Two dogs need a home, and a way out of the Houston heat

Update, August 11, 2026. Rascal has a foster. Our volunteer Lizette collected him from Sally and handed him to his new foster family the same afternoon, and he went straight on to Houston Spay Neuter for an exam, vaccines and a heartworm test. His neuter is booked for later this month. Another rescue has stepped in to help with his care.

Skeletor is still waiting. He needs somewhere to go, foster or permanent, and everything below still applies to him. A donor has offered to cover his medical costs for whoever takes him, so the vet bills would not fall to the rescue that steps up.

Update, August 8, 2026. The harnesses and chain leashes are taken care of. One of our volunteers went out and bought them, so please do not worry about that part. What these dogs still need is somewhere to go, foster or permanent.

We are a cat rescue, so this is not our usual post. Every so often something crosses our path that we cannot walk past, and this is one of those times.

Our president, Mary Kay, has gotten to know a woman we will call Sally, who is living outside on the east side of Houston. Sally has two dogs. She did not raise them. They belonged to another person living on the street who passed away, and Sally took them in rather than let them be left behind. She has kept them fed, watered, and tied in the shade ever since, on almost nothing.

The photos tell it better than we can. One of the dogs has a collar, a bottle of water, a plastic jug cut open into a bowl, and a stuffed crab to lie next to. Someone with nothing is still making sure they have what she can give them.

And she would let them go tomorrow if she knew they were going somewhere good.

That is the part that keeps getting to us. Sally is trying to get back on her feet. She has been on job interviews and has had to work around the fact that she has nowhere to leave the dogs and no money to pay anyone to watch them. The dogs are the one thing she will not compromise on. She wants a real home for them, foster or permanent, and she is not going to hand them to just anyone.

About the dogs

Both are adult males.

One is a chocolate brown Labrador type with a lovely coat and a tongue that does not seem to fit in his mouth. The other is brindle and white, quiet, and content to lie in the shade next to his toy.

Here is what we know, and what we do not:

• Neither dog has had any veterinary care. Neither one is neutered.
• Sally believes one of them has something wrong with his teeth.
• They have chewed nearly through their leashes. Harnesses and chain leashes are an immediate need.
• We have not evaluated these dogs ourselves, and we are not going to make promises about temperament or health that we cannot back up. What we can do is get you honest answers. Mary Kay will drive out and ask whatever you need to know.

What would actually help

A foster or adoptive home is the big one. It does not have to be for both dogs. One would be a start.

If a home is not something you can offer, these all genuinely help:

• A dog rescue or foster network we should be talking to
• A vet who could take a look at those teeth
• Harnesses and chain leashes
• Sharing this with someone in Houston who knows dogs

Get in touch

Email info@catsforlifehouston.org or call 832-865-4652.

These dogs did not choose any of this, and neither did Sally. If you can help with any piece of it, we would be glad to hear from you.