Last night, more than 500 volunteers took to the streets throughout Houston as part of an annual homeless count undertaken by the Coalition for the Homeless, to collect hard data about the number and characteristics of the areaâs homeless community. That data is expected to be released in a few months.
On this edition of Houston Matters, we learn about some of what transpired during last night’s count.
Then: We discuss the challenge animal shelters face in Houston trying to care for and place far too many animals. The city’s Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care, or BARC, is required to accept stray animals. BARC has the capacity to care for about 550 at a time, but collects about a third that number every day, more than 25,000 animals a year. While several thousand are adopted, or sent to other shelters, many are ultimately put down. Some private “no kill” shelters would like to see that policy changed, but is that realistic? We talk it over with Ashtyn Rivet from BARC, and Salise Shuttlesworth, Executive Director of the Friends for Life no kill shelter.
Also: From schadenfreude about wintry weather up north, to TSA stats about guns in carry-on bags, to a possible second chance for SkyMall, to a Houston woman marrying herself…we discuss The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly with this week’s “non-expert” panel: Houston Chronicle columnist Lisa Falkenberg, Texas Originals producer Paul Pendergraft, and University of St. Thomas College Republican Chairman Vladimir Davidiuk.
Plus: Houston Matters’ producer Paige Phelps talks with up and coming “dark pop” musician Zola Jesus, (real name Nika Roza Danilova) about her music, background, and influences. (She performs Feb. 2 at Fitzgerald’s).
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(Photo by Syeda Hasan)
