Celebrating non-profit enterprise: Austin Pets Alive!

I'm a sucker for the pooches, and notwithstanding my general attitude that animals are not people and therefore have no rights, out of rank and wholly unprincipled sentimentality I support the no-kill movement when it comes to dogs. See, for example, Shanty the One-Eyed Chihuahua below, who sold us on the benefits of adopting her about three months ago.

We adopted Shanty from Austin's incredibly impressive no-kill shelter, Austin Pets Alive!, an organization that embodies the spirit of enterprise in the non-profit sector.

Four years ago in Austin, 14,000 domestic animals were being euthanized every year.

Today, Austin leads the entire nation, having reached the goal of 90% no kill.

The eyes of the nation watch our local non-profit, Austin Pets Alive, as they trailblaze with innovative methods and ideas, championing for animals that were destined to die.

Sadly, Austin Pets Alive! needs some financial support, in no small part because of looming government regulations that will require massive new capital expenditures:

Though two and a half years may sound far off, there are challenges facing Austin Pets Alive that are more immediate than that. By the end of October 2013, Austin Pets Alive must update many of their existing kennels to comply with regulations, or they will be closed.

I've seen their kennels, and they appear both secure and humane. Oh, I am sure a tort lawyer might argue that they are substandard in some respect beyond the ken of normal people, but is that really a reason to shut down such an important operation?

Even seemingly innocuous regulation has its price.