Stores aren't the only places running Black Friday deals this weekend. Local animal shelters are all desperate for space right now. That means you can get a new dog or cat for a discount or even free.
Every dog currently at the Town Lake Animal Center was on death row. Thanks to Austin Pets Alive, which has a contract with the city to operate the center, all the dogs here have been given a second chance at life.
"We want to keep Austin at a no-kill rate," said Melissa Miller, the public relations manager for Austin Pets Alive. "We want to keep 90 percent of the animals alive and getting adopted."
The reason APA has had to pull so many dogs off the euthanasia list is that Austin's New Animal Center, like just about every other shelter in Central Texas, is at capacity.
"I think it is typical when animal shelters move to a new location," said Miller. "People might not be sure where the new location is or if there is going to be an overflow. Also being a newer, nicer facility, people might think it is safer to drop off their animals, so there may have been an increase in owner surrender. Of course it is the holidays too.
At the main facility on Manchaca Drive, Austin Pets Alive was hosting a Black Friday special. So even though there were several adorable pups of many colors the shelter reduced adoption fees for all black dogs on Friday.
"Even events for certain colored animals tend to bring out more people, because they want to take a look," said Miller. Maybe they will not fall in love with a black animal, but they will take another one home."
And many did, including the Leitao family. They are are fostering several puppies to help with the overflow problem.
"This is our first run, but they know that these puppies need a home besides ours," said Neeca Leitao. "We can not keep all the puppies, but we will keep them long enough for them to be old enough for them to find a home."
Throughout this weekend adoption fees have been waived for all grown dogs at Town Lake, as well as dogs, cats and kittens at both the Austin Humane Society and the Austin Animal Center. Puppy adoption fees vary.
