Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers's plan to address overcrowding at the county's shelter was approved unanimously by the Commissioners Court on Tuesday, June 11, his office announced in a press release.

The animal adoption incentive program will focus on encouraging local residents to adopt 250 dogs and 75 cats into loving homes by providing a year's supply of pet food and medication for adopting animals from the County animal shelter.

The Fort Bend County Animal Shelter is currently limiting the intake of stray animals because it is well over capacity.

"I don't like simply warehousing animals in cramped conditions for extended periods. Let's prioritize finding loving homes for these dogs and cats," Meyers said. "Motivating potential pet owners by offering essentials like food and medicine is far more economical than investing millions to build larger shelters to warehouse more animals."

Fort Bend's shelter isn't alone in grappling with capacity challenges. Nationwide, animal rescues and adoption agencies are witnessing a surge in surrendered pets, pushing many facilities beyond capacity. In search of solutions, Meyers met with and received input from local animal welfare leaders, local entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders. He also studied national trends and discovered much of the problem is based on economic conditions.

“Inflation is hitting hard, dissuading people from adopting pets and, in some unfortunate cases, leading them to surrender their animals to shelters," Meyers said. "The community's economic struggles directly impact our animal shelter and people's pets.

Coordination of the programs' details is underway. Meyers Office and Fort Bend County Animal Services will announce when the program is operational.