Fort Bend County plans to launch free pet food for a year for dog and cat adoptions

ROSENBERG, Texas (KTRK) -- In Fort Bend County, you'll soon get more than a furry friend with an adoption.

There's a reason why it can be really loud at Fort Bend County's animal services facility.

"There's an animal outside of the cage and there's an animal inside of the cage," Fort Bend County Animal Services director Rene Vasquez said.

Tight quarters, which were recently even worse.

"At one point, we had dogs here in the hallways in black crates, and that made it really, really difficult," Vasquez recalled.

After 230 dogs were crammed into the facility, animal intake was limited for the first time.

"We're still at about 160 dogs and we're trying to hold technically 90," Vasquez explained. "It's been rough."

To get the number down even more, they're about to launch something new, and it could get adoptions up thanks to what the animals chew.

"If it works, it's going to be a great way to get animals out," Vasquez said.

This month, county commissioners passed an item to cover food, flea, tick, and heartworm medication costs for anyone who adopts for a year. Taxpayers will cover the nearly $140,000 cost. Enough money to cover 250 dog adoptions and 75 cat adoptions.

Animal rights group, PETA commends the county for trying something new, but isn't sold.

"It's not going to solve the problem at the shelter of the overpopulation crisis," PETA's director of local affairs in the cruelty and investigations department Rachel Bellies said. "It might give the shelter a little bit of a break for now."

Bellies said cracking down on breeders and focusing on spaying and neutering may help more. After a year and when the food runs out, she worries what people will do.

"It's expensive, and it's a commitment, and so I would advise people who are considering doing this to taking a moment and really thinking about it," Bellies explained.

It's an issue the shelter is working on as well. It said it wants people to know about the commitment before adopting.

"It's been difficult for us," Vasquez explained. "Rescues are full, hard to get fosters. Transports are difficult at times, so this is something we've never done before. Maybe this is something that's going to work great."

There's no start date for the program. Leaders hope to launch by next month.

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