MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — The Montgomery County Animal Shelter wants you to know it is still able to facilitate adoptions despite the county being under a ‘stay home, stop the spread’ order amid the coronavirus outbreak.
With 193 animals onsite, the shelter is looking for people to adopt or sign up as emergency fosters even though the doors to their facility are closed.
“We can accommodate adoption, foster or rescue within the shelter, curbside, and delivery or try to accommodate whatever needs or request you may have to make it happen,” the shelter wrote on its website.
The shelter said its focus is to greatly reduce the current animal inventory during the pandemic by getting animals into foster homes, adopter homes or rescues.
To adopt an animal at MCAS, click here to schedule a time. The shelter is waiving adoption fees to eliminate the handling of cash and credit card terminals during the pandemic.
Information on how to foster can be found here.
You can also call the shelter at (936) 442-7738 or email Foster.coordinator@mctx.org.
MCAS is not the only animal shelter in need of adopters or fosters during this time.
To adopt or emergency foster an animal in your community contact:
BARC (City of Houston):
Email: barcfoster@houstontx.gov
Phone: (713) 837-0311
Website: http://www.houstontx.gov/barc
Animal Adoptions will only allow 20 people into the campus at a time to view and adopt animals. Please note that the campus consists of multiple facilities.
Harris County Animal Shelter (Unincorporated Harris County):
Email:Foster@phs.hctx.net
Phone: (281) 999-3191
Harris County Animal Shelter is offering curbside pick-up for those offering to foster.
Website: www.CountyPets.com
Fort Bend County Animal Services:
Phone: (281) 342-1512
Fort Bend County Animal Services is offering curbside pick-up to residents, as well as Dog Dash/Uber service to deliver fully vetted pets to adopters and fosters within the County.
City of Baytown Animal Services & Adoption Center:
Phone: (281) 422-7600
Website: www.Baytown.org
Houston SPCA
Effective today, they ask that visitors and potential adopters call and make an appointment before visiting their campus through March 31.
We encourage our community to visit our website to view all of our adoptable pets before making an appointment at 713-869-7722. If a pet is posted on our website, that means they still need a loving home! Please note, equine and farm animals will continue to require an appointment.
Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.