75,000 Lives Saved from BARC, and We’re Just Getting Started

Last month, Rescued Pets Movement received an incredible honor from the City of Houston: a formal proclamation recognizing our rescue of 75,000 dogs and cats from BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions since our founding in 2013. 

That brings our total number of lives saved to 96,000 and counting!

This milestone belongs to all of you. Our fosters, volunteers, partner organizations, shelter teammates, and supporters make this possible. Your time, care, and compassion have carried this mission forward, and we accept this recognition with gratitude and a renewed commitment to the work ahead. 

Why It Matters

BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions operates with one of the lowest per capita funding levels of any major municipal shelter in the entire country. Despite serving the fourth-largest city in the U.S. and managing tens of thousands of stray, abandoned, and surrendered pets each year, it does so with a fraction of the resources available to shelters in similarly sized cities. 

The result is heartbreaking. Our streets are overwhelmed with stray and abandoned animals. Inside the shelter, even healthy, adoptable pets are sometimes euthanized due to a lack of staff, space, or medical support. 

Where RPM Comes In

We step in when there is no other option. We save dogs and cats whose only obstacle is a lack of resources. 

Across the country, many shelters have limited or paused intake over the years, and Houston is no exception. We are now witnessing the outcome of those decisions. Stray and abandoned pets are multiplying, with fewer options for help. 

Houston faces even steeper odds than many other cities. In colder climates, animals cannot reproduce year-round and often do not survive harsh winters. But here in the South, mild weather allows stray pets to survive and breed throughout the year. Overpopulation increases rapidly, and the need for solutions grows more urgent by the day. 

Compounding the crisis is a local culture where adoption is not yet the norm. In many parts of the country, “adopt, don’t shop” is widely embraced. But in Houston, pet overpopulation persists alongside a persistent demand for purchased animals and a lack of widespread education about responsible pet ownership. 

At the policy level, animals in Texas are still legally classified as property, not living beings. This outdated legal status contributes to weak protections, limited accountability, and inadequate support for both the pets and the people trying to help them. 

What Real Solutions Look Like

If Houston is serious about becoming a humane, safe city for both pets and people, we must commit to a long-term, meaningful action. Here are six critical solutions:

1. Accessible, low-cost spay and neuter services

These programs are vital, especially in underserved areas where veterinary care is limited. Without them, the cycle of unplanned litters continues. Groups like The Empty Shelter Project and local clinics such as Houston Spay Neuter have carried the weight of this responsibility for years. It is time for government investment in prevention and for public-private partnerships that can make these services truly accessible.

2. Stable, increased funding for BARC, Harris County Pets, and other public shelters

Municipal shelters need consistent and adequate resources to staff their facilities, treat sick and injured animals, pick up stray animals, intake pets from the public, and expand lifesaving programs. BARC cannot meet the needs of a growing city without appropriate investment.

3. Community education and outreach

Education and engagement are key. Helping residents across our beautifully diverse city understand available resources, responsible pet ownership, and the importance of prevention can significantly reduce intake numbers over time. Private organizations like Barrio Dogs and Houston PetSet have led the way in community outreach and education, and even private citizens have stepped up sharing stories like The Life of Gus in schools to inspire empathy and awareness in young people.

But this work can’t fall solely on the shoulders of individuals and nonprofits. The City of Houston must invest in public education efforts as part of a coordinated, long-term solution.

4. Support for rescue partnerships

Groups like Rescued Pets Movement step in where the city’s capacity ends. Continued support for responsible, accountable rescue organizations multiplies the city’s ability to save lives and should be recognized as a key part of the solution.

5. Pet-friendly and affordable housing

One of the leading causes of pet surrender is the lack of housing that allows pets, especially large dogs or certain breeds. Landlords, insurance companies, and HOAs often impose restrictions that force families to choose between their homes and their pets. Houston must advocate for policies that protect both.

6. Stronger legal protections for animals

Policy reform is another critical piece of the puzzle. We need stronger, enforceable laws that protect animals from neglect, abandonment, and cruelty including better regulations around backyard breeding, tethering, and abandonment. These changes must happen not just at the city or county level, but statewide. Without legislative support at the state level, local efforts will always fall short. Groups like the Texas Humane Legislation Network are actively working to improve animal welfare laws across the state, and their advocacy is crucial to achieving lasting, systemic change. If we want a more humane Texas for pets and people, we must support stronger laws and the organizations pushing them forward.

Moving Forward, Together

We are grateful to the Houston City Council Members who have already stepped up and supported these goals. To make lasting progress for Houston’s animals, we must work together. That means collaboration between elected officials, city shelter leaders, rescue groups, and the public. 

We are proud of how far we have come, but our work is far from over. 

Here’s to the next 75,000 lives saved, with compassionate people like you by your side every step of the way. 

– The RPM Team

Why I Foster…

Rescued Pets Movement

The Jack C. Alexander Building
2317 W 34th Street
Houston, TX 77018