Furry Friend Friday

5 great reasons to adopt a pet — just in time for Take Your Dog To Work Day

Whether it's your large Great Dane, perfectly coiffed poodle or tiny Chihuahua, pets are welcome in many offices that celebrate the 15th annual Take Your Dog to Work Day on Friday. But what about those who don’t have a pet pooch to tag along?

Well you’re in luck, because the summer is the perfect time to adopt a furry friend. Not saying that you should go and adopt a dog just to bring them to work for one day, but instead, use this holiday to really consider providing a foster animal a loving home.

Five Great Reasons to Adopt a Pet

1. Provide your family with a loving friend

I adopted my dog Daisy 14 years ago and nothing would make me happier than coming home from school and being greeted by her loving face. Having her company while doing homework or seeing her at my father's feet every morning when he reads the newspaper (yes, some people still read a newspaper) are just a couple signs of her love and loyalty.

2. A Sense of Security

I know that whenever my father is out of town, my mom and I get real a sense of security with our “guard dog.” She warns us of anyone coming to the door and is our own little safety blanket and great feeling of comfort.

3. Company for Senior Citizens

Just last year my grandmother adopted two kittens from a local shelter for some companionship around her condo. They provide her entertainment with their playing during the day and are very easy to care for with their litter boxes and no need to go outside. She also loves when they snuggle up next to her when she’s reading or going to sleep.

4. A Workout Buddy

Why go for your run around Memorial Park alone when you could bring your active other half? If you like spending time outside and would love the company, a puppy and tennis ball are the perfect pair for summer afternoons in Houston.

5. Give an Animal in Need a Loving Home

Above all, the best thing about adopting is that you will be saving an innocent animal’s life. Being able to give them a warm, comforting place to sleep, nourishing them and seeing them live a happy life is a reward within itself.

Serious Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Adopt:

What kind of lifestyle do I lead? Do you travel often? Work late hours? Remember that animals require constant care and patience. Do you have the time and effort to handle the attention and love they need?
Can I afford a pet? Owning a pet is not only an emotional investment but a financial one as well. Think about the expenses of food, veterinary care, grooming, flea and tick prevention and any kind of boarding that will come out of your wallet. This could add up to $500 or more per year.
Am I ready for a long-term commitment? Remember that this isn’t just a seasonal thing. Adopting a pet is a promise to love and care for another living being for up for 16 years. Also consider that when adopting a puppy, you may have to make an even deeper obligation in regard to potty and obedience training.

Check out the numerous Houston shelters that have dogs and cats up for adoption: SPCA, Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP), Houston Humane Society, BARC, Friends for Life and Special Pals Shelter.

Did we miss any adoption shelters that have made a difference in your life? Please add them in the comments below!

For more information on Mickey, click here [http: /www.cap4pets.org/pet-adoptions/dog-adoption].

Courtesy of CAP

For more information on Mickey, click here [https: /www.cap4pets.org/pet-adoptions/dog-adoption].

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Growth report

Houston leads America in population growth for 2025, Census states

Houston skyline

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Imagine that the Houston metro area swallowed a city the size of Pearland in just one year. That’s essentially what happened from 2024 to 2025, with the Houston metro ranking first in the U.S. for population growth based on the number of people.

New estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show the 10-county Houston metro added 126,720 residents from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025. That’s just shy of Pearland’s roughly 133,000-resident tally.

To calculate population, the Census Bureau counts births, deaths, new residents, and moved-away residents.

Region’s population approaches eight million

On July 1, 2025, the Houston metro’s population hovered slightly above 7.9 million, up 1.6 percent from the same time in 2024. In the very near future, the region’s population should break the eight million mark.

This follows massive growth in the past 20 years. From 2005 to 2025, the region’s population soared by 39 percent. By comparison, the growth rate from 2021 to 2025 sat at nine percent.

A forecast from the Texas Demographics Center indicates that under a middle-of-the-road scenario, the Houston metro’s population will reach nearly 8.5 million in mid-2030 and more than 9.5 million in mid-2040.

Dan Potter, director of Rice University’s Houston Population Research Center, attributes much of the region’s population surge to people moving to the area from outside the U.S. In Harris County, this means a combination of military personnel returning home, people living or working overseas coming back to the U.S., and immigrants relocating to the U.S., he tells CultureMap.

But Harris County fell short from 2024 to 2025 when it comes to people moving here from elsewhere in the U.S., according to Potter. Counties surrounding Harris County benefited from that trend, drawing new residents who preferred to settle in the suburbs.

“The incredible pull and attraction of the Houston area is its economy, its people, and its affordability, and the significant growth that was observed in 2024 and again in 2025 speaks to the magnetism of the region,” Potter says. “That pull to Houston is too strong to be turned off overnight.”

Cooling economy and immigration shifts slow down growth

Whether looking at urban or suburban places, population growth in the Houston area slowed in 2025 and appears to be slowing even more this year, Potter says.

“A cooling economy and changes to immigration policy are a one-two combination that could knock out the region’s population growth,” says Potter, citing the region’s addition of a less-than-expected 14,800 jobs in 2025 as an example.

Weaker population growth may not be felt evenly across the metro area, according to Potter.

A continuing influx of people from Houston to outlying counties such as Brazoria, Fort Bend, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller could curb growth in Harris County, Potter said. Why? If the number of people arriving from other other countries flattens or even drops, then there could be “doughnut-style population growth for the next few years, where Harris County and Houston see declines while the suburban counties see an increase.”

Harris County represents 40 percent of region’s population lift

Houston-anchored Harris County accounted for almost 40 percent of the region’s population spike from 2024 to 2025. In one year, Harris County grew by 48,695 residents, or 1 percent, pushing its population past five million. That increase put Harris County in first place for numeric growth (rather than percentage growth) among all U.S. counties.

From 2020 to 2025, Harris County’s growth rate was 6.6 percent. It remains the country’s third largest county based on population, behind Southern California’s Los Angeles County and Illinois’ Chicago-anchored Cook County.

Harris County is on track to surpass Cook County in size in the near future. As of July 1, 2025, a nearly 150,000-resident gap separated population-losing Cook County and fast-growing Harris County.

The Texas Demographics Center predicts Harris County’s population will be 5.37 million in mid-2030 and just short of six million in mid-2040.

Suburban counties see significant population gains

Harris County isn’t the only county in the area that experienced a growth spurt from 2024 to 2025:

Waller County’s population climbed 5.69 percent, winding up at 69,858. Its growth rate ranked second among U.S. counties.
Liberty County’s population rose 4.4 percent to 121,364, putting its growth rate in eighth place among U.S. counties.
Montgomery County gained 30,011 residents, with its population landing at 781,194. That placed it at No. 4 among U.S. counties for numeric growth.
Fort Bend County picked up 24,163 residents, arriving at a total of 975,191 and positioning it at No. 8 among U.S. counties for numeric growth. Fort Bend County, the region’s second largest county based on population, is projected to break the one million-resident mark by July 2030, according to the Texas Demographics Center.

“Lower mortgage rates from 2009 to 2022 and the rise of remote work have made suburban housing more attractive, especially for families seeking affordability,” Pramod Sambidi, the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s assistant director of data analytics and research, said last year. “Additionally, suburban areas are seeing more multifamily developments than before the pandemic.”

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