Every day, dogs and cats are killed in animal shelters across Texas simply because they don’t have a place to call home. Best Friends Animal Society, a local nonprofit, is working to change that and save every pet who can be saved, with the ambitious goal of making Texas a no-kill state by 2025.
Sophia Proler, Director of the South Central Region for Best Friends Animal Society, stopped by KPRC 2 to discuss the organization’s goals and efforts.
“It’s really tough to hear, and we’re committed to working alongside shelters, communities, and cities to change that story. We have so much Texas pride here in Houston, and we really want to be proud of what we’re doing for our best friends. We want to be able to say we have a no-kill community here, that we’re not killing our cats and dogs because we love them and we’re going to help them find homes,” she explained.
Proler highlighted several initiatives aimed at keeping pets safe in their communities.
“There are tons of wonderful things happening in shelters all across the city. Mont Belvieu has a promotion right now where if you want to take a pet home temporarily, you can get movie passes or even tickets to the Kemah Boardwalk. The City of Houston’s BARC is also doing an adoption promotion and offers foster opportunities. There are tons of ways to get involved, and you can get involved just today by walking into a shelter and fostering a pet.”
Regarding their recently launched “Bring Love Home” campaign, Proler shared, “We are really proud to announce that this is a Best Friends Animal Society initiative nationwide. We are inspiring people to bring love home, whatever that means to them. Whether that’s bringing Dolly home, bringing a sense of security home, or bringing a family member home, we want to inspire communities to look to shelters and rescue partners to find that missing piece in their home.”
Proler also emphasized the importance of collaboration between Best Friends Animal Society and local shelters.
“We work alongside shelters, whether it’s providing grants, mentorships, or having staff come in to do on-the-ground work. This could be due to emergencies or to help put some programming in place to make it easier for the community to help out that shelter and its staff.”
When asked about the impact of adoption versus purchasing pets, Proler responded, “Look at Dolly, this perfect kiddo. She was in a shelter just waiting for a home, and there are thousands like her just in Houston. Even if you’ve purchased a pet in the past, give a shelter pet a chance. Adopting a shelter pet brings love to your home and gives back to your community, making the lives of pets and people better. It just feels really good.”
Proler concluded with a heartfelt plea to the community.
“I’d tell them to give fostering a shot, to encourage their friends, families, or neighbors to adopt an animal. Give it a chance because they’re not going to be disappointed.”
For more information on how to get involved, visit the Best Friends Animal Society website and consider fostering or adopting a pet in need. Together, we can make Texas a no-kill state by 2025.
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