The Mission Animal Shelter is now being operated by city employees.

It comes after the city cut ties with the RGV Humane Society in Jan. 2025, and a national organization stepped in on March 2025.

A new outdoor interactive area is being built at the shelter that houses more than 150 dogs and cats. The area is being paid for with $50,000 from the Mission Economic Development Corporation.

"The animal shelter has gone through a lot of phases, and we are happy to see it lifted up and beautified,” Belen Guerrero-Aguirre with the Mission EDC said.

One of the upgrades to the Mission Animal Shelter is the creation of an interaction room where families are able to come and interact with the animals before deciding whether to take them home.

The city has more than $1 million set aside for the shelter from the budget’s general fund. 

A majority of that money is going toward employee salaries, vaccines and professional services, according to Mission Animal Shelter Director Steven Kotsatos.

AS previously reported, shelter costs are projected to push the city into a $165,000 budget deficit.

Kotsatos said the shelter is looking for alternative funding sources.

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