two of the parks, the Norwood Estate and the West Austin Dog Park on West 10th Street, are fully enclosed by fencing. When not in these specified leash free areas, the Austin leash ordinance requires dogs to be on a leash no longer than 6 feet on all City land and the violation of this ordinance can result in a maximum fine of up to $500.

Begun as a chick hatchery after World War II, Tomlinson's has served the Austin area since 1946. Tomlinson's has four retail stores in the Austin area and specializes in selling premium pet food and supplies. Tomlinson's has also made a name for itself by having a knowledgeable staff experienced in various areas of pet ownership. Discount programs are available for frequent buyers of certain dog and cat food brands. Besides the location on Airport and 49-1/2 Street, Tomlinson's has locations in South Austin on Ben White at South Lamar Boulevard, in West Lake Hills and in Cedar Park.

The largest animal shelter in Central Texas, the Town Lake Animal Center is an open-intake facility and no animal is turned away. Because all animals are accepted regardless of health or behavior, the shelter does euthanize animals that have no other humane option for lifetime care. Besides animal control, Town Lake Animal Center provides a number of animal-related services to Austin and Travis County including a pet lost and found, pet adoptions, pet registration and rabies quarantine. Animal control officers are always on-call to respond to animal control emergencies.

Family owned and operated, Rainbow Bridge Pet Crematory is a full-service company providing pickup of your pet at your veterinary hospital or home, the individual cremation process, placing the cremated remains in an urn and the return of the remains. Pets are cremated in a private setting with no intermingling of ashes. In addition to individual cremation, Rainbow Bridge also offers communal cremation at a lower cost as an alternative to landfill disposal, but pet ashes are not returned.