We save animals and help our neighbors care for the pets they love.
At Friends For Life, every animal matters. Founded in 2002, Friends For Life introduced the no-kill shelter model to Houston – saving animals regardless of their breed, age or condition.
Houston-grown, we’re here to help our neighbors care for the pets they love.
We’re not finished until every animal has a safe home. Until then, we’ll be innovating, improving and tracking results to find the most effective ways to save lives.
How we’re different
Every Animal Matters
We save animals regardless of their origin, breed, age or condition. Many shelters refuse strays, animals from private citizens, or even entire breeds. Instead, we are guided by a simple principle: Every Animal Matters.
Rooted in our community
No shelter is an island. We lean on our community to fuel our work. In return, Houston community relies on us. Here are some programs that help lift our neighbors:
- We gave away 5,500+ free spay/neuter surgeries (and counting) through our Fix Houston program. The result: There will be 100,000 fewer animals coming into Houston shelters.
- Friends For Life Animal Food Bank (Houston’s first!) provided our neighbors with 50 tons of pet food last year.
- During Hurricane Harvey, we responded to the City’s call. The Mayor needed us to manage pets at the George R. Brown Evacuation Center. We set up the country’s first-ever shelter where people stay together with their pets. The success of our effort set an example for future disaster planning.
We keep score
We look at data to track our progress and make decisions. From TNR mapping to measuring training clicks, we rely on evidence to help us fine-tune our best practices.
Our Model
We see our work as a three-legged stool:
- Rescue, rehabilitate and adopt (Wellness, Behavior, Adoptions)
- Reduce animal births (Fix Houston)
- Help our neighbors with their pets (Thinking Outside the Shelter)
When deployed together, these programs lead to a systemic change. We envision the day when all animals have homes, and shelters become resource centers for the community.
Our Tribe
CHRISTINE MCWILLIAMS
President
PATRICIA (PAT) LARSON
Treasurer + Co-Founder
SALISE SHUTTLESWORTH, J.D.
Executive Director + Founder
JOHN HANTAK
Board member
LEANNE SCHNEIDER
Board member since 2018
LORI SEELHOFF, DVM
Board member since 2018
JEFFERY SPALDING
Board member
ROBERTO TREVINO, DVM
Board member since 2016
TADD HATCHER
Board member since 2019
CAROLYN LEVY, PH.D.
Advisor to the Board
BRIAN VASS
Advisor to the Board
EVELYN CUTTS
Assistant Executive Director (Interim)
LENA LIEB, MPA
Development Director
KAREN
Accounting
SAVANNAH
Volunteer Manager
ANGIE
Wellness Lead
JOANN
Wellness Coordinator
KERI
Fix Houston Manager
CHELSEA
Fix Houston Community Outreach
PAM
Adoptions Manager
STEPH
Adoption Coordinator
RACHEL
Adoption Coordinator
HEATHER
Events Coordinator
SHARON
Canine Lead
BETH
Feline Lead
JENNIFER H.
Communications
IRENE
Administrative Assistant
MELISSA
Behavior Manager
PC
Behavior Tech
OLIVIA
Behavior Tech
EMERY
Behavior Tech
MORGAN
Animal Care Manager
CADY
Animal Care Specialist
TRUDY
Animal Care Specialist
DULCE
Animal Care Specialist
MAX
Animal Care Specialist
JENNIFER P.
Animal Care Specialist
ABEL
Facilities
EVE
Receptionist
President
CHRISTINE MCWILLIAMS
“I’ve been involved with Friends For Life for years now, having started out as a donor and dog volunteer. I’ve watched our programs grow and change as Houston changes, supporting Houston animals and their people. Friends For Life truly is a problem solver in the Houston animal welfare community, playing an integral role in shaping what it means to be a shelter.”
Treasurer + Co-Founder
PATRICIA (PAT) LARSON
“Having been here from the start, I am so proud of what this organization has become. It’s truly a life-line for so many animals, and people, in Houston.”
Executive Director + Founder
SALISE SHUTTLESWORTH, J.D.
“You don’t lead by pointing and telling people someplace to go. You lead by going to that place, and then making a case. That’s what Friends For Life is built on—doing progressive things and proving that they work. We brought Houston the concepts of no kill, Thinking Outside the Shelter, Fix Houston, a feline leukemia cat adoption option, a mobile adoption vehicle, a dog AND cat behavior program, the first cohabitated disaster shelter in the U.S. and a LEED shelter with 96 solar panels on the roof. We didn’t point—we simply headed in the direction of making things better for animals and did the work. Try new things to save as many lives as you can, be transparent about the results and adjust as needed. That’s the recipe. Plus, you can’t ever have too many ferrets.”
- director@friends4life.org
Board member
JOHN HANTAK
“The fearlessness of this team never ceases to amaze me. They bravely and courageously approach their goals, even if it requires them to speak truth to power. Friends For Life is a true trailblazer in Houston, and the wider No Kill movement.”
Board member since 2018
LEANNE SCHNEIDER
“The community partners that Friends For Life has established are helping to strengthen the bond that Houstonians have with their pets and communities, and I’m extremely proud to be a part of that.”
Board member since 2018
LORI SEELHOFF, DVM
“Everyone expects us to approach the animals with compassion, and we do, but Friends For Life extends that to the humans as well, understanding that everybody is doing their best. That compassion—treating others how they want to be treated—makes a world of difference in the community.”
Board member
JEFFERY SPALDING
“I’m proud to call myself a member of this Friends For Life team, as a foster, adopter, and on the board. The results that they create for Houston’s animals are unprecedented. Their dedication to always improving and never settling, should be an inspiration and example for other shelters.”
Board member since 2016
ROBERTO TREVINO, DVM
“Despite all my international work with World Vets, I still can’t image a more amazing team to be a part of than Friends For Life. The Friends For Life team is always focused on doing what’s right. They’re heroic in every sense of the word, just not all heroes wear capes.”
Board member since 2019
TADD HATCHER
“While I’m new to the FFL board, I’ve been involved with this tribe since 2013 when I started volunteering at the shelter. I’m excited to be a part of this leadership group as we forge ahead for true changes in the Houston community”
Advisor to the Board
CAROLYN LEVY, PH.D.
“Friends For Life’s Fix Houston™ program is demonstrating that targeted TNR can reduce the free-roaming cat population, and thereby reduce the number of cat deaths and stress on Houston animal welfare resources. Expansion of this program is an essential element in the Friends For Life mission and commitment to the community.”
Advisor to the Board
BRIAN VASS
“I’ve always been impressed with how Friends For Life tracks the results of their work so diligently. It’s rare to find that in organizations, and even less so in the sheltering community. But it gives Friends For Life a clear way to measure their impact, and data to look to when they need to find the most effective way to advance the cause in a new direction.”
Assistant Executive Director (Interim)
EVELYN CUTTS
- evelyn@friends4life.org
Development Director
LENA LIEB, MPA
- 713-936-5036
- development@friends4life.org
Accounting
KAREN
- accounting@friends4life.org
Volunteer Manager
SAVANNAH
- volunteermanager@friends4life.org
Wellness Lead
ANGIE
Wellness Coordinator
JOANN
Fix Houston Manager
KERI
- FixHouston@friends4life.org
Fix Houston Community Outreach
CHELSEA
- fixhoustonoutreach@friends4life.org
Adoptions Manager
PAM
- adoptionmanager@friends4life.org
Adoption Coordinator
STEPH
- adoptions@friends4life.org
Adoption Coordinator
RACHEL
- adopt@friends4life.org
Events Coordinator
HEATHER
- events@friends4life.org
Canine Lead
SHARON
- sharon@friends4life.org
Feline Lead
BETH
- feline@friends4life.org
Communications
JENNIFER H.
- jennifer@friends4life.org
Administrative Assistant
IRENE
- ffladmin@friends4life.org
Behavior Manager
MELISSA
- behavior@friends4life.org
Behavior Tech
PC
- behaviortech@friends4life.org
Behavior Tech
OLIVIA
- +91-89898989898
- nick.knight@example.com
Behavior Tech
EMERY
Animal Care Manager
MORGAN
- morgan@friends4life.org
Animal Care Specialist
CADY
Animal Care Specialist
TRUDY
Animal Care Specialist
DULCE
Animal Care Specialist
MAX
Animal Care Specialist
JENNIFER P.
Facilities
ABEL
Receptionist
EVE
- ffladmin@friends4life.org
Adoption Partners
The Cattery at PetSmart
2902 S Shepherd Dr | Houston, TX 77098
Tel 713-520-7917
We have been partnered with PetSmart on South Shepherd for years and love having the cattery there as an outlet to find even more homes for our adoptable cats. With a recent total remodel, the space is now open for us to host small events that include the resident cats!
El Gato Coffeehouse Cat Cafe
508 Pecore St, Ste A | Houston, TX, 77009
Tel 832-968-3006
El Gato is Houston’s first and only cat cafe. There, you can mingle with our adoptable cats in a fun, cozy setting. There’s a cafe and a food menu, as well as a variety of events. El Gato does require a booking fee, paid to them, to visit the space—book on their website to save your spot!
