All paws on deck: Houston aims to tackle stray animal crisis amid overcrowded shelter

“As the city of Houston’s open-intake animal shelter, BARC remains a trusted resource for residents facing difficult decisions,” he said. “That trust is reflected in a significant rise in intake throughout the past several years.”

BARC’s overall intake has increased by more than 28% since 2022, data shows. In calendar year 2025, the shelter’s total intake was 22,445—up from 20,875 in 2024.

Stottlemyer said the most notable driver of increased intake has been expanded public access to the shelter, including Sunday open-intake days, which were implemented in early 2025 and led to a 51% rise in over-the-counter surrenders.

The rapid increase in animal intake led shelter officials to reduce the rescue notice period from 48 hours to 24 hours. Stottlemyer said the move was intended to help animals move through the shelter more quickly and encourage rescue partners to closely monitor BARC’s plea emails.

Growing challenges

With euthanasia rates and overcrowding continuing to spike, shelter officials went before Houston City Council a year ago to discuss potential options to raise funding to meet the shelter’s two goals—respond to more calls for service and conduct more adoptions and outreach.

BARC Director Jarrad Mears shared a presentation with the council in March 2025 to discuss conducting a feasibility study to explore two different funding models.

The two options included forming a public-nonprofit partnership or creating a local government corporation, or LGC. An LGC is a corporation created to act on behalf of one or more local governments to accomplish any governmental purpose of those local governments, according to the state’s transportation code.

Organizations such as the Houston Zoo and Houston First are LGCs.

Voters approved a $47 million bond in 2022 to construct a new, nearly 61,000-square-foot shelter capable of holding an additional 150 kennels with new staff to help address the growing challenges. Yet, there is still no confirmed timeline or additional details available regarding the construction of the new facility, Stottlemeyr said.

However, city officials and animal shelter representatives have taken additional steps in the past year to continue progress toward addressing the shelter’s core issues.

In September, City Council approved nearly $500,000 to provide cleaning services for the shelter and to hire two additional animal enforcement officers. A month later, a $16 million contract was awarded to provide renovations to the existing facility.

According to project details, renovations include:

• Renovating the first floor of the BARC dome
• Updating equipment, furniture, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems
• Replacing the 9,380-square-foot warehouse

Despite the shelter’s increase in euthanasia rates and underfunded budget, adoptions are still increasing, Stottlemyer said. In 2025, 5,765 animals were adopted—an 8% increase from 2024.

Stottlemyer said the progress is due in large part to BARC’s memorandum of understanding with Houston Pets Alive! and their volunteer-led adoption counseling program that started in May.

Houston Pets Alive! is a nonprofit that focuses on saving at-risk animals in the Greater Houston area. Executive Director Shannon Parker said 837 animals were adopted through the program last year.

“This collaboration is a true team effort,” she said, “and it shows what’s possible when organizations work side by side with a shared commitment to increasing adoptions and saving lives.”

Stottlemyer said that while the animal shelter continues to build on partnerships with the city and other nonprofits, he wants to emphasize prevention strategies for residents, such as spay and neuter services, responsible pet ownership and access to community resources, including:

Vaccine & Microchip Clinic: Houston Pet’s Alive! offers free vaccines and $5 microchips.

• Every Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon
• 2800 Antoine Drive, Ste. 2854, Houston

• April 11, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• 2800 Antoine Drive, Ste. 2854, Houston