NEED TO KNOW
- One dog is dead after a break-in at an animal shelter in Texas
- An individual broke into Austin’s Pets Alive’s Town Lake Animal Center and “released the majority of the dogs from their kennels,” the shelter said in a statement
- At least five dogs were injured in the incident
One dog is dead after a break-in at an animal shelter in Texas.
An individual broke into Austin’s Pets Alive’s Town Lake Animal Center in Austin, Texas, on Thursday, Aug. 14, and “released the majority of the dogs from their kennels,” according to a statement from the organization.
As a result, “at least five dogs sustained injuries and one tragically passed away,” APA said.
Break-in at Austin Pets Alive.
The injured dogs are in stable condition and are being treated by a veterinarian.
The incident occurred while the animal shelter was closed overnight.
APA has overnight security at the facility. However, the security guard was unable to control the dogs after they were let loose, the shelter added.
The facility also houses cats, but said all of its felines “are safe and unharmed.”
Several dogs said to be missing after the incident have all been safely located by staff and volunteers. The shelter said the dogs are “terrified after the ordeal.”
An Austin Police Department (APD) case report provided by APA stated that the incident occurred around 1:20 a.m. local time.
Found dogs after break-in at Austin Pets Alive.
When staff members arrived at the facility, they “secured the animals” and “returned them to their respective enclosures,” according to the case report.
The security guard was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The shelter said they were not notified of the incident until around 6 a.m. local time.
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“This is an incredibly difficult morning for our team. The dog that passed was surrounded by people who loved him, and we will be honoring his life in a separate internal announcement,” APA president and CEO Dr. Ellen Jefferson said in a statement.
“Currently, our priority is the safety of our dogs and cats, as well as the well-being of our staff. We are working to relocate terrified dogs to foster homes as quickly as possible, where they can recover,” she added.
This case remains under investigation.
