Since a policy change shortening the maximum time animals can stay at Harris County’s animal shelter before being euthanized went into effect Nov. 1, adoptions and rescues have increased, county department officials say.

A closer look

Under Harris County Pets’ new policy, animals can stay a maximum of 15 days in the shelter before “being considered” for euthanasia, according to the policy posting on the website of Harris County Veterinary Public Health, which oversees Harris County Pets. Previously, animals were allowed 30 days.

“Euthanasia is a last resort,’’ a spokesperson for Harris County Public Health—which operates VPHD—said in a Dec. 9 email. “Our new policy provides a consistent process that gives every healthy and adoptable animal the chance to find a home, while fostering collaborative efforts with rescue partners and community members.”

An increase in adoptions and animal transports/rescues has occurred at Harris County Pets since the Nov. 1 euthanasia policy change, according to the emailed statement.


However, according to data posted on VPHD’s online data hub, from October to November, the shelter’s live release rate—the percentage of adopted or rescued animals—decreased 6.6 percentage points.

HCPH did not respond to a request for data on the number of adoptions and rescues since the ban. Data for the month of December was not available as of press time Dec. 17.
Some context

Harris County’s animal shelter has had a history of battling overcrowding, as previously reported by Community Impact. Every month of 2024 thus far, Harris County Pets has been over capacity for dogs, according to VPHD’s online data hub. Meanwhile, the shelter was over capacity for cats in May and June.
Public input

At a Dec. 10 Harris County Commissioners Court meeting, Dreux Antoine, chairman for Houston nonprofit A Better Day Foundation, spoke about euthanasia policies at animal shelters in Harris County.


“I am asking Judge [Lina] Hidalgo and each commissioner to implement an executive order which will suspend euthanization of healthy and adoptable pets as we work on a long-term solution, which includes proposing a bond to fund opening additional shelters in Harris County if the only reason shelters are euthanizing animals [is] due to overcrowding,” Antoine said.

Get involved

According to HCPH’s Dec. 9 email, Harris County Pets needs the support of the community through:
  • Raising awareness on responsible pet ownership
  • Residents getting their pets spayed or neutered, and vaccinated
  • Volunteering
  • Adopting animals from the shelter
“The issue of stray and unwanted animals is a community problem,” the HCPH spokesperson said via the Dec. 9 email. “As the county shelter, we are mandated to take all homeless/unwanted animals, even if we are at capacity or the animal is sick, vicious, or unadoptable. We do the best we can with the resources we have to work with.”