Name: Baxter
Animal ID: 11057122
Breed: Labrador Retriever/Mix
Gender: Male
Color: Red
Spayed/Neutered: No
Size: Large

Hi, I’m Baxter. I am looking for a person to be my best buddy. I have had some obedience training because I know basic commands such as sit,down,and stay. I love everyone and I love to run and play with other dogs. I also like to play fetch and play with toys. I think I would be the perfect family dog. Oh yeah, I love to put my feet in water to cool off and would be very happy to have a little pool.

Learn more

The Friends of Bastrop County Animal Shelter was at the 1832 Farmers Market, located at 1302 Chestnut St, from 10-2 on Saturday, April24 showing some of the wonderful dogs available for adoption for a nominal fee.  Two lucky dogs found a home with Carol Armstrong, a local CPA.  The Friends will visit the Market again in about 2 months.  For information about the 1832 Farmers Market contact, 512-360-4502 or visit the Market’s web site at www.bastrop1832farmersmarket.org.

~Story and photos by Dolores Svoboda Leeper

Carol Armstrong & Marsha Poppy with Carol's new friends

Sheryl Deleon with one of the adoptees

Carol & Marsha with Carol's new additions to her family

McGruff the Crime Dog with his fans

Boots the Clown with "Friends"

The Friends of Bastrop County Animal Shelter would like to thank all the volunteers that came out on Saturday, April 17^th to help make a very successful Open House at the shelter.  There was much hard work and planning that went into making this a day full of fun for everyone visiting the shelter.  Even more volunteers, both with Friends and from the shelter, came out to help the visitors at the booths, food and the kids’ area.

Despite the 80% rain chances that day, we had well over 200 people attend that had an opportunity to meet the new shelter staff, visit with the Capital of Texas Zoo, Wildlife Rescue, Bastrop Veterinary Hospital, Lost Pines Mobile Grooming, Bikers Against Child Abuse, Bastrop Volunteer Fire Department, and Citizens on Patrol, as well as see the demonstrations by Tail Town Training, Lost Pines Grooming, and the zoo.  The fire department’s demonstrations of the Jaws of Life thrilled the kids to no end.  Citizens on Patrol conducted 35 Child Identifications, which is terrific.  All of these organizations and vendors are very special and they all deserve a hearty handshake and round of applause for what they do and what they do for Friends of BCAS and the shelter.

Thanks again to Tractor Supply and 1832 Farmers Market. Tractor Supply donated a rabbit hutch with all the items that a new rabbit owner would need as one of the door prizes.  The 1832 Farmers Market provided a $25.00 gift certificate as a door prize, and additional door prizes were provided by Friends of BCAS.

Wildlife Rescue, Inc.

A "barrow-fulla-puppies"

A very special thanks goes to the Boy Scouts for helping to direct the traffic for visitors coming to the Shelter, as well as helping walk the dogs.  Also, thanks to Debbie Lundrigan with RD Productions for recording video segments at the open house for her BCAT, and last but not least, how could we not have an open house without Elvis Presley and Boots the Clown walking around entertaining the crowds.

Boy, did the shelter break a record!  Fifteen dogs and cats found homes on Saturday.  We’ve never seen so many puppies have such an adoring public caring for them!  Lots of dogs were walked all over the shelter and I feel sure that a few pounds were put on the dogs with the treats that were being given out!  Our hope is that the public will continue to visit the shelter and provide the much needed TLC for the animals there.

Friends gave away nineteen free microchips to pet owners, so if those pets are lost they are more likely to be returned quickly to their homes.  We will continue this program at other events.

We cannot forget to thank the community in their support of our shelter and also Friends.  This helps us continue our task of finding homes for animals that find their way to our shelter.

Here’s to a “Bigger and Better Open House” next year!

Kind Regards,

Sherri Deleon – Chair
Sara Axton – Co-Chair
Carroll Axton – Treasurer
Fernando Deleon – Secretary
Marsha Poppy – Board member
Marianne Curran – Board member

First Annual Shelter Open House (the Inaugural was last April!)

Saturday, April 17^th – 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Bastrop County Animal Shelter
589 Coolwater Drive, Bastrop

$75 Adoption Special – Saturday, April 17th Only!

Petting zoo, demonstrations, pet care education, face painting, games, Boots the Clown, food

All proceeds to benefit the Bastrop County Animal Shelter

Admission: FREE!

Exhibitors  & Demonstrations:

• Bastrop Veterinary Hospital
• Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA)
• Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office Citizens on Patrol, featuring McGruff the Crime Dog and providing Child Identification services
• Capital of Texas Zoo
• Bastrop Volunteer Fire Department
• Tail Town Training
• Texas Army National Guard
• Lost Pines Mobile Grooming
• Bastrop Area Cruisers
• Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market
• Texas Cushman Club
• RD Productions

For more information about this year’s open house, please contact Ann Butterfield at 512-321-2315, or click here for the latest updates.

Twice each year, in March and again in October, the Bastrop County Animal Shelter offers discounted vaccinations and microchipping services.  Click here for more information about the upcoming clinic on March 20^th.  You can save time at the clinic by downloading the registration form and completing it before your visit to the shelter.

Is it important to vaccinate?

Yes!  Pets should be vaccinated to protect them from many highly contagious and deadly diseases. Experts agree that widespread use of vaccines within the last century has prevented death and disease in millions of animals. If an unvaccinated pet develops one of these diseases, treatment can become very expensive and many of these diseases can be fatal despite treatment.  Even though some formerly common diseases have now become uncommon, vaccination is still highly recommended because these serious disease agents continue to be present in the environment.  It is also important to remember that pets can be vaccinated for some zoonotic (pronounced ZOE-oh-not-ick) diseases, which are diseases that can be spread from animals to people.  For example, rabies is a serious, often fatal, disease that can spread from infected animals to people.  By vaccinating your pets for rabies, you are protecting your family as well as your pet (American Veterinary Medical Association).

There are several vaccinations available to help keep your pet healthy.  A rabies shot, which is required by Texas law, can be administered to a dog or cat as early as 3 months of age.  Animals most likely to transmit rabies include skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes and bats.  Distemper, which can infect both cats and dogs, is another contagious disease for which there’s a vaccination.  Pets of every age are susceptible, but the very young and old have the highest death rates.  Puppies and kittens require an initial shot at 6 to 8 weeks of age, and then a booster shot 3 to 4 weeks later.  Both rabies and distemper vaccinations are given annually.

In the case of dogs, distemper vaccinations are generally given as a combination vaccine that also includes protection against Parvo virus.  Once the virus is contracted, the disease progresses rapidly.  Characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, dark or bloody feces, and in severe cases fever and lowered white blood cell counts, Parvo virus death rates may be as high as 80%.  Another vaccination for dogs protects against Bordetella, commonly known as “kennel cough.”  Kennel cough is an infectious bronchitis and is analogous to a chest cold for humans.

Should I microchip my pet?

Microchips offer a second line of defense in reuniting you and your pet.  They are miniature transponders that contain a registration number and phone registry unique to each brand of chip.  To learn more about microchipping and its benefits, contact the your local shelter.

Donations made by event attendees

On February 14^th, the Friends of Bastrop County Animal Shelter held its first “Hearts for Paws” fundraiser for the shelter at Maxine’s on Main in Bastrop.  Over 200 people attended the event, which included complimentary long-stemmed roses for the ladies, a delicious buffet of barbeque, sides and dessert, and a silent auction.  Entry to the event required a donation to the shelter in the way of a bag of pet food, cat litter, pet comfort items, or a cash donation. 

Thanks to the generosity of the Bastrop County community, the shelter’s van was filled to the brim with donations for the shelter’s pets.  Cash donations and the silent auction, which was made possible by donations from area retailers, brought in $2,274.32, which has been placed in “Pookie’s Pot,” a fund set aside by Friends for future donations to the shelter.  And Friends returned the generosity shown by all who helped make the event a success by donating leftover roses to four area nursing homes to brighten the day for their residents.

Shelter staff Blake and Erica attended the event

Troy Walters, Shelter Director, said, “Thanks to everyone who made this event a huge success.  A lot of hard work went into this event and from the turnout numbers, a larger location may be needed for future events!”  Friends of Bastrop County Animal Shelter also would like to thank the community for showing such tremendous support for the shelter and its animals!  We look forward to holding the event again next year and hope to see you there.

If you weren’t fortunate enough to make it out to the Bastrop County Animal Shelter on April 4^th, you missed quite the event.  The shelter and its non-profit support group, Friends of Bastrop County Animal Shelter, hosted the shelter’s inaugural open house and benefit auction.  The event featured impressive demonstrations by the Travis County K-9 unit, Tail Town Training, and the Capital of Texas Zoo.  There were a variety of activities for children – face painting, lots of games, exploring the Bastrop Volunteer Fire Department trucks, learning about safety from the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office, and learning about the spay/neuter and animal cruelty prevention. 

Travis County K-9 Unit Demonstration

Shelter Manager Erica Baker said, “Everyone had fun – the kids, volunteers and staff, and the exhibitors.  It was just a great day all around.”  Featuring $10 off all adoptions, the shelter logged a record number of eleven adoptions from the shelter in a single day!  The Friends group, by selling hot dogs, cotton candy, and popcorn, and holding both silent and live auctions, raised over $2,100 that will directly benefit the shelter and stray animals within the county.  Commissioner Lee Dildy contributed to the event by kissing a piglet for a bid of $101.

The benefit auction featured original art and local recreational opportunities.  Revenue from this event will go toward projects and programs to benefit the shelter and the county’s animal population, including the addition of a cattery to the existing shelter facility, developing a discount spay/neuter program to address pet overpopulation, and promoting spay/neuter.

We look forward to seeing you at the “first annual”* shelter open house next spring.

*Fun with grammar:  Usage manuals choose not to address this usage, but it is a question asked as often as any other. The logic (if we can call it that) is that something cannot be called “annual” until a year has passed between its inaugural happening and its second manifestation. Therefore, the first event cannot be referred to as the “first annual.” In fact, some people argue that the second event in a series is actually the “first annual” (because it’s the first time that something has happened on an annual basis), which really confuses people. Whether this is foolishness or not, it seems that enough people belong to this faith that it’s probably a good idea to call a first event (even one that is guaranteed to occur every year thereafter) the inaugural or first occasion. On the other hand, virtually everyone knows that the First Annual Fund-Raising Event refers to an event that is happening this year for the first time and that someone is planning and hoping that this event will happen on an annual basis. Our advice then: go ahead and use first annual to describe such an event but know that someone is going to ask what you mean by it. (Capital Community College; Hartford, Connecticut)

UPDATE:  Troy Walters, Shelter Director, writes:  “I would like to extend a very special “Thank You” to the Friends of BCAS for their kind purchase of cat condos.  The BCC (Bastrop Cat Condo) project held its first open house.  Cats from all over the county turned out for the big event.

Thirteen and Eugene checking out their new condo

The SCC (Shelter Critter Cam) caught Thirteen and Eugene checking out the latest in creature comforts.  Both felines unanimously made a selection and purchased a one bedroom unit (they heard that the best units go fast).  Both felines have filed for their First Time Home Buyers $8,000 tax credit.” 

ORIGINAL POST:  The Friends of Bastrop County Animal Shelter would like to extend its appreciation to local businesses and the community at large for making the fundraiser of its cookbook – Recipes You’ll Beg For – a huge success.  Special thanks go to Fat Cat Catering, Best Lil’ Hairhouse in Texas, Salon 1018, The Book Basket, Elbows Fitness  and Crossroads Animal Hospital for their top sales.  Were it not for the support of the people of Bastrop County, Friends would not have been able to donate in-kind gifts to the shelter totaling well over a $1,000, including a new dryer, pet toys, cat condos, and more.  And, Friends has over $2,500 in reserve to help the shelter fund some renovations that should be in place by early spring of next year. 

Friends also wants to thank Chili’s Grill & Bar for giving us the opportunity to raise $200 through its “Pepper in Some Fun” fundraiser held during the month of September.  According to Sara Axton, Friends Chair-Elect, “The Chili’s event was a great success and we hope to work with Chili’s again in the near future.” 

Friends has also been holding regular bake sales at the main branch of First National Bank in Bastrop over the last several months.  These bake sales have generated more revenue than we could have imagined!  Given their success, and the support of First National Bank, we anticipate having more in the coming year.

Thank you, Bastrop County residents and businesses!  Friends wishes all of you a successful and happy new year and we eagerly look forward to another year of supporting the Bastrop County Animal Shelter.

Sherri Deleon, Chair

Sara Axton, Chair Elect

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