Stray dogs found in Bellaire won't have to “ruff” it outside amid the Texas heat at the city’s existing open-air dog pound site much longer after City Council unanimously approved of a new off-site facility.

What’s happening

After nearly two years of discussion and debate, Bellaire City Council voted in favor of a hybrid dog pound system that will encompass both the existing 4300 Edith St. location and a facility that will be housed at 2328 W. Bellfort Ave., roughly 11 minutes away in an industrial area within Houston city limits.

  • The new modular building and its associated improvements, valued up to $200,000, will be donated by the Rubenstein Foundation, according to agenda documents. The West Bellfort location will be the primary dog pound location where Bellaire animal control will operate.
  • Texas Pipe and Supply Company owns the land where the new facility will be housed and offered to lease the site to Bellaire for $1 per year.
  • The existing facility on Edith Street will be used as a temporary hold and transfer center to reunite lost dogs in Bellaire with their owners.
Bellaire’s second dog pound includes a 12-foot-by-50-foot modular structure. This particular structure is constructed in a factory setting before it is transported to a site for assembly. This structural design includes eight dog kennels, a dog wash area, including an office and multipurpose room for staff. (Courtesy city of Bellaire agenda packet)
Bellaire’s main dog pound will be a customized 12-foot-by-50-foot modular structure. This structural design could include eight dog kennels, a dog wash area, an office and a multipurpose room for city staff. (Courtesy city of Bellaire)

The cost

Bellaire officials originally approved $300,000 for the dog pound project in its fiscal year 2022-23 budget. The total cost for the two-facility proposal is estimated to cost between $130,000-$150,000, according to agenda documents.

Costs for the West Bellfort location would be limited to the following:

  • Permit and inspection
  • Landscaping
  • Installing an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp
  • Fire system
  • Security cameras and technology
  • Remote-enabled monitoring of the site

The existing facility on Edith Street will undergo certain repairs not to exceed $50,000, according to city officials.



Repairs for the Edith Street location would be:

  • Upgrade the electrical system
  • Modify kennel fencing
  • Install fans inside
  • Install sunshades
  • Paint walls
  • Replace front door
This is a rendering of the proposed Bellaire dog pound. (Courtesy city of Bellaire agenda packet)
This is a rendering of the proposed Bellaire dog pound. (Courtesy city of Bellaire)

Quote of note

Bellaire Chief of Police Onesimo Lopez Jr. said at the July meeting the mission when it comes to animal care is to handle, in a humane way, the needs of both the animals, and the safety and welfare of the community.

“Finding our furry friends their forever home is top on our list of things to do,” Lopez said.

The framework



Lopez said the hybrid system once the new facility is up and running would entail:

  • Lost animals would be taken to the existing Edith Street location as a temporary holding facility.
  • The owner would have three days to claim the animal, according to the city ordinance.
  • After three days, animals would be transported to the West Bellfort site for up to 45 days.

Additional considerations will also include:

  • Not using the Edith Street facility during “threatening” weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, hurricanes or flooding, according to agenda documents.

What they’re saying

Rebecca Roberts-Newton grew up in Bellaire and is one of the founders of Friends of the Bellaire Pound, a nonprofit, volunteer network that assists Bellaire police to find homes for the dogs in the pound.

She told Community Impact she and her team are thrilled with the outcome. Since the July decision, she said they have been in initial meetings with the donors and animal control facility officials. While the dog pound design discussions are ongoing, she said the time frame when the facility will be completed is still up in the air, but that because of the design of the modular facility and its customizations, it won’t take nearly as long as building from the ground up.

“It’s a long time coming,” she said. “It’s a good compromise. With the donation from the Rubenstein Foundation, it’s not coming out of the taxpayers budget. It’s good for taxpayers, good for dogs, good for us.”