Seeking permanent loving homes for our shelter animals
Spring brings with it new life, but many of the puppies and kittens being born this spring are homeless or unwanted. Many of them are brought in daily to the Harris County Animal Shelter at Veterinary Public Health (VPH), pushing the shelter past its capacity. Currently, the shelter has more than 300 animals rejected by residents. Caring, loving future pet owners are sorely needed to adopt or foster homeless animals.
The Harris County Animal Shelter takes in an average of 60 to 80 unwanted animals every day. Out of these, up to 40% are surrendered by their owners. Although not all animals may be adoptable for various reasons (elderly, feral, sick, aggressive or injured animals), many of the shelter animals would make ideal pets for anyone willing to open their hearts and homes.
“As a public shelter, we accept all unwanted pets, even if our shelter is overcapacity. We need people to adopt from our shelter and adoption partners to assist us in finding homes for our shelter animals. More importantly, we need the community to embrace responsible pet ownership and love their pets by getting them spayed and neutered.” said Dr. Umair A. Shah, Executive Director of Harris County Public Health.
All animals adopted from the Harris County Animal Shelter located at 612 Canino Road, Houston, are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Pet ownership requires an investment of time and money, so when adopting a pet, please consider:
- Selecting a pet that is suited to your home and lifestyle; Do you have time to walk your dog? Would an older pet be more suitable than an active kitten or puppy?
- Avoiding impulsive decisions when selecting a family pet
- Owning only the number of pets that you can provide for appropriately
- Ensuring that the pet is properly vaccinated, identified and license is up-to-date
If you cannot adopt a pet, please consider volunteering at our shelter, or fostering adoptable animals until they are awarded a permanent home. Volunteers are needed to help out with the adoption process, socialize with, and foster animals. For more information email vphvolunteer@hcphes.org or call 281-999-3191.