For a lot of us, our pets are family. They are there for the busy mornings and the quiet nights, the new jobs and the big moves. So when life changes and keeping a dog or cat no longer feels possible, it can be one of the hardest calls we ever make.
If you are considering BARC, Houston’s city animal shelter, there are a few rules we all need to know before we load up the car. You will need an appointment, the right paperwork and a home address inside Houston city limits.
BARC changed its intake schedule on May 16, 2026. The city says the goal is to give residents more chances to bring animals in while the shelter manages how full it gets.
BARC also asks us to treat surrender as a last resort. Before booking, the shelter encourages us to look at every other option, including getting help to keep the pet at home or safely rehoming it ourselves so the animal never enters the shelter system.
BARC only accepts surrenders from people who live inside Houston city limits. Here is the catch: your mailing address can say Houston and still fall outside the city.
The quickest way to check is your water bill. If it comes from the City of Houston, you are inside the city. You can also look up your address on the city’s Who Is My Council Member page. If you live outside the city, BARC says it will try to point you to the right shelter or agency where you live.
Each household can bring in one pet a week, whether through an appointment or open intake. A litter under four months old, or a mother with her litter, counts as one.
Most surrenders of owned pets require an appointment, and each animal needs its own, unless it is a litter or a mother with her litter.
Appointments open 14 days ahead, and new slots are added every day. If we are juggling work, family schedules or both, the best move is to check the scheduling system often and grab the first time that fits.
No appointment needed. If your pet, or a stray you found, is sick or injured, BARC says to bring the animal in right away so it can get urgent medical care.
Many of us have spotted a dog wandering the street or a cat hiding under the car. Before taking a healthy stray to BARC, the shelter asks us to try to find the owner first, since many lost pets are found close to home. If you can:
Open intake is for strays only, and no appointment is needed. If we bring an owned pet during open intake, BARC will send us to the appointment system instead.
| Day | Intake |
|---|---|
| Sunday | Appointment only |
| Monday | Open intake for strays, dogs and cats, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Tuesday | Closed for intake |
| Wednesday | Appointment only |
| Thursday | Closed for intake |
| Friday | Open intake for strays, cats only, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Saturday | Appointment only |
Open intake is first come, first served, and it can close early once the shelter is full. People often line up before it starts, so BARC suggests getting there early. Open intake is limited to one pet per vehicle or household, unless it is a litter under four months old.
Intake happens at 2700 Evella St., Houston, TX 77026, and it is for Houston residents only. BARC says capacity, city holidays and emergencies can affect intake, and it will post notice of temporary closures as soon as it can.
BARC took in 2,207 dogs and cats in May 2026, according to the city’s monthly performance report. Pets turned in by their owners made up 32 percent of that intake. The shelter reported a live release rate of 81.4 percent that month, and 356 animals were euthanized.
