BARC Houston is offering free pet adoption from May 1 to May 15 as part of its national initiative – Houston Public Media

Mauricio Zepeda/BARC

The City of Houston Animal Shelter is waiving adoption fees for dogs and cats during the first two weeks of May as part of a recurring nationwide initiative.

BARC Houston’s participation in the “Empty the Shelters” campaign, sponsored by the Bissell Pet Foundation, comes at a time when the local shelter is “pushing” capacity with approximately 350 dogs and 80 cats, according to Assistant Director Cory Stottlemyer. He said BARC also expects to receive even more animals than usual now that it has expanded its shelter service to include Sunday operations.

The shelter and adoption center reported that it took in more than 4,500 dogs and cats in the first three months of this year, with 681 of these animals euthanized. Houston residents can typically adopt cats and kittens for $20 and dogs and puppies for $50 and $75 respectively, but from Wednesday through May 15, all these fees will be waived.

“Those BARC animals are microchipped, registered, fully vaccinated and will undergo their spay-neuter surgery,” Stottlemyer said. “And thanks to this campaign, none of that costs anything. So it’s great that more and more animals are coming in.”

BARC, located at 3300 Carr St., is also expanding its adoption hours during the campaign. The facility is normally closed on Mondays, but is open on May 6 and May 13 from noon to 5 p.m. Animals can also be adopted Wednesday through Thursday from noon to 7 p.m., and Tuesday and Friday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Adoptions at BARC are on a first-come, first-served basis, and those wishing to adopt dogs or cats must be at least 18 years old and have a valid ID and proof of address.

Stottlemyer said BARC has received thousands of dollars through its previous participation in the “Empty the Shelters” campaigns, with the Bissell Pet Foundation providing funding based on the number of animals adopted during the initiative. In return, he said community members who adopt pets must complete surveys sent to Bissell, a vacuum cleaning company.

According to a BARC press release, more than 226,000 pets have been adopted across the country as part of the ‘Empty the Shelters’ campaign, which started in 2016. Hundreds of shelters in most US states are participating this spring.

“Our nation’s animal shelters are facing a capacity crisis and need your help now,” Cathy Bissell, founder of the Bissell Pet Foundation, said in the news release. “By opening your home to a shelter pet, you save a life and create lifesaving space to help another pet in need.”