Be a furrever home

New event helps Houstonians empty the shelters with discounted pet adoptions

Bring a puppy, kitten, or both home this weekend for as little as $25.

Courtesy photo

Texans who want to welcome a new furry friend into their home can show off their hospitality and big heart by being part of this weekend's Empty the Shelters event.

Part of a nationwide program, sponsored by the Bissell Pet Foundation, from July 10-12, the organization is working with adoption agencies across Texas to reduce fees to give cats and dogs forever homes. In some cases, the fees to take home a new fuzzy companion could be as low as $25.

Participating shelters and nonprofits include Citizens for Animal Protection and Houston Humane Society in Houston, Dallas Animal Services, and San Antonio's Animal Care Service. Participating shelters will work with interested adopters to schedule meet-and-greet appointments following local COVID-19 guidelines.

In the early days of the pandemic, pet adoptions rose nationwide as people found themselves living under stay-at-home orders. But those statistics have leveled off, leaving thousands of cats and dogs without homes. Bissell notes that foster families stepped in fill the gap, and this weekend's adoption event will also honor foster-to-adopt cases that start as fosters during the weekend of July 10-12 and are finalized up to one week after the event.

The timing for the adoption push is simple.

“More pets run away on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year,” said Cathy Bissell, founder of Bissell Pet Foundation in a press release announcing the event. “The increase in shelter intake puts pressure on our partners, who are already working with limited staff and funding due to COVID-19. The best way for us to support them is to help their pets find loving homes.”

Those interested in bringing home a pet should visit Bissell's Empty the Shelters site to find the participating organization closes to them. Bissell recommends contacting individual agencies to set up appointments and double check operating hours. All animals included in the Empty the Shelters promotion will be microchipped and spayed/neutered to prevent further pet homelessness.

Since the program began in 2016, Empty the Shelters has found homes for 37,394 pets and counting. During the COVID-19 pandemic alone, 6,231 pets were adopted during two previous Empty the Shelters events.

charity pets

to the batcave

Houston park takes flight with bat viewings, chats, and movie night

Photo by Ann Froschauer/USFWS/Flickr [https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/8006844645/]

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The Buffalo Bayou Partnership announced bat-themed summer programming for the 160-acre park near downtown. Houstonians with an interest in the flying mammals will have plenty of ways to appreciate them.

Every Friday evening at sunset through the end of August, Buffalo Bayou Partnership will host two events centered around Houston's most famous bat colony, the 300,000 Mexican free-tailed bats that nest under the Waugh Street Bridge. Visitors get to watch the massive swarm emerge as the sun goes down and the bats hunt insects in the area.

On land, the free Bat Chat event is hosted by the Houston Area Bat Team, including Dr. Cullen Geiselman Muse. She studies the local bat populations and advocates for them based on their helpfulness to Houston.

"Here in Houston, there are insect-eating bats that can consume nearly their body weight in crop pests each night," she said in a statement. "The effects of the bats’ nightly forays add up across space and time. They impact processes ranging from how rainforest regenerate after they are clearcut to how much insecticides farmers use on crops."

People who want a view from the water may take one of the Bat Cruises. These 90-minute trips up and down the bayou cost $30, but do offer one of the most incredible ways to see the emergence. Plus, visitors get to see the area around Buffalo Bayou light up at night. The cruise launches from 1019 Commerce Street, and reservations are required in advance.

Batman Returns

No, one of Houston's most famous urban legends hasn't reemerged. However, BBP is hosting the next best thing: a free screening of the 1992 superhero classic film Batman Returns. Directed by Tim Burton, this Christmas-themed adventure follows Batman (Michael Keaton) as he battles Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and the Penguin (Danny Devito) as the latter tries to become mayor of Gotham. Houston is deeply tied to Batman Returns as Six Flags AstroWorld once housed the official tie-in rollercoaster, which included a replica of the Batcave, Penguin's duckmobile, and other memorabilia.

The outdoor screening takes place on Saturday, July 25 at The Water Works in Buffalo Bayou Park (105B Sabine Street). Attendees are encouraged to dress up in costumes from the Batman mythos, and the Houston Area Bat Team will give a talk before the movie begins. It starts at 6 pm, and prior registration is required.

Finally, the The Buffalo Bayou Boutique at The Water Works has added bat plushies, stickers, and bandanas (batdanas) to their store. A full list is available on the boutique website.