Animal Center plans lost pets event

The Austin Animal Center will host a pet- and family-friendly event May 30 to highlight the issue of lost pets in the Austin area. The “Don’t Drop the Ball ATX” event will be at 2 p.m. at Mueller Lake Park, 4550 Mueller Blvd., and will include pet welfare informational booths as well as free ID tags and collars. The festivities will kick off a two-month public awareness campaign to keep Austin’s pets healthy and safe. The campaign asks the community to “Don’t Drop the Ball” by ensuring its pets are secure or easily traced with an ID tag and microchip. Officials said that 12,972 lost dogs and cats entered the Austin Animal Center last year. The free event will include booths from the animal center and other city services, as well as organizations that provide pet services to the Austin community, including free and low-cost pet welfare services.