The City of Houston is moving forward with a major investment to tackle its ongoing stray animal crisis.
Mayor John Whitmire is following through on a key promise to improve conditions at the city’s animal shelter, BARC. On Wednesday, the Houston City Council will consider a $16 million plan to overhaul the facility, without adding new ongoing costs to the city’s budget.
The proposal includes critical infrastructure repairs at BARC’s main campus on Carr Street. That means a new roof, updated sewer lines, modernized electrical and mechanical systems, and interior renovations to the shelter’s well-known dome building. It also includes demolition and replacement of an aging warehouse, along with funding for testing, inspection services, and public art.
According to BARC, the upgrades are long overdue and essential to keeping the shelter safe and functional. This work will not interfere with plans for Phase Two, which focuses on building a new 37,000-square-foot facility at a future location still to be determined. Once the current phase is complete, about $31.8 million will remain for the next project.
City Council is expected to vote on awarding a design/build contract to Linbeck Group, LLC for design and construction services tied to the dome renovation and warehouse replacement.
City officials say the goal is simple: keep the existing shelter operating safely while planning for the future — ensuring better animal care, safer streets, and a stronger response to Houston’s stray animal crisis.
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