Pets

Communities around the U.S. are putting on epic fireworks shows for America's 250th birthday — but that spells trouble for dogs and cats. Here's a guide to help the animals in your life.

There is at least one confirmed case found in South Texas. What can you do to protect your pets?

Certainly not the first nor the last sighting in Denton, a pack of coyotes were seen not too far from McKinney Street in early December and soon led to a Reddit post that warned people to “keep your small animals and livestock (chickens) safe.”

Let’s just say, 2025 was a lot. Here are the cool, the fascinating and the just plain fun stories that happened in North Texas over the last year.

Your four-legged friends can get a photo with Santa, take a romp in the snow and enjoy treats curated just for them.

As more people face food insecurity due to federal cuts and inflation, many pet owners are struggling to feed their animals. Because of the uptick in need, some shelters in North Texas have increased their pet pantry efforts to help fill the gap.

The volunteer group, which turns 15 this year, makes and sells blankets, toys and woodwork to raise money for the Arlington animal shelter.

The reduced adoption fee — normally $100 for dogs and $90 for cats — is part of the nationwide Clear the Shelters event running Friday through Aug. 23.

Under the new laws, which will go into effect on Sept. 1, counties across Texas will have more power to stop the sale of dogs and cats in outdoor spaces.

The animal shelter has been running over capacity since May, officials said. Other rescue organizations are feeling the pinch, too.

“If we really want to tackle the fact that Texas has one of the highest kill rates in animal shelters, then we have to make it even a little bit easier for people to own dogs and cats in our state.”

An adoption event held last month helped get hundreds of Dallas Animal Services animals find homes.