Adopt

Special Pals

Special Pals is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization founded in 1979 and is the oldest continuously running “no-kill” animal shelter in the Houston metro area.

Our mission is to save as many animal lives in Houston as possible in cooperation with local rescue organizations.

We empower our community to support animal health and safety, and we envision the day when Houston is the Gold Standard for animal welfare.

Special Pals is a local, private, nonprofit organization. We rely completely on donations, not funds from government contracts or from national animal welfare groups with big advertising budgets and even bigger salaries. We are a limited intake facility, never taking on more than we know we can handle, ensuring all animals in our care receive the attention and space they need to be happy, healthy, and find homes.

Meet their adoptable pets

3830 Greenhouse Rd.,
Houston, TX, 77084

See every new pet that comes to this shelter!

Create an alert, and we'll notify you every time a new pet comes in who meets your criteria.

Rescue FAQs

Houston, TX and surrounding areas; we are located in west Houston close to Bear Creek, Katy, Cypress, Fulshear, Waller, and Cinco Ranch.

  • 1. Meet the Pet
  • 2. Submit Application
  • 3. Approve Application
  • 4. Pay Fee
  • 5. Take the Pet Home

Additional adoption info

All potential adopters will complete an application with us, including references and information about your history with sharing your home with companion animals.

We review applications with the best interest of our adopables' long-term care in mind - adding a companion animal to your home is a life-long commitment!

Special Pals dogs and cats going to their forever homes will be up to date on vaccines, tested for heartworms or FIV/FeLv, spayed or neutered, dewormed, and microchipped.

You will take home a copy of their vaccine record, medical notes, and any known medical history.

When you adopt, you are saving more than one life! Revenue from adoptions and all other Special Pals services is used to support the homeless animals in our shelter and to continue our mission as described in our mission statement.

Search for a dog or cat

  • Columbus, OH
  • Columbus, OH
  • Columbus Grove, OH
  • Columbus Grv, OH

Sorry, we can’t find that location! Please try again.

Animal Charities in Houston, TX

HeARTs Speak

HeARTs Speak develops resources that help shelter animals to be seen and find homes, ultimately transforming public perceptions of pet adoption, shelters, and animals in need. Each year our work helps nearly 1 million pets in your community and beyond.

Learn more

Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs

There is a tremendous need for new methods of sterilization that are faster, easier, more accessible, and less expensive than surgery. ACC&D works tirelessly to bring together key stakeholders to advance this field.

Learn more

Animal Legal Defense Fund

Every day, Animal Legal Defense Fund works to enact tougher animal cruelty laws, provide care and legal assistance for animal victims of cruelty, offer rewards to bring abusers to justice, and provide free legal assistance to prosecutors and law enforcement to put abusers behind bars.

Learn more