Rita B. Huff Adoption Center is an animal shelter and adoption center founded by a group of citizens in 1982 and named for Dr. Rita B. Huff. Huff was a professor at Sam Houston State University and chairman of the accounting department.
At Rita B. Huff Adoption Center, the volunteers and organizers continue the work of Huff by providing for and caring for these animals.
Once a month, Rita B. Huff Adoption Center will host adoption events off-site. The next adoption event will be on Feb. 22 at 1403 13th St.
“We are always looking for volunteers to go with us to our adoption events,” Executive Director Lori Toliver said.
There are a lot of volunteer opportunities at Rita B. Huff, including dog-walking and foster care. They offer a volunteer program for anyone looking to get involved with shelter work. The volunteer process includes going through orientation and completing required training sessions.
When the weather permits, volunteers will have a chance to include dog-walking as one of their tasks.
“We love for our volunteers to come in and walk our dogs,” Toliver said. “If you come in on a regular basis and you take a liking to a dog, we can make sure you walk the same dog every time you come in.”
Kats In Support of Shelters volunteers help by picking up dogs and taking them to the campus for students to interact with and learn how to volunteer.
Short-term foster care at Rita B. Huff Adoption Center is one of their most essential volunteer opportunities. Helpers have an opportunity to foster a pet from the shelter, without the commitment of ownership.
“We provide a kennel, the food, towels, dry milk, or whatever is needed, we provide everything,” Toliver said.
All dogs are spayed, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped prior to being released to fosters/volunteers.
Whether it’s two weeks or six months, helpers can temporarily adopt an animal before deciding.
“You don’t have to commit to owning something, you can take it home and just take care of it,” Toliver said. “If you go into it with the mindset that you’re helping this animal get over a hump, whether it be for two weeks or four, you can bring that one back and we can give you another one to get over the hump.”
The purpose of the short-term foster program is not to just potentially foster an animal, but to offer them a chance for a better life. Rita B. Huff is currently revamping their foster program, to help more stray and homeless animals.
For more information on volunteering at Rita B. Huff Adoption Center, visit rbhhumanesociety.org or call 936-295-4666.