A group of Austin animal agencies are working together to make Austin a 'no-kill' city.
The coalition includes the Town Lake Animal Center, Emancipet, Animal Trustees of Austin and The Austin Humane Society.
If it were up to pet owner Mandy Hall, no healthy pet would ever have to be euthanized.
"I get so sad when I see a little puppy without a home and I know everyone does," Hall said.
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New animal coalition forms
The new group wants to put an end to animal euthanasia.
 
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But the reality is much different. According to Emily Jourdan with the SPCA of Greater Austin, the city's only 'kill shelter' is euthanizing about 58 percent of the animals that come through its doors.
"Not all [animals are] adoptable because obviously you are going to have some vicious dogs. And some with grave or poor prognosis which means inoperable, too ill to save and cats as well," Jourdan said.
Some healthy animals are also being put down.
The newly formed coalition's goal is to put a stop to pet euthanization in Austin within the next five to 10 years.
"It's so exciting that everybody wants to get on board because it's a winning formula … Austin's such a cool town and we're such animal lovers," Jourdan said.
Coalition members say they are prepared to work outside-the-box.
Their goals include getting adoptable animals out of the shelter and getting more people to bring in their pets or strays to be spayed or neutered.
Kelli Alexander with Emancipet said it can do more with its resources, but it needs the community's support.
"We're doing about 50 spays or neuters a day. And really we could take that up to 160. So, if we were able to maximize the space that we're in and do 160 sterilizations a day, that would make a huge dent in the overpopulation problem," Alexander said.
