Lance Winter
AUSTIN — PAWS Shelter of Central Texas plans to reopen its Kyle campus, expand care at its Dripping Springs shelter and retain its staff under a merger with Austin Pets Alive! (APA) announced Sept. 22.
The two organizations are working through a new initiative called Hays County Pets Alive!. PAWS will continue operating under its name at both locations, with administrative, medical and operational support from APA.
Suzie Chase, community affairs officer for APA, said leaders of the two organizations began discussing a merger earlier this summer, in hopes of sustaining PAWS’ decades of work in Hays County.
Reopening the Kyle shelter is a priority, Chase said. Facility evaluations are underway and the organizations expect the campus could reopen within approximately 60 days. Adoptions and foster support would return first, with services for foster animals, including spay and neuter surgeries and medical care, added later.
The Dripping Springs campus remains open. The organizations plan to increase surgery days, medical care and the number of animals adopted there, though Chase said details have yet to be finalized.
“No positions have been eliminated and there is no plan for layoffs,” Chase said. “Daily operations and staff roles remain the same for now, with additional workers to be hired as needed at both campuses.”
After the transition, current full-time PAWS employees who join APA will be eligible for its benefits, time-off policies and wage increases, Chase said. Part-time employees will move to their pay structure by Jan. 1, with access to eligible certification and career advancement opportunities.
Expansion will depend on local support, Chase said.
“This growth doesn’t happen automatically just because APA! is involved,” she said. “It relies directly on active fundraising and community generosity to build the necessary infrastructure and sustain operations in Hays County.”
The organization plans to open a thrift store in San Marcos to generate revenue. Chase said new donations designated for PAWS operations will be restricted to that purpose.
PAWS transferred in 191 animals from San Marcos in 2025 — 75 cats and 116 dogs — at its Kyle and Dripping Springs locations, Chase said. She did not provide a projected increase in transfers, adoptions or other services under the merger.
PAWS will continue to take in some animals from the San Marcos shelter, accept some owner surrenders and strays and assist rescue groups in surrounding counties. Chase emphasized that PAWS is a nonprofit, not an open-intake shelter.
“It does not replace the animal services that city and county governments are responsible for providing,” she said.
Two PAWS board members will be invited to join the APA board, while others will serve on an advisory committee. Chase said those board members will have a role in decisions about local services and spending.
The organizations say they intend to track how many animals enter their care and leave alive through adoption, reunification with owners or transfer to another rescue. Chase said they plan to share that data with the Hays County community on the Hays County Pets Alive! website at hayscountypetsalive.org.
