BARC director urges phased nonprofit partnership; LGC seen as longer-term option amid public safety concerns

BARC Director Jared Mears told the joint committees that the agency needs immediate funding and operational steps to address rising public-safety risks tied to loose and feral animals while also boosting live-release (adoptions, fosters, rescues). BARC presented a feasibility study that compares two options: creating a local government corporation (LGC) to run non-enforcement shelter operations, or issuing an RFP to contract with an experienced nonprofit partner in phases.

Mears stressed immediate public-safety priorities: BARC currently responds to roughly 58% of all calls for service, the agency meets 99% of priority 1 and 2 public-safety calls (active bites and imminent threats), but lacks capacity to reach lower-priority calls. Recent incidents—multiple severe maulings and a fatal attack in the span of a month—underscore the risk, Mears said.

Findings and recommendation

- Funding and capacity: BARC reported a $47,000,000 bond to build a new 150-kennel shelter; construction and staffing are underway but the director said earlier design work is complete and the city is restarting procurement processes. - LGC feasibility: Study authors estimated a near-term operating cost around $7,000,000 for an LGC run out of a new facility. The review found almost no U.S. municipal analogs where a stand-alone LGC runs a city animal shelter fully; LGCs often work when there are immediate dedicated, reliable revenue streams (for example, a paid-admission venue). - Nonprofit partnership: The study recommended starting with a nonprofit partner through a phased RFP for outreach and retail adoption operations as a lower-risk, faster option; if a partner proves financially sustainable, the city could explore forming an LGC in phase two. The study noted an established Houston nonprofit ecosystem (e.g., Houston Pets Alive, RPM) and recommended seeking partners that can scale rescue, foster and adoption pipelines without immediately shifting city kennel staff away from enforcement duties.

Public safety vs. live-release trade-offs

BARC staff said expanding live-release activities (more adoptions and transfers) increases space for adoptable animals but can reduce the shelter’s ability to hold and remove dangerous animals, creating a trade-off between live-release goals and public safety. Mears told the committee that increasing enforcement capacity—more animal-enforcement officers, outreach teams, vehicles, and support staff—would require sustained funding and staffing.

Council questions and public comment

Council members pressed for details on timelines and operational impacts. Council member Mary Nan Huffman and others asked whether design work and procurement were complete; BARC staff said design is complete and the procurement process is being reinstated, with a construction timeline estimated roughly 18–24 months once procurement resumes. Mears said the agency recently hired a new veterinarian and now has four veterinarians on staff (he stated a target of 14 veterinarians to fully staff operations).

Public commenters and rescue partners expressed a range of views. Some residents and rescue advocates urged rapid formation of an LGC to attract new fundraising and innovation; others urged a phased approach that supports existing nonprofit partners and preserves city enforcement staff on site. Rescuers told the committee they face difficulty responding now because BARC reduced some public lists and shortened the time windows for rescues to remove animals; several rescuers asked the city to restore publicly available euthanasia lists or extend notice windows to help volunteer networks retrieve animals.

Next steps

BARC proposed immediate RFP issuance for nonprofit outreach/retail services, continued work to build the new shelter using the $47,000,000 bond, and possible formation of an LGC in phase two if fundraising and partnership results justify the transition. The committee did not take formal action at the presentation; staff said an RFP for outreach/adoption operations is in process and the department will follow up with council offices on additional operational questions.

Ending

Committee members agreed the public-safety dimension must drive near-term decisions and thanked BARC staff for the presentation; BARC will return with additional procurement and timeline updates as the RFP and construction processes proceed.