Meeting in Kyle today on move to ‘no kill’ shelter

The group working to make the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter a no-kill facility is moving forward and has plans to present a final draft of a plan to the San Marcos City Council this summer.

“The Pawsitive Outcomes Implementation Plan Committee is making great progress,” said DerryAnn Krupinsky, the assistant director of Neighborhood Enhancement for the city of San Marcos. “They have evaluated the pros and cons of many potential strategies and identified priorities that will contribute most to increasing the live outcome rate at the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter. The committee has developed the framework for the plan and is actually about to unveil the first draft.”

The committee is gathering input from the public and has scheduled two upcoming public meetings. The next one is at 6 p.m. this evening at the Kyle City Council Chambers.

“Our meeting in Kyle will be the very first time we physically move outside city limits to share the work of the committee and to hear what people have to say,” Krupinsky said. 

The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter takes in animals from throughout Hays County. 

Those who attend the meeting will hear an update on the plan, an explanation of what committee members are doing and have the chance to ask questions.

“In the coming weeks, the committee will incorporate feedback from the public input meetings, the community survey, government partners, and comments received via email,” Krupinsky said. “They will continue to fine-tune the implementation plan accordingly, with a goal of presenting a final draft to the San Marcos City Council in June.”

Sharri Boyett with Hays County Animal Advocates urges residents to attend the meetings and provide input on getting the shelter to at least 90 percent live outcomes.

“Citizens are requested to voice their support for the shelter reforms and live outcomes for homeless dogs and cats,” she said. “Only with ongoing public community support from the citizens of Hays County can no kill become a reality.”

Boyett also urges residents to contact their elected officials to voice support for the move toward no-kill and to volunteer to help the animals.

“Everyone is needed to foster, volunteer, donate and adopt,” she said.

A final public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on April 25 at the San Marcos Activity Center. Residents who can’t make it to a meeting but still want to submit a comment or take a survey about the plan can do so on the city's website. 

The San Marcos City Council voted in December to support a move toward no-kill status and directed staff to bring back a plan by the end of June.  

The Pawsitive Outcomes committee consists of 20 members, with two representatives from each entity: Hays County, city of Kyle, city of Buda, Mutt Strutt, Hays County Animal Advocates, PALS, PAWS, the Animal Advisory Board, shelter staff and shelter volunteers.