HOUSTON, Dec. 18, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions is finalizing a Lost Pet Initiative to be launched in the near future. The initiative aims to increase awareness that inserting microchips into pets significantly helps to reunite the animals with their families. "We are going to give owners more resources to find their pets and announce their pets as missing so we can leverage Houston's large community of animal lovers," says BARC Council Liaison and Public Information Officer Christopher Newport.
Animals rescued at BARC receive shelter and foster care as well as injury recovery. Other services include adoptions and pet care training. BARC also educates the public on Houston city animal codes, laws, and licensing. As Houston's only shelter legally required to accept every animal, BARC is often the last line of defense against the dangers of urban life.
BARC benefits from donations which fund nutrition, accommodations, and veterinary care for animals rescued by caring volunteers. The group's programming on Houston Voice illustrates the rewards of becoming involved in the lives of these loving creatures.
BARC has been able to return more than 265 pets to their homes since Aug. 1, and is on track to receive more than 35,000 animals in 2013. In general, experts estimate that more than one million animals roam the streets of Houston. BARC is aware that many other animals that arrive without collars or microchips have families that are looking for them as well.
About Houston BARC
BARC takes dozens of animals into its shelter on a daily basis, and relies on donations and volunteers to maintain its operation. The organization also maintains a wide assortment of rescue, retail, and media partners. More information is at http://www.houstontx.gov/barc/index.php. Houston's Voice channel may be accessed here.
About Houston's Voice
Houston's Voice is a community driven video and interactive media network dedicated to supporting the creative efforts of the personalities, businesses and organizations that make Houston great. Houston's Voice is part of Project Open Voice (POV), a pilot program from Comcast that brings organizations together across the web, mobile, social media and cable television outlets. From a desk top or mobile device, viewers may access and interact with original content specific to Houston in the categories of education, business, faith, leisure, youth, arts, sports, food and beverage, and community. For more information or to become a Content Partner, visit www.houstonsvoice.com.
The Houston's Voice logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=14939