Lying down, unable to move, and surrounded by familiar faces—your world begins to blur. The sounds fade, the background softens, and when you finally close your eyes, everything goes still. On October 29, 2025, Buba, a pet in the care of Austin Pets Alive, died from compassionate euthanasia. However, Buba did not die unloved or scared.
Having been brought from a previous facility, Buba came in with a broken pelvis and devastating X-rays. Despite this, the staff of the John Davenport clinic spent those first few defeating weeks helping Buba learn to walk and play again with endless amounts of love. Unfortunately, the John Davenport Clinic was later struck with a disease that spread across all the animals in the shelter, Buba included. So, with a cruel twist of fate, it was imperative for Buba to be taken off his pain medications because they would only make things worse for him. Buba’s health spiraled so far downhill that he was no longer able to recover. Even in his final days, Buba was never truly alone. On top of being surrounded by all who loved him, one volunteer chose to adopt him during his last week of life so he would not die a stray.
Austin Pets Alive is no stranger to giving animals like Buba a second chance. The organization has played a major role in bringing Austin’s stray-killing rate down to just 2%, pushing for action through the City Council and building a model of community-centered care. But APA’s success isn’t built on having the best veterinarians in the world. Nor is it by having the greatest dog whisperers. Instead, at the root of Austin Pets Alive’s phenomenal success is its volunteers, who, through taking action by showing up, alter the lives of many animals permanently.
Take Sandra, for example, a retired environmental chemist with too much time on her hands to sit around doing nothing. When the July 4th flood occurred, she decided to aid in their cause by returning lost pets to their owners, bringing happiness to both the pets and their owners. In her own words, “ I just showed up on Tuesday, where they asked me to help comfort the pets, and I said, ‘Sure!’” Just by being there, she was able to help a foster parent bring her pregnant dog, Golden Han, to the clinic, who successfully delivered 9 puppies the next day. Sandra also admits that even though she likes to call it work, at the end of the day, she’s still a volunteer who shows up when she can. After all, Sandra and her peers care deeply about their animals at the John Davenport Clinic. “ One day my colleagues [and I] noticed our dog, Mango, wasn’t herself that morning, and that caught our attention because we know these dogs.” Sure enough, Mango was coughing up blood and taken to the doctor, where Sandra stayed until Mango felt better enough to drive back to the clinic.
It’s stories like Buba and Sandra’s that remind us that change, meaningful change, can happen just by being there. After all, Buba and Golden Han aren’t the only ones sitting at the John Davenport Clinic, waiting for their turn at a second chance. In fact, dogs like Kiki, Candy Cornelius, and Angie are living proof that behind every kennel door is a life worth saving, if only someone is willing to open it.
