Katy approves animal adoption program to allow shelter adoptions; council seeks budget trial and performance metrics

The Katy City Council on Monday approved an animal-control adoption program and contract that lets the city's shelter adopt animals directly to the public, with animals sterilized, rabies-vaccinated and microchipped before leaving the facility.

Chief Wojtek, addressing council, said the program aims to shorten animals’ time in the shelter and improve their chances of successful placement. “Our current, like, length of stay is 116 days. That's 4 months,” the chief said, noting long shelter stays increase medical and behavioral problems for animals.

Under the contract presented, animals would be sterilized and vaccinated per state requirements before adoption. Staff said the city's new software will automatically post animals to external adoption platforms and that allowing adoptions will make the city eligible for state and private grants for sterilization, vaccinations and related services.

Council members pressed for fiscal clarity before committing long-term funds. Council member Gina Hicks and others asked staff for a budget estimate tied to a target adoption volume and proposed starting the program as a partial trial during the upcoming budget process. Staff estimated an upper-bound “worst-case” annual cost of about $35,000 if every intake required the highest-cost sterilization and related services, but said that number was conservative and unlikely.

Council member Janet Court proposed a three-month trial; other members asked for metrics on return-to-owner rates, current sterilization resources and partner organizations. Staff described existing partnerships with nonprofit rescuers and programs that provide sterilization and vaccination services and said some adopters already bring animals in sterilized.

The council also discussed operational details: whether adoption reviewers should be hired and paid by applicants (the council preferred the city contract a third-party reviewer to be hired by the city and reimbursed by applicants in other contexts), exploring partnerships with local veterinary programs for services, and whether the city needs more staff to handle additional adoption workload. Chief Wojtek and staff said existing rescue-transfer relationships would continue; the adoption program would be an additional tool to move animals out of the shelter.

Legal counsel advised the council that governmental immunities reduce significant liability risk for the city in operating an adoption program.

Motion and vote: The council approved the adoption program contract in a motion by Council member Robertson, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris. The motion carried by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the minutes.

Why it matters: The change enables the city shelter to place animals directly into homes, potentially reducing animal-stress, lowering shelter costs and allowing eligibility for grants that require an adoption program.

What’s next: Staff will implement the contract, begin adoptions for animals already sterilized and return to council with budget estimates and program metrics when preparing the next fiscal-year budget.