No-Kill Status Achieved
With a save rate of 94.1 percent for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, Georgetown Animal Shelter has been able to maintain its status as a no-kill shelter for the eighth year in a row. Shelters with a live outcome rate above 90 percent are considered no-kill shelters.
Factors in the live outcome rate include a high rate of animal adoptions, the invaluable support of foster families, increased counseling about rehoming, and partnerships with rescues and other shelters.
Other notable milestones for the 2022 fiscal year include:
- 19.4 percent of animals returned to their owners, including 247 dogs and 16 cats
- 51.3 percent of animals adopted, including 353 dogs and 341 cats
- 32 dogs and 23 cats were transferred to other shelters or rescue groups
Closed for Thanksgiving
The shelter will be closed Thursday-Friday for Thanksgiving (and we are always closed on Wednesdays). We will return to our usual schedule on Saturday, November 26. As always, Animal Control may be reached for urgent calls at 512-930-3510 x6 .
Georgetown Animal Shelter changes hours
Starting Monday, Aug. 29, the Georgetown Animal Shelter will return to appointment-based operations. The shelter will be closed to walk-in traffic.
Staff turnover and an increase in animal intakes have created a need for our staff to better manage workloads while new employees are recruited, hired, and trained. In the interim, appointments will be required to visit the shelter.
- Stray animals will be accepted by appointment only, provided there is space at the shelter. To make an appointment, call 512-930-3592 or email animalsvc@georgetown.org.
- Lost animals will be returned to their owners through appointments. Owners who are missing pets should complete a lost pet report at pets.georgetown.org/lost-pets-2, email a description to animalsvc@georgetown.org, or call 512-930-3592.
- to animalsvc@georgetown.org, or call 512-930-3592.
- Surrendered animals will be accepted only on an emergency basis to minimize the number of animals coming into the shelter. Signs on the door and online will direct people to call for appointments.
- Adoptions will proceed via appointment. Interested adopters can view dogs and cats available for adoption at pets.georgetown.org/available-pets/, and submit an online application. After reviewing the application, staff will reach out to schedule appointments.
- City licenses will be sold at pets.georgetown.org/overview/licensing-your-pets/, or over the phone, email, or postal mail.
- Animal Control will conduct business as usual. Calls for service should be directed to 512-930-3510, option 6.
Appointments to drop off stray animals, surrender animals, and reclaim animals should be made during normal business hours. Residents may contact the shelter by calling 512-930-3592 or emailing animalsvc@georgetown.org.
During this time, the shelter’s hours of operation will be:
- Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Wednesdays – closed
- Thursdays 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Sundays through Sept. 4 noon.-4 p.m.
- Sundays beginning Sept. 11 – closed
- Labor Day, Sept. 5 – closed
If you’re interested in working at the shelter, please see our current openings and consider applying at georgetown.org/jobs/.
Aug. 12 Kittens in the Library
The Georgetown Animal Shelter will host a kitten adoption event from: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. August 12 at The Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
The shelter will bring kittens available for adoption to the library where there will be opportunities to meet, pet, and, hopefully, adopt some kittens.
Adoption fees are $35 at the event, and kittens will be able to go straight home with their new families. A cardboard carrier and kitten food will be provided to adopters.
For more information about animal adoptions, visit pets.georgetown.org.
S.O.S. Adoption Special
It’s the S.O.S. Summer of Saving adoption special! Becauase hot times call for hot measures. The shelter is at max capacity, so we’re offering free adoptions for medium-to-large adult dogs & adult cats.
We have some amazing dogs and cats that will sell themselves if you give them a chance. All they want is love and a cool place to lay their heads. Come down to meet them this week!
We’re open 12-4 Saturday-Sunday and 11-6 Monday-Friday (closed Wednesdays). Appointments are not required, but they are encouraged for priority service.
Shelter Closed June 19-21
TUESDAY UPDATE: The shelter will be closed again today, June 21. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience. We expect to be open on Thursday, but please check in before visiting.
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Due to staffing shortages, the Georgetown Animal Shelter will be closed Sunday, June 19 and Monday, June 20.
During this time, we do have a giant favor to ask. If you find a lost dog or cat, please speak with your neighbors and post on social media first. You may also take the pet to a Georgetown fire station to have it scanned for a microchip.
If you or your neighbors cannot safely care for the animal during this time, then please call Animal Control at 512-930-3510 ext. 6.
We anticipate returning to our normal schedule on Tuesday, June 21.
We apologize for any inconvenience. With this plan, and with the community’s help, we can make sure the animals in Georgetown still get the care they need. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Pet microchip scanners at Georgetown fire stations
Lost pets in Georgetown now have another way of finding their way home. Thanks to a new partnership between Georgetown Animal Services and the Georgetown Fire Department, residents who find loose dogs and cats will be able to take them to any fire station to have them scanned for a microchip.
Georgetown Animal Services has delivered microchip scanners to fire stations across the City of Georgetown and provided instructions on using them.
If a found animal has a microchip, firefighters can collaborate with microchip companies, veterinarian offices, and others to obtain the owner’s contact information, with the goal of returning the pet home without taking up a spot at the local shelter.
“The shelter has a finite amount of space,” Animal Services Manager April Haughey said. “When we have high intake numbers and no space, it is extremely helpful to keep even one animal out of the shelter. By returning an animal home without ever passing through the shelter, we not only reunite families, but also create valuable space at the shelter for other animals who need to come in.”
Fire stations are strategically placed around town to have the fastest response time to any call for service and will help keep animals in their neighborhoods.
“The objective of this program is to create options to get pets back home faster,” Deputy Fire Marshall and Community Risk Officer Jonathan Gilliam said. “We have good people in Georgetown who truly care about animals. This will save time and get the animals back home.”
Each microchip company is different in how they go about contacting an owner, Haughey said.
“If the owner is okay with the finder bringing it home after being contacted, and the finder is willing, they can meet up and get the animal back home,” she said. “If an animal does not have a microchip, the finder can still bring it to the City’s shelter.”
The fire stations are not able to take possession of any pets. If owners cannot be reached or identified, fire personnel can give guidance as to the next steps.
Tweetalong with Animal Control
April 19, 2022
During Animal Control Officers Appreciation Week, we decided to join Animal Control Supervisor Angela Jones for a tweetalong to learn about her, her job, and see a day in the life of an animal control officer in Georgetown.
While no two workdays are the same for a lot of us, when it comes to animal control, Jones said anything is possible. From loose dogs and stray cats to wildlife and loose livestock, Jones told us to be prepared for anything.
See a recap of the day here.
GTX Residents: New 2022 Dates for Cat Spay/Neuter Clinics
The Georgetown Animal Shelter announced the dates of two additional free spay/neuter clinic for cats for 2022 – June 25 and July 23, both Saturdays. The goal of the clinics is to reduce the cat population in Georgetown. This is the eleventh year that the shelter has offered free spay/neuter clinics for cats in an effort to address overpopulation.
Spay and neuter surgeries and a rabies vaccination will be provided at no charge. Other services available at the clinic include a FIV/FeLV test for $20, an FVRCP vaccine for $5, microchip for $10, e-collar for $10, or cat carrier for $5.
Appointments are required for the free clinics, which are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and are not necessarily for low-income cat owners. Cats or kittens must be at least three months old. Residents may sign up for two cats per clinic.
The clinic is offered only for cats whose owners live in the Georgetown City Limits, so you will need to provide proof of your current address.
Call (512) 930-3592 to schedule your cat for surgery. All spay or neuter surgeries will be done by a licensed veterinarian.
The spay and neuter clinic will be held at the City of Georgetown Animal Shelter at 110 W.L. Walden Drive near the McMaster Athletic Fields. Contact the shelter at (512) 930-3592 or by email at animalsvc@georgetown.org. The City of Georgetown Animal Shelter website is pets.georgetown.org.
Spring Adoption Special
We’re celebrating spring and the love that blooms between humans and their furry companions! 
Adoption fees are only $20 for selected dogs and cats:
Adult cats (older than 7 months)
Adult dogs (older than 7 months) – medium to large in size
The fees for senior dogs and cats (7 years or older) are waived with approved applications. Small dogs, puppies and kittens are only $70-75.
