Conroe’s animal shelter is now operating as a no-kill shelter after euthanasia numbers dropped sharply under city management, Conroe Police Chief Jon Buckholtz told City Council during a May 28 update.
The city took over direct operations of the shelter Sept. 20, 2024, after what officials described as mismanagement by a third-party organization. Since then, the shelter’s live release rate has increased from 76.8% in 2024 to 92.5% in 2025, according to the presentation. Buchholz said the latest monthly live release rate was even higher, at 95.8%.
“We’re now at 92% and very, very proud,” Buchholz said. “We’re now a no-kill shelter. That’s a big deal, and it’s not easy to attain.”
The big picture
Shelter euthanasia dropped from 805 animals in 2024 to 168 in 2025, according to the presentation.
Monthly euthanasia numbers also fell after the city took over operations, with several months in 2025 remaining in the teens or low 20s.
Buckholtz said part of the high 2024 intake and euthanasia numbers came from owner surrenders with requests for euthanasia. From January-November 2024, he said the shelter received 714 owner or guardian surrenders with a request for euthanasia.
“That is the reason that that number is so, I think, falsely high,” Buckholtz said.
Total shelter intake also decreased from 3,330 animals in 2024 to 2,265 animals in 2025.
What changed
Buckholtz said the city has completed a new animal shelter policy, though he said it will continue to be adjusted as operations evolve. He also pointed to management improvements, intake and evaluation changes, better transparency, a donation account, community partnerships and volunteer orientations.
He said the shelter has also renamed kennel tech positions to the more industry-standard animal care tech title and increased pay by $2 an hour to better match local market conditions.
The shelter is also getting new leadership. Buckholtz said Lesa West has been selected as the new animal shelter manager and is expected to start June 15.
West has more than 16 years of executive leadership experience, according to the presentation, including overseeing operations, personnel, budgets and strategic planning. She is also a board member of W.E.A.R., or Warriors Educate About Rescue.
“She’s got connections that I’ve never seen,” Buckholtz said.
An assistant animal shelter manager position has also been approved and advertised. Buckholtz said he held off on filling that role until the new shelter manager could help choose the person for her team.
What’s next
The city is planning several shelter improvements, including renovations to the lobby office, a new adoption visiting room, a new outdoor play area, an additional bathroom, more storage and an X-ray machine.
Buckholtz said the city received bid specifications from the architect shortly before the meeting and is waiting on a rough cost and timeline estimate.
The new adoption visiting room would give residents a place to meet animals indoors, while the new play area would replace existing fencing that Buckholtz described as “barely residential-grade.”
“It’s going to be a big improvement,” he said.
The city is also focused on adding a full-time veterinarian. Buckholtz said the shelter currently works with contract veterinary support, but he would like to see more consistent coverage.
He said the city would likely pursue that through a request-for-qualifications process rather than a standard job posting.
Also of note
Buckholtz also used part of the presentation to respond to recent criticism about individual animals at the shelter, including four cases that had circulated publicly. He said those cases included animals that arrived sick, feral or with severe medical conditions, including a dog that tested positive for parvo.
He also responded to criticism about a dog named Grizzly, saying the animal arrived May 18, when the shelter was closed to the public; the stray hold was released May 22; the first available surgery was May 26; and a rescue picked up the dog May 27.
Council members asked about transparency, veterinary care and whether the shelter should eventually become its own city department rather than remain under the police department.
Buckholtz said he believes making the shelter its own department could be a smart long-term move.
“We came from a debacle,” Buckholtz said. “We have taken that number and plummeted it, and I think that now that we’ve got this stabilizing, we’ve got the right management.”