Austin City Council to discuss fire code changes for facilities that board animals

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AUSTIN, Texas — In September 2021, a fire at the Ponderosa Pet Resort in Georgetown killed 75 dogs. Since then, many surrounding cities have updated their building fire codes for facilities that board animals. Austin has yet to do so, but the city council plans to discuss making some changes at its meeting on Thursday.

Ahead of the meeting, pet owners who lost their pets in the Georgetown fire, staff from Austin Pets Alive! and city council members gathered outside Austin City Hall to express their support for bringing more fire safety standards to 24-hour pet boarding facilities.

When the fire happened in 2021, Ponderosa Pet Resort did not have any smoke alarms or sprinklers and no staff was present when the fire broke out.

Leikyn Huckins – who lost her two dogs, Drexel and Gibson, in the fire – said it was a devastating loss.

"I can tell you, these dogs were so much more than property," Huckins said. "Drexel and Gibson alone gave my family an enormous amount of love, joy and companionship. They were absolutely members of our family."

Now Huckins is spreading awareness about fire safety issues and is trying to make changes in surrounding cities.

"Until we make real widespread changes, we are on the countdown to the next tragic event," Huckins said. "For me, the deaths have become a cause that has created changes that will improve the safety of other pets' lives."

Since the fire in 2021, Georgetown, Liberty Hill, Cedar Park and Round Rock have all made changes to their fire codes for buildings that board animals.

Now it's Austin's turn to decide whether to make similar changes.

"We see across the country, as we're talking with other shelters, that it's not a priority until it becomes a catastrophe. And we're really excited for Austin to be leading the way to making this an ordinance, a citywide ordinance, so that it becomes top of mind before the worst happens," said Dr. Ellen Jefferson, CEO of Austin Pets Alive!

The city council is hopeful that Item #42, which would update fire safety standards for facilities that house or hold animals on a 24-hour basis, will be approved on Thursday.

If it is approved, it will go to the Building and Fire Code Board of Appeals, then back to council for a public hearing because any changes to a fire code require a notice to the public. After that, it would need a final approval.

Councilmember José "Chito" Vela (District 4) said the council will be reviewing everything in a meeting after their break, which will be in late summer or early fall.

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