Animal activists, nonprofit organizations and representatives from Harris County Public Health gathered Tuesday morning at the Harris County Animal Shelter to celebrate a nearly $743,541 donation to support pet wellness and adoption programs.

The shelter will use the donation to launch a new Pet Clinic and Transfer Program in Harris County, according to a news release from Harris County Public Health. The funds were raised by philanthropist Jan Duncan and Houston PetSet, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides grants to animal nonprofits.

The joint partnership between Harris County Animal Shelter and Houston PetSet, made possible by Jan Duncan's $743,531 donation, will allow the shelter to provide expanded wellness and adoption services.[/caption]

“Our goal is to protect the health of Harris County residents, including its pets,” Michael White, director of the Harris County Animal Shelter, said in a statement. “These significant grants will improve the shelter’s ability to address animal welfare issues, save the lives of countless cats and dogs, and ensure that pet owners have access to affordable preventive services.”

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said the funds will allow for a spay and neuter program, to be provided at the Pet Clinic, and for a transfer program to relocate animals awaiting adoption in Harris County to shelters in northern states.

“Believe it or not, there are a lot of states that are short of pets to adopt, as amazing as that is,” Emmett said. “So we’ve got a great program that allows us to give these pets homes in other states.”

The Pet Clinic, located at the county shelter and open to all Harris County pet owners, is intended to reduce the number of animals turned into the shelter by combating animal overpopulation and providing affordable and easily accessible care, according to the release.

“There are a lot of people, frankly, that can’t afford that or they don’t think about it," Emmett said, "so this check is going to go serve a very useful purpose in allowing us to greatly expand that spay and neuter program and get that information out to the public.”

According to 2015 data, nearly 70 percent of animals entering the Harris County Animal Shelter are euthanized. The Transfer Program allows Harris County animals to be adopted out of state, increasing the shelter’s live release rate, according to the release.

“I am grateful to fund these initiatives through Houston PetSet as they are uniquely poised to help solve the problem as they can bring together the stakeholders necessary to affect meaningful change,” Duncan said in a statement.