December 18, 2023

BARC at Full Capacity, Opens Adoptions Center for Additional Hours

BARC, the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, is at capacity and urgently needs the public’s help. To assist, BARC will be opening its adoptions center at 3200 Carr Street today, Monday, December 18, from noon to 5 p.m. If you have ever considered signing up to help as a foster or have wanted to adopt a shelter pet, now is the perfect time.

“Since Friday afternoon, our intake and adoption kennels have been filled, leaving us with nowhere to hold newly arrived pets who need our help. We’re typically closed on Mondays to allow our staff time to perform necessary training and deep cleaning, but it’s crucial we use every opportunity we have to open kennels,” said Shelter Director Jarrad Mears. “The demand for room has become so great that our shelter team has brought in temporary pop-up crates to house newly arriving pets. When those pop-up crates appear, the situation is critical.”

Here are ways the public can help:

Adopt: Thanks to a sponsorship from the Proler Family, BARC will also be completely waiving adoptions fees this upcoming Saturday, December 23, as the Finale for its Home for the Holidays campaign. BARC’s adoption center is located at 3300 Carr Street and is open the following hours*:

• Noon – 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Friday – Sunday
• Noon – 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays
• * BARC will be open Monday, December 18, at 3200 Carr St. from noon – 5 p.m.

Foster: Short-term holiday fosters are also needed for our long-stay shelter dogs as the shelter faces its current capacity needs. Opportunities are available for those in our approved foster boundaries to pick up a PURRFURRED pet from BARC through December 21 and foster them for the holidays. After the holidays, fosters can make an appointment to bring them back to the shelter. Fall in love with your foster? Adopt them for just $5 and make their holiday wish come true. Learn more: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/foster_a_pet.html.

Get Involved:
VOLUNTEER: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/volunteer.html
FOSTER: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/foster_a_pet.html
ADOPT: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/adopt_a_pet.html
RESCUE: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/Rescue2.html
DONATE: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/donate_landingpage.html
URGENT PETS: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/urgent-pets.html

BARC will be closed for all services December 22, December 24, and December 25 for the Christmas holiday. Although BARC is traditionally closed for adoptions on Mondays, Urgent Pets can be adopted via the shelter’s 3200 Carr St. entrance those days. Learn more about adopting from BARC: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/adopt_a_pet.html.