Two animal nonprofits may merge
Two of Austin’s most well-known animal welfare nonprofits, Emancipet and Animal Trustees of Austin, are exploring a merger that could be completed by the end of December, officials announced Friday.
Plans have not been finalized, but boards of both organizations have signed letters of intent to merge, the groups said in an announcement.
Emancipet aims to make spaying and neutering services and preventive veterinary care affordable to all pet owners.
The Animal Trustees of Austin operates full-time veterinary clinics and offers a variety of services, including dental cleaning, heartworm treatment, spaying and neutering, and other types of surgeries.
Combining their efforts, the groups said, would provide a wider range of preventive and life-saving veterinary procedures to its clients.
If the merger is completed, the new organization would retain the name of Emancipet and would incorporate the Animal Trustees of Austin’s facility, programs, services and staff. The Animal Trustees of Austin’s clinic on Cameron Road would also remain operational. Emancipet operates five clinics in Texas and one in Philadelphia.
Amy Mills, the chief executive officer for Emancipet, would lead the merged group. Missy McCullough, the founder and executive director of Animal Trustees of Austin, would stay on in a senior leadership role and as a member of the fundraising team for the new organization.
“I have been a personal supporter of Animal Trustees of Austin for many years because I believe so deeply in their mission,” Mills said in a statement. “They are often a last resort for people whose pets have serious injuries, and their work saves lives and keeps families together. I am so excited to explore this merger. Adding additional services to our Emancipet clinics would be a game-changer for the people and pets we serve.”
McCullough said the deal is an opportunity to broaden the scope of the Animal Trustees of Austin, which she helped found in 1993.
“It has always been my dream to replicate what Animal Trustees of Austin does all across the country,” she said in the announcement. “With this potential merger, my dream will begin to come true in my lifetime.”