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Houston, open your heart to a pet in need! BARC at capacity, in urgent need of short-term fosters this holiday

Here’s how you can help

Bulldogs Munch and Dominique, a puppy, play during a news conference by the American Kennel Club to discuss the release of the club's annual list of the most popular dog breeds in the U.S., on January 30, 2013 in New York City. The club says that for the 22nd straight year the Labrador Retriever is the nation's most popular dog followed by the the German Shepherd. (Spencer Platt, 2013 Getty Images)

HOUSTON – The City of Houston BARC animal shelter is in urgent need of fosters this holiday season after they say their shelter is at capacity.

The shelter is asking Houstonians to open up their homes this holiday season.

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“Since Friday afternoon, (Dec. 15), 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 we must 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.”

Thanks to a sponsorship, BARC will be waiving all adoption fees this Saturday, Dec. 23 as part of their “Home for the Holidays” campaign.

For those who are interested in fostering, the shelter is offering short-term foster opportunities for long-stay pets. After the holidays, fosters have the opportunity to adopt their animal for an extra $5.

The shelter will be closed for all services on Friday, Dec. 22, Sunday, Dec. 24 and Monday, Dec. 25 for the Christmas holiday.

To see available animals for adoption or foster, or for more information, click here.

Officials from BARC will join KPRC 2 to share more ways people can help alleviate the crisis. Tune in at 8 a.m. on KPRC 2+ NOW


About the Author

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.

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