Local animal shelters unite to save lives in Texas

Excitement radiated off the sidewalks, vendor booths, and rows of happy people and pets during the first-ever multi-shelter adoption event in Mission, Texas. At one vendor booth, a young boy spent the day helping his parents sell food, determined to earn $25 so he could adopt a fluffy black-and-white kitten. There was good news and bad news: All the cats and kittens at the event were adopted before he could meet his match. But don’t worry, the shelters worked together to make sure that boy and his family would have the kitten of their dreams.

More than 120 cats and dogs went home during the one-day event, which brought together pets from Mission Animal Shelter, Palm Valley Animal Society, and Weslaco Animal Care Services.

“Three of the largest animal shelters in the Rio Grande Valley have come together and partnered to adopt loving and deserving animals in one setting in Mission, Texas,” says Steven Kotsatos, director of health, code enforcement, and animal services for the city of Mission. “Our goal is to provide a safe and loving environment for each dog and cat and give them the ultimate chance to thrive and grow in a loving home.”

Saving cats at Palm Valley Animal Society in Texas

The event grew out of a simple need: help more pets get adopted faster. Staff at Mission Animal Shelter were eager to try new adoption strategies to better serve pets in their care. One idea quickly rose to the top: bring together several shelters that take in large numbers of pets and host one large-scale adoption event for the Rio Grande Valley. As a Best Friends Network Partner, the shelter worked with Best Friends staff to bring their vision to life.

Best Friends helped plan the event, sponsored adoption fees, and supported marketing efforts to raise awareness in the community. Best Friends staff also provided on-site help during the event, from setup and outreach to greeting attendees and handing out goodie bags. Providing this kind of one-on-one support is one of the ways Best Friends is helping shelters across the country reach and maintain no-kill.

On the day of the event, volunteers from across the region joined the shelter staff, helping with everything from setup to animal care and adoption counseling.

“There was a line out the door the second we started the event,” says Melissa Mercado, a Best Friends staff member who works in the area. “There were people from all over the Rio Grande Valley, not just the city of Mission.”

The turnout helped show that local adoption could play a bigger role in lifesaving in the valley. Before, many shelters had relied heavily on moving pets to shelters and rescue groups outside the region for adoption. But this event made it clear that people in the Rio Grande Valley want to adopt pets from their local shelters. They just needed accessibility. For many attendees, the event was the first time they had heard of some of the shelters or learned where they were located.

A shelter that could, does

For Melissa, one of the most meaningful parts of the day was seeing shelters come together for a shared goal. “Oftentimes the shelters in the Rio Grande Valley can be siloed, and they tend to do everything on their own,” she says. “So seeing them all come to one place with one goal in mind was really heartwarming.”

Throughout the day, families from across the region adopted new pets and learned other ways to support animals in shelters in the Rio Grande Valley by fostering and volunteering.

And what about the boy who spent the day working to earn enough money for a floofy, black-and-white bundle of kitten joy?

“Palm Valley Animal Society and Mission Animal Shelter worked together to make sure he didn’t go home empty-handed,” says Melissa.

After the event, Mission Animal Shelter spent two days trying to find the right kitten for him. When staff reached out to Palm Valley Animal Society for help, Palm Valley sent over photos of available kittens for the boy to choose from. He picked his favorite and then went with his family to Palm Valley to make the adoption official.

“That sweet boy now has a kitten of his own to love,” says Melissa.

On Mission Animal Shelter’s Facebook page, they wrote: “He just sent us pictures with his new best friend, and our hearts are absolutely full. This is what community, kindness, and teamwork look like. Thank you to everyone who helped make this little dream come true.”

In the end, the event highlighted what can happen when animal welfare groups and a community come together for pets — and for one determined little boy whose kitten dream came true after all.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.