Find Your Purrrfect Match

Stretch, smile, and save a life during two upcoming Houston SPCA events

Join Paws & Pilates on August 29.

Photo courtesy of Houston SPCA

Saturday, August 29, is shaping up to be a big day for animal lovers at the Houston SPCA. The day begins with Paws & Pilates, a morning workout with a feel-good purpose, followed by an afternoon of adoptable pets, family fun, and plenty of opportunities to find a new four-legged friend during Clear the Shelters.

Start the day with Paws & Pilates
A little movement can go a long way — especially when it helps animals in need. From 9-11 am on August 29, the Houston SPCA will host Paws & Pilates in collaboration with Club Pilates Rice Military. The beginner/Level 1 mat Pilates flow is designed to get participants moving while supporting the Houston SPCA’s 2026 Howl-O-Ween Ball.

Registration is $75, which includes the Pilates session and complimentary beverages. With only 40 spots available, anyone interested in starting the weekend with a workout and a worthy cause will want to reserve a spot soon.

And the timing couldn't be better: Once the workout wraps, participants can simply head to the next-door campus for an entirely different kind of pick-me-up — lots of adorable animals.

Then, head to Clear the Shelters
Beginning at 11 am on August 29, the Houston SPCA will kick off its Clear the Shelters event, inviting Houstonians to spend the day meeting adoptable pets who are ready to find their forever families.

The event runs from 11 am-6 pm at the Houston SPCA, 7007 Old Katy Rd., and offers plenty of family-friendly entertainment alongside the main attraction: the animals.

Whether visitors are actively searching for a new companion or simply want to support local animal welfare, Clear the Shelters offers an opportunity to connect with pets looking for their next chapter. For families, it’s also a fun way to introduce children to the importance of compassion, responsible pet ownership, and helping animals in the community.

Houston SPCA You might just meet your new best friend.Getty Images

More than just an adoption event
There will be plenty happening throughout the day beyond meeting the adoptable dogs and cats. Guests can pick up free giveaways and special treats, including Hill’s Pet Adoption Gift Bags and fun giveaways from VCA Animal Hospitals. Kids can get creative with balloon animals and face painting, then stop by an education station for an engaging learning experience.

Animal lovers can also meet wildlife experts and ambassador birds, offering a glimpse at some of the other important work happening at the Houston SPCA.

With activities for kids, opportunities to meet animals, and plenty to see and do, Clear the Shelters makes it easy to turn an ordinary Saturday into a memorable family outing. And for anyone who has been thinking, “Maybe it’s time for a pet,” this could be the sign they've been waiting for.

Make a day of it
The combination of Paws & Pilates and Clear the Shelters makes August 29 an especially easy day to support the Houston SPCA. Participants can start the morning by moving their bodies and supporting animal welfare, then stick around for an afternoon of family fun and potentially meet a new best friend.

Whether the goal is to get active, find a furry companion, entertain the kids, or simply spend a Saturday doing something meaningful, the Houston SPCA has plenty of reasons to make August 29 a date worth marking on the calendar.

Paws & Pilates: Saturday, August 29, 9-11 am
Clear the Shelters: Saturday, August 29, 11 am-6 pm

The Houston SPCA’s adoption center is open daily from 11 am-6 pm, and the animal rescue and protection organization’s campus is located at 7007 Old Katy Rd. in Houston.

events save a life houston spca animal rescue dog rescue adopt dont shop pilates charity promoted

income analysis

This is the salary needed for a single-income family in Texas in 2026

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

The income needed for a single-income household to raise a child in Texas is lower than it was last year.

With childrearing costs in the Lone Star State adding up to tens of thousands of dollars per year, many Texas families are navigating a difficult decision: should both parents work or should one parent stay home to raise the child?

For Texas families that choose the latter, the working parent needs to make nearly $73,000 per year to support their child and the stay-at-home parent, a new income analysis has revealed.

The newly released SmartAsset report used MIT's Living Wage Calculator to estimate the annual living wages needed across all 50 states for a three-person household with two working adults and one child, and a family with one working adult, a stay-at-home parent, and one child. Costs included food, housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation, incremental income taxes, and "other necessities."

A Texas household with one working parent needs to make $72,925 to support their stay-at-home counterpart and their child, the study found. That's $1,809 less than what was needed in 2025.

Meanwhile, the combined income needed for a household with one child and both parents working full-time is $85,030.

Texas ranked No. 42 in SmartAsset's ranking of states with the highest minimum income needed to support a family with one working parent, one stay-at-home parent, and one child. That also situates Texas as the 9th most affordable state for single-income families. But there are risks associated with only having one breadwinner in the family.

"A single income family with small children potentially saves in child care costs over a household with two working parents," the report's author wrote. "The main disadvantages are the lost salary and retirement contributions, Social Security earnings history and employer health benefits."

There aren't any specific tax benefits to having a parent stay at home to raise their child full time, but SmartAsset says single-income families can claim a tax credit under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

"[S]ingle-income families may claim the Child Tax Credit — up to $2,200 per qualifying child for 2026 ($1,700 refundable) — on the same terms as any other family," the report said.

SmartAsset's latest report only looks at costs on a statewide basis, but the cost to raise a child will also vary greatly depending on the city you live in. Raising a child in Houston might pose a challenge for some families, where the cost for childcare alone adds up to $10,265 and overall costs can surpass $22,000.

For households with two children, there might be additional strains on what a family might consider a "comfortable living." A March 2026 SmartAsset study determined a Houston-based family with two working parents need to make a combined income of $204,672 to have a financially stable life while raising two children.

The top 10 states with the lowest minimum income needed for single-income families are:

Arkansas ($68,869)
Mississippi ($70,054)
Kentucky ($70,179)
West Virginia ($70,283)
North Dakota ($71,219)
Oklahoma ($71,365)
Louisiana ($71,406)
Missouri ($72,862)
Texas ($72,925)
Tennessee ($72,946)

smartasset reports texas family income

Find Your Purrrfect Match

Stretch, smile, and save a life during two upcoming Houston SPCA events

income analysis

This is the salary needed for a single-income family in Texas in 2026

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