Recommendations for a Stray Dog?

Hello everyone,

One of my colleagues had a stray dog enter his backyard a few weeks ago. He has been taking care of the dog and attempting to find the owner by multiple means, but has had no luck. He has a number of pets already, and plans to either bring the animal to the SPCA or have someone else rescue the dog. I am interested in potentially adopting the dog and I was hoping some fellow Houstonians may be able to give some advice.

1. What are the legal rules in Houston that need to be followed regarding this sort of situation? Does the animal need to be brought to a shelter first? Does a specific period of time need to pass?

2. The dog is somewhere between 9 mo to 1 yr old. It is also not chipped or neutered. Presumably those would both need to be done, as well as being evaluated by a Vet and given proper immunizations/heartworm testing, etc. Are there any special programs in Houston to help with free/low cost care of this nature for found strays?

3. Is there an option to bring the dog to a shelter for a temporary period of time to receive this care and have a last attempt to be reunited with its previous owner? If the dog is unclaimed after a certain period of time I could then adopt?

Thanks in advance for the help! Its a beautiful, good natured dog, and I want to make sure that it finds a good home.