A happy dog standing on a rocky path in a grassy field with hills and mountains in the distance, black and white photo.

PARTNERS

Veterinary Partners: 

  • Alpine Small Animal Practice (Alpine, TX)

  • Alpine Veterinary Clinic (Alpine, TX)

  • Fort Davis Veterinary Services (Ft. Davis, TX)

Transport Partners: 

  • Alaska Airlines

  • Austin Pets Alive!

  • Dog is My Copilot

  • Pilots n Paws

Out-of-State Rescue Partners: 

  • Animal Adoption Center (Jackson, WY)

  • Boise Bully Breed Rescue (Boise, ID)

  • Fetch Wisconsin Rescue (Madison, WI)

  • Heartland Animal Rescue (Chicago, IL)

  • Humane Society of Southwest Washington (Vancouver, WA)

  • Nebraska Humane Society (Omaha, NE)

  • One Tail at a Time (Chicago, IL)

  • One Tail at a Time - PDX (Portland, OR)

  • Pacific Northwest Cattle Dog Rescue (Bellingham, WA)

  • Seattle Humane (Seattle, WA)

  • Street Dog Hero (Bend, OR)

In-State Rescue Partners: 

  • Austin Pets Alive!

  • Grand Companions Humane Society

  • Texas Cattle Dog Rescue

Our partners also include scores of wonderful fosters, drivers, photographers, volunteers, vet escorts, supply hosts, animal control officers, cheerleaders, donors and advocates!

Shared values are the ties that bind. These are ours.

  • A person hiking through a desert landscape with shrubs and mountains in the background, carrying a dog in a backpack.

    Be Gentle

    Always a good policy. Most pets in need of rescue are short on gentleness and their road to adoption is going to involve a bunch of transitions, owwies at the vet, and very new experiences. We treat pets gently while they are in our care and in all the plans we make for their placement. Not only is it the right thing to do, the science proves that a gentle hand is more effective than any other.

  • A black dog wearing sunglasses, sitting outdoors on a rocky surface near a house.

    Listen & Learn

    Listen to people. Listen to dogs. Listen to science. Listen to people who have been at it longer than you have. Listen to people who are coming to this with new ideas. Listen to other helpers across different fields. Listen to yourself. Always keep learning.

  • Two dogs, one large and one small, play on grass outdoors. The larger dog is standing, and the smaller dog is lying with its head on the ground.

    Share the Goods

    Generosity begets generosity. The rescue community is a crowded field, with everyone fighting hard to save the pets they know and love. We believe that all homeless pets deserve to be rescued and are mindful of the fact that our own successes often come at the expense of another’s opportunities. So many people have been generous with us; we believe in repaying that generosity always.

  • Two kittens cuddling on a blanket, one looking directly at the camera and the other with eyes half-closed.

    Take Good Care

    This is hard. It hurts in all the ways you’d expect and some you don’t. Each of us will hit our limit. We try to take good care and support other people to take good care too. Boundaries aren’t meant to keep us apart, they allow us to continue working together.

  • A close-up black and white photo of an adorable bulldog puppy sitting in a large pot, with a wire fence and plants in the background.

    Model Transparency

    Wow, there are some shady things in dog rescue (and everywhere). We want our donors, fosters, volunteers, shelter partners, receiving rescues, vets, transporters, and community to trust us and our rescue program. Have questions? Just ask. We value transparency.

  • A smiling young man with glasses holding a small black and tan puppy in an outdoor setting.

    People are Dogs Too

    Every person deserves compassion and most deserve the extra mile once you have the benefit of connection. Working to improve animal welfare involves navigating an intersection of many systems. We can only help dogs when we help people.

  • A dog wearing sunglasses and a flowered lei around its neck, standing outdoors with trees and dirt ground in the background.

    Pursue The End Game

    We cannot adopt or transport our way out of pet homelessness. While the direct care/placement of pets is the highest priority, it cannot be responsibly done without simultaneously making efforts to reduce the homeless pet population through education, training and spay-neuter support. OTAT-WTX works to put itself out of business by supporting all efforts that eliminate the excess of unwanted pets in the communities where we advocate.

  • Two people are painting a mural on a white brick wall. One person is sitting on a chair, painting a section, while the other, wearing a shirt with 'Volunteer' on the back, is kneeling and painting another section. The mural includes large text that reads: 'This is a place of hope' and 'estamos en tu lugar'.

    Enthusiasm & Optimism Rule the Day

    We are hopeful. We know we make a difference. Every pet is an individual and their story matters. We believe it is a privilege to work with the animals and people in our communities and are thrilled to reduce suffering and save lives. We are grateful to the many people who make it possible for us to make direct, immediate, and positive impact every day.