The shelter will be waiving adoption fees this upcoming Saturday, Dec. 23, funded by a sponsorship with the Proler Family. Short term holiday fosters are also needed ahead of Christmas for longtime shelter dogs.
Houston animal shelter to waive some adoption fees, maintain extended hours amid overcapacity
Published: Tue, 12/19/23
Houston animal shelter to waive some adoption fees, maintain extended hours amid overcapacity
BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions
Houston Public Media
SARAH GRUNAU
POSTED ON
Houston’s BARC animal shelter is well over capacity, and with pop-up crates for newly arriving pets lining the hallways, officials say now is the perfect time to adopt or foster.
In an unusual move, the shelter at 3200 Carr St. was opened Monday to potential adopters. It’ll also maintain extended hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays to address the “critical” capacity of the shelter.
“Since Friday afternoon, our intake and adoption kennels have been filled, leaving us with nowhere to hold newly arrived pets who need our help,” Jarrad Mears, shelter director said in a statement. “We’re typically closed on Mondays to allow our staff time to perform necessary training and deep cleaning, but it’s crucial we use every opportunity we have to open kennels.”
BARC animal shelter doesn’t turn any animals away. The shelter had just over 350 dogs in the shelter this week. The shelter euthanized 2,600 animals between January and October this year, which is up 300 from last year, Axios reported.
“The demand for room has become so great that our shelter team has brought in temporary pop-up crates to house newly arriving pets,” Mears said. “When those pop-up crates apepar, the situation is critical.”
The shelter will also be waiving adoption fees this upcoming Saturday, Dec. 23, funded by a sponsorship with the Proler Family. Short term holiday fosters are also needed ahead of Christmas for longtime shelter dogs.
Fosters can make an appointment with the shelter after the holidays to bring them back to the shelter, or pay $5 to adopt their foster pet, according to the shelter.
The capacity problem isn’t exclusive to Houston. Animal shelters around the national have been burdened by over capacity and an uptick in surrendered pets in recent years. Countywide shelters have waived adoption fees and extended hours in attempts to get people adopting. Houston Humane Society in November waived adoption fees for animals over the age of seven.
The animal shelter will be closed for all services Dec. 22, 24 and 25.