LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas - Nearly a year after Liberty County commissioners approved a budget that included funding for a new animal shelter, the project remains in a holding pattern as county leaders weigh staffing costs and the timeline for a new county jail.

The growing number of stray dogs - along with reports of animal cruelty and neglect - drew residents to Commissioners Court last year, where many pushed for a shelter and were encouraged when money was set aside.

KPRC 2's Lisa Hernandez requested an update from Liberty County Attorney Matthew Poston, who said the shelter cannot operate as planned without a staffing strategy that relies heavily on inmate labor.