ABOUT
About Rita B. Huff Humane Society
Who We Are
What Makes Us Different?
- Municipal Shelters (“Pounds”) City-run and taxpayer-funded, municipal shelters focus primarily on animal control and public safety. Most operate as Open Intake, meaning they must accept every animal brought to them, regardless of space or resources. While their adoption processes are often quick and simple, overcrowding can sometimes lead to euthanasia as a means of population control.
- Private Shelters (Rita B. Huff Humane Society) As a privately funded, community-supported nonprofit, Rita B. Huff focuses on rescue, rehabilitation, and responsible adoption—our mission is to find every pet a loving, lifelong home. We are proud to be a No-Kill shelter, which means we never euthanize for space. Instead, when we reach capacity, we temporarily pause intakes until adoptions or fosters create room. This may require a little extra patience from adopters, but it ensures that every animal receives the love, attention, and care they deserve.
Our Commitment to Pets and Families
- For Our Dogs: Dogs are naturally social, loyal companions who long to be part of a loving family. To ensure their happiness and safety, we require adopters to provide a secure, fenced area and indoor shelter, ensuring they have a warm, loving environment to call home. Our goal is to place each dog in a setting where they can thrive as cherished family members.
- For Our Cats: Cats are affectionate, intelligent creatures who flourish in safe, indoor environments. Because we believe every feline deserves a cozy, loving home, we require our adopted cats to be indoor-only pets. While we admire the efforts of feral cat rescue groups, Rita B. Huff is not equipped to manage large-scale spay/neuter programs for feral populations.
Our focus remains on connecting loving families with the perfect feline companions.
Our Mission
To promote the humane treatment of animals through shelter, adoption, spaying and neutering, education, and advocacy with the goal to match loving owners with loyal companions and reduce overpopulation through responsible pet ownership.
Our History
The Rita B. Huff Humane Society of Walker County was founded in 1982 by a dedicated group of local citizens committed to animal welfare. The organization was named in honor of Dr. Rita B. Huff, a professor and chair of the Accounting Department at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.
Dr. Huff was a passionate advocate for animals, using her ranch east of town as a private shelter where she and others rescued, rehabilitated, and rehomed stray dogs. In 1982, alongside Jack and Yvonne Kerr, Ed Sandhop, Nancy Brown, Jane Ellisor, Ruth Cady, and other concerned residents, Dr. Huff helped establish a formal humane society with the goal of opening a permanent animal shelter.
Tragically, just days before the organization’s first official meeting, Dr. Huff suffered a severe stroke and passed away. To honor her legacy and dedication to the animals of Walker County, the newly formed society was named the Rita B. Huff Humane Society of Walker County. Shortly thereafter, the organization was incorporated and granted nonprofit 501(c)(3) status.
Over the next several years, fundraising efforts were launched to secure a permanent shelter. By late 1985, thanks to generous community support and a land donation from Gibbs Brothers, over $80,000 had been raised. Construction began in early 1986, and on August 1, 1986, the shelter officially opened, featuring:
- 18 indoor kennel runs
- 13 stainless steel cat cages
- 2 rabies isolation kennels
Over the years, additional donations allowed for further improvements, including perimeter fencing, 18 outdoor dog runs, 10 additional stainless steel cat cages, and the establishment of an on-site spay/neuter clinic, which opened in January 2003.
Our New Facility
In 2024, the organization focused on the design and construction of a state-of-the-art shelter to better serve the animals and community of Walker County. Located on Veterans Memorial Parkway in Huntsville, the new facility sits on two acres and features a 9,600-square-foot building—nearly three times the size of the previous shelter.
This modern facility includes:
- 44 indoor/outdoor dog kennels
- 2 spacious cat rooms
- 2 full-size surgical suites with a dedicated recovery room
- 6 rabies quarantine kennels
- 3 isolation rooms
- 2 pet interaction rooms
- Administrative and operational spaces designed for efficiency and safety
- State-of-the-art HVAC system, which completely refreshes the air over 10 times per hour. This means cleaner, healthier air for our animals, staff, and visitors—and a fresher-smelling shelter compared to our old facility!
This remarkable expansion was made possible through the generosity of dedicated donors who share our mission of providing compassionate care for animals in need. The new shelter represents a significant step forward in our ability to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome pets while serving as a vital resource for Walker County.
Dr. Rita B. Huff
1924 – 1982
PHONE & EMAIL
Open Hours
Monday-Friday: 12pm – 5pm
Saturday: 12pm – 4pm
Sunday: Closed
ADDRESS
1495 Veterans Memorial Parkway
Huntsville, TX 77340