They seem to think that the best pet is a dead pet.
BARC, Houston’s municipal animal shelter, euthanized more than 4,000 adoptable pets in 2025, more than any other shelter in Texas, according to a study released by a national nonprofit that advocates for homeless pets.
The figures represent a 16 percent increase – nearly 400 more animals – in the kill rate for BARC from 2024. The data was collected from 391 shelters in Texas and 4,000 shelters nationwide.
This is the second consecutive year that BARC has outnumbered other large cities in the state in how many adoptable dogs and cats it euthanizes, or kills, annually.
In contrast, the cities of Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso and San Antonio saw a significant drop from previous years, according to the report.
…Proler attributes the improvements in those cities to transparency, efforts to reunite more pets with families and embracing partnerships.
In Houston, Best Friends’ efforts to form a partnership with BARC have been so far unproductive, Proler said.
BARC did not respond to the Houston Chronicle’s request for comment but released a statement shared in a Fox 26 report that Best Friends’ data “lacks important context.”
The agency countered Best Friends’ report by saying its resources continue to be overwhelmed with more than 50,000 service calls a year, including “high-priority public safety cases,” and as the country’s fourth largest city, it managed an increased intake in 2025 of 22,445 animals, up by 8 percent from the previous year.
The Whitmire administration, even though it has been in place for more than two years, continues to blame prior mayors or conditions. One day, maybe John Whitmire will admit that he has failed as mayor of Houston. He seems to suffer from the same condition that afflicts Donald J Trump, so I won’t hold my breath waiting for that to occur.
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BARC euthanized over 4,000 adoptable pets in 2025, according to report