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Letter of Cooperation Signed Today Will Create Efficiencies in the Reporting, Rescue and Care of Adults and Animals with Urgent Needs
(March 9, 2022)
Houston SPCA, Harris County Resources for Children and Adults and Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee signed a Letter of Cooperation today to solidify their commitment to sharing specialized resources to help the county’s most vulnerable adults and animals in dire need of assistance, such as cases of animal hoarding.
This proactive measure will improve response time for HCRCA and the Houston SPCA when there is an urgent rescue requiring the need for mutual services such as an adult who can no longer care for themselves and the animals in their care. The Harris County Attorney is vital to this collaboration that will allow both agencies to provide their specialized services more efficiently from the initial report, to the response and rescue.
“I’m grateful for this partnership with the Houston SPCA and Harris County Resources for Children and Adults that will help assist both people and animals in caring for their well-being. This collaboration creates a rapid response process to help some of our most vulnerable people and pets,” said Christian Menefee, Harris County Attorney.
The idea for the collaboration came about when HCRCA and the Houston SPCA managed some cases that involved adults and animals in need of urgent care. The Harris County Attorney’s Office can now provide a legal process for which both these specialized services can work expeditiously together.
“Collectively, we now have additional efficiencies in place for all who are working in the field to expedite the special assistance needed for adults and their animals, and just as important, the continuum of care,” said Adam Reynolds, Chief of Animal Cruelty at the Houston SPCA.
“The seniors and vulnerable adults we serve are incapacitated and unable to care for themselves, so this partnership will provide their pets with the necessary veterinary and wellness services they deserve,” said Joel Levine, Executive Director of Harris County Resources for Children and Adults.
“Community collaborations like this are critical for positive outcomes for the pets and people involved,” said Jo Sullivan, LMSW, a licensed social worker who also serves as Chief Community and Development Officer at the Houston SPCA. “There is an estimated 250,000 animals across the US that are in hoarder situations, and in many cases are in desperate need of veterinary care,” added Sullivan.
Those who need assistance from the Houston SPCA can call 713.869.SPCA; the Harris County Resource for Children and Adults can be reached at 713.363.2300. In cases that involve both vulnerable adults and animals, one phone call can be made to the Harris County Attorney’s Office at 713.755.5101.
7007 Old Katy Road / Houston, TX 77024 / 713.869.SPCA (7722) / HoustonSPCA.org
