Fur-Ever Valentines

Nearly 100 pets find forever love at Houston SPCA Valentine's event

Love was in the air at the annual Houston SPCA Valentine’s Weekend Pet Adoption Event, where 98 dogs and cats found families to call their own.

People who came searching for committed and loyal relationships found it, as the Houston SPCA invited the community to open their hearts and homes to pets in need. In celebration of the holiday, all adult dogs and cats were made available through a special $14 adoption package. Each adoption also included a red rose for the adopter and a Houston SPCA pet bandana for their new companion, marking the occasion in festive style.

The $14 adoption package included a health exam, microchip, spay or neuter surgery, most current vaccinations, a sample bag of Hill’s Pet Nutrition pet food, and a complimentary post-adoption exam at VCA Animal Hospital.

Regular adoption fees for adult dogs and cats at the Houston SPCA typically ranged from $25 to $55, making the Valentine’s weekend promotion an especially accessible opportunity for prospective pet parents.

The event highlighted the many benefits of pet adoption:

Pet ownership has been shown to help boost heart health by lowering blood pressure and encouraging physical activity, reducing the risk of heart disease.
Spending time with pets can reduce stress by lowering stress hormones and increasing feelings of calm and happiness.
Daily walks and playtime also encourage consistent movement and healthier routines, supporting both physical and emotional well-being.

Adoption counselors were available throughout the weekend to help families and individuals find the right match based on lifestyle and compatibility. Guidance was offered to ensure that each adopter felt prepared and confident in welcoming a new pet into the home.

The Valentine’s Weekend Pet Adoption Event was held Saturday, February 14, and Sunday, February 15, from 11 am to 6 pm, at the Houston SPCA Adoption Center, 7007 Old Katy Rd. Available pets were featured online at HoustonSPCA.org, allowing potential adopters to preview animals ahead of their visit.

Gabby shows off her Valentine's bandana. Photo courtesy of Houston SPCA

By the end of the weekend, 98 animals had found new, forever homes.

Through no fault of their own, some dogs had waited longer than others to meet their perfect match. During the Valentine’s event, the four longest-staying dogs were adopted, bringing especially heartwarming outcomes to the celebration. Collectively, their 442 days of waiting proved worth it as they began new chapters with loving families.

Leo, who spent 163 days in Houston SPCA’s care, was adopted. Bryant found a home after 118 days. Buddy, who had waited 96 days, also left with a new family. And Elphaba, after 65 days, completed the group of long-term residents who found lasting companionship that weekend.

The Valentine’s event ultimately delivered what it promised: dozens of new beginnings with lots of love.

You, too, can find true love at the Houston SPCA Adoption Center, located at 7007 Old Katy Rd., Houston TX 77024.

Photo courtesy of Houston SPCA

Could Charro be any cuter?

pets pet adoption charity animal rescue spca houston promoted

let's all take the bus

Texas sees 5th highest surge in gas prices in the U.S. since 2025

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

undefined

Houston residents who are feeling the sting at the gas pump aren't alone: Residents all around Texas are seeing soaring prices for regular and diesel fuel in 2026.

In fact, the Lone Star State has seen the fifth-highest percentage increase in gas prices in the country from April 2025 to April 2026, a just-released SmartAsset study has found. The current cost of a regular gallon of gas is 36.1 percent higher now than it was a year ago, and diesel is 60.9 percent more expensive.

The report, "Gas Prices Hit Records in 2026: State by State Breakdown," compared average gas prices from AAA from April 1, 2025 and April 1, 2026 and calculated the one-year change across all 50 states. The study looked at the price of a gallon of regular, premium, and diesel.

According to AAA, the cost of a regular gallon of gas in Texas at the start of April was $3.77, while premium is $4.62 per gallon. Diesel ticked over $5 a gallon — ouch — at $5.11.

Houston gas prices aren't much cheaper than the statewide average. A gallon of regular costs up to $3.76 at some Houston-area pumps, and diesel is $5.05 per gallon. AAA says the highest recorded average price for gas in the city was in June 2022, when a gallon of regular cost $4.68 and diesel cost $5.24.

Though Texas' gas prices are continuing to climb, it ranks 35th in the national ranking of states with the highest cost for regular gas as of April 2026. Texas' diesel prices are the 14th highest nationwide.

With the national average price for gas at $4.06, SmartAsset said the sudden surge in prices can be attributed to the United States' war on Iran, and "subsequent pressure on the Strait of Hormuz."

"Many states have experienced a 33 percent year-over-year increase in the cost of a gallon of regular gas – and in some places it’s even higher," the report's author wrote. "Commercial and public programs may be feeling similarly pinched, with diesel prices upwards of $6.00 per gallon in many states."

California currently has the highest average price for regular and diesel — $5.89 per gallon and $7.52 per gallon, respectively.

Arizona leads the nation with the highest one-year increase in gas prices. Regular gas in the Grand Canyon State is nearly 38 percent more expensive than it was last year, at $4.70 per gallon, and diesel is about 69 percent higher at $6.04 for a gallon.

The state with the cheapest gas prices in April is Oklahoma, where regular costs $3.27 per gallon, premium is $3.97, and diesel is $4.49.

gas prices texas smartasset