Drove from San Antonio to this place in order to d...

Drove from San Antonio to this place in order to drop off a blind dog I had found on the street and looked after for a few days. I tried numerous no-kill shelters in San Antonio (all to no avail), checked him for a microchip, and hung flyers near where he was found in hopes that he would be claimed. Upon further inspection of this poor dog, it became clear that he showed signs of neglect- his blindness seemed to have been caused by untreated cataracts, he had no collar or microchip, and he had ingrown nails digging into his pads making it difficult for him to walk. I had gotten his nails clipped and he was walking somewhat better, but it appeared as though the dog had arthritis. Seeing that the dog was in pain and showed this signs of neglect, I decided i probably shouldnt wait around for neglectf owners to claim him, and instead figured it'd be best to take him someplace where he'd recieve medical care ASAP.

I, perhaps naively, figured the dog's unfortunate condition, the donation I offered, and the effort I went through ensure this dog would get proper care and a chance at life (unlike he had with his previous owners or at the San Antonio pound, which euthanizes to make room for more animals) would be more than enough for this shelter to take him in. After all, as a no-kill shelter, they care about animals in need, right? Not exactly.

A lady turned me away simply because he was not found in Travis County. With regard to his ingrown nails, she said "maybe he just doesnt like getting his nails clipped" (if this was the case, how was I able to get them clipped??) She eventually acknowledged the previous owners showed neglect, but still said that it didnt matter. To add to the matter, she said "I mean we are considered a no-kill shelter but sometimes we do euthanize," as though reminding me how I wasted my time driving up there would be of any consolation to me. This lady, who refused to accept him, had the nerve to tell me that by taking him off the streets, it was my responsibility to ensure he gets taken care of. Did really I needed to be reminded of this after driving for over an hour, through the rain, to give this dog a chance at being taken in by a no-kill shelter? Should I have turned a blind eye on a BLIND dog wandering the traffic-ridden streets of San Antonio in the South Texas summer heat?

All this place cares about is getting dogs back to their owners, regardless of whether or not these owners are good owners for their pets. Less dogs on their hands, less to worry about. They'd rather have a dog die in the streets (as long as it doesn't die in Austin's streets) or continue to be mistreated by its owners than have one less space in their facility for a healthier, more adoptable (and by extension, lucrative), locally-found dog. A dog in need is a dog in need, what does it matter the city in which he was found? You'd think an animal "shelter" would not let this suffering dog go back to his previous neglectful owners or die on the streets, but the Austin Animal Center would.

If I could care for this dog, I would do it in a heartbeat. He's EXTREMELY sweet, but circumstances do not permit adding another dog to the family.Yes, he has special needs, but he still deserves to be cared for throughout the remainder of his days. It's a pity Austin Animal Center was not willing to give that to him when I, a guy trying to do good by this loving, helpless dog, couldn't any longer. As heartbreaking as it is for me to do, the little guy will likely end up on death-row at the San Antonio pound. Despite my sincerest and best efforts, I couldnt prevent him from becoming yet another martyr of the plight of stray, lost, and neglected dogs everywhere.