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.