Animal shelters need to be durable. Dogs who want out of a kennel have been known to chew through a chain-link fence! Plus, everything that comes into contact with an animal needs to be able to be sanitized. Everything.  

Shelters that don't use natural ventilation need heating and air conditioning. To minimize odors, the air in the shelter should be completely replaced with fresh air every six minutes. 

Yes! Some accept rabbits, mice, pigs, ferrets and any other critters than need a loving home.

Keeping dogs and cats apart is the best, if possible.

Animals are safer in a shelter than running loose on the street where they can be hit by a car, fight with other animals, and hungry.

Animal Shelter staff often investigate  alleged cases of animal cruelty. Cruelty can result from owners who don't know how to properly care for animals. Sometimes it's deliberate, such as fighting dogs or cocks (both of which are against the law in Texas). If the investigator finds that an animal is being mistreated, the animal can be taken away from the owner and charges can be filed.

Texas is notorious for fleas and ticks. Part of good shelter management includes checking each animal when it arrives for these little critters. If necessary, the animals can be treated for fleas, ticks, and other parasites by using flea spray, powder, dips, or drops. 

Animal control performs a vital service to their communities by quarantining dogs and cats that have bitten people. If the dog or cat is healthy at the end of its 10-day quarantine, then it wasn't capable of transmitting rabies at the time of the bite. If the dog or cat was rabid, the person must receive life-saving anti-rabies  treatment. Rabies is common in Texas. The law requires that all dogs and cats be vaccinated against rabies. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor. Consult your veterinarian to find out the vaccination schedule that is best for your pet. 

Think about: 

• The main reason you want a pet 
• The type of breed you like best 
• The age of the animal you would like to take home 
• Your experience living with a pet 
• How you will afford routine and emergency medical care 
• The other occupants in your home or on your property 
• The time your pet will spend alone during the week and on weekends 
• Where the pet will be when people are home and when no one is home 
• How you’ll train, exercise, and keep your pet from getting bored while it is alone 

If you want to adopt a pet, you may have to answer a few questions.  Shelter employees are just trying to ensure the animal goes to a loving home for the next 10 or even 20 years. 

Shelter employees love animals and don’t want to see them abandoned or turned in. Therefore, many shelters try to make sure the adoptive family has the genuine desire and qualifications to bring another member into their home. 

Some shelters even have quiet areas where you can spend time with the animal to get to know its personality. 

Most shelters charge an adoption fee that can range from $15 to about $100. The fee can include shots, location chip, exam, and care while in the shelter.

The best time to spay your female dog or cat is as soon as medically recommended. It can help pets live as much as 25% longer because it helps to reduce behaviors such as roaming and fighting. Also, it reduces the pet population. Shelters in the United State euthanatize an average of 15 million dogs and cats every year. Some animal shelters offer low-cost spay/neuter services to the general public or will spay/neuter your pet before you adopt