City of Fort Worth

Volunteers must be at least 16 years old to volunteer with Fort Worth Animal Care & Control.

Volunteer with the Fort Worth Animal Shelter!

Want to make a difference? Join us!

There are so many ways to volunteer your time to help Fort Worth Animal Care and Control (FWACC). We could not save more than 90% of the pets who come through our doors annually without our incredible volunteer team. If you're passionate about helping people and pets, we have a "job" for you!

Volunteers are needed for almost everything we do, but our biggest volunteer needs are:

• Adoption Matchmaker- help families find their perfect match among the 300 or more pets waiting at our shelter. 
• Dog Enrichment Program - provide enrichment (in the form of toys, treats, and more) to pets in our care. Enrichment is critically important to help pets stay mentally and physically stimulated while they are in the confinement of a shelter.
• Dog Walking- walk, socialize and train selected pets in our care that are most in need!
• Paw-parazzi - help photograph the pets in our care waiting for their homes. By having clear, distinguishing photos showcasing the animals personality, it helps increase their adoptability and connect them with their new family.
• Play Group Monitors - with over 300 dogs in our shelter on any given day, we rely on our play yard areas to help dogs get much needed exercise and enrichment in play groups. These volunteers help us monitor the yards and ensure the play groups are safe and fun for every dog involved.
• Greeters - help potential adopters find their way around the shelter and meet adoptable cats and dogs
• Off-Site Adoption Centers/Events - assist with adoption matchmaking, cleaning and greeting potential adopters at our two off-site adoption centers and off-site adoption events
• General assistance with cleaning, laundry, dishes, and more!
• Foster Volunteers - volunteering in our foster care program is an extremely rewarding opportunity for individuals and families. Our foster program allows pets that are too young for adoption, who are recovering from an illness or injury, or who are in need of other care to stay in private homes until they are ready to be adopted.

  Click here to learn more about our foster program.

Our general volunteer program is open to individuals as young as 13 years of age however, anyone between the ages of 13 and 15 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian when volunteering at any location. Volunteers age 16 and older may volunteer on their own (note: a parent or legal guardian is still required to be present for the initial orientation and shelter tour).

Looking for group activities?

We love having volunteer groups visit us! We are able to accommodate groups of at least 5 but no more than 8 volunteers, all of whom must be at least 18 years old. We call this our “Day of Service Program”. Opportunities are available most Mondays-Sundays, and must be scheduled at least two (2) week in advance. Scheduling is made on a first come, first-served basis. Please contact our volunteer coordinator, Melanie Pena @ melanie.pena@fortworthtexas.gov be sure to include the preferred date, time, and names of volunteers in your email). 

By choosing to volunteer, you will have the opportunity to strengthen our great city by connecting with families, neighbors, and communities through service. Your help is very much appreciated by staff and the shelter pets - help us make a difference in your community!

Become a foster hero!

As the city of Fort Worth's only open admission shelter, we never turn away a pet in need. Foster caregivers help us save lives of pets recovering from illness or injury, orphaned kittens and puppies, and many other animals that may thrive better in a home environment than in the shelter. Most pets at FWACC that are available for adoption are also available for foster, and we welcome fosters who can take pets into their homes for any length of time. Foster parents help increase the adoptability of these shelter animals by providing care and a foster home during this time of transition from the shelter to an adopter’s home.  As a foster parent, you are a volunteer and helping us save lives of shelter pets in need. Whether you are able to commit to just an afternoon or a longer opportunity, we have a verity of ways for you to get involved.

Foster parents are most in need for:

• Short term foster placement, such as an Out and About day trip or overnight sleepover. Short term foster decreases stress in our animals, gives them a much needed break from the shelter, and helps us gain valuable information about the pet to help match them with their future adopter. This is a great way to try out fostering because it is a short-term commitment that makes a HUGE difference in the life of a shelter pet! Find out more about this type of fostering below.
• Medium-large adult dogs who have been in the shelter for longer than 30 days! Some animals (through no fault of their own!) can be passed by in the shelter. These "hidden gems" often times just need to get out of the shelter and have someone advocating for them to find an adopter.
• Puppies/kittens or moms with newborns that are too young to be adopted
• Pets recovering from an illness or injury needing some extra TLC and medical care

How to foster:

1. Fill out our foster form (link on the right).
2. You will recieve a welcome email within 72 hours of submitting your application. Read through the email to find your foster manual for more information on setting up an appointment.

What does the shelter provide?

• WE provide all vaccinations, spay/neuter, microchip and pre-authorized vet care for your foster pet. Food, treats and other basic supplies (beds, crates, leash, etc.) will be supplied to you, depending on availability (these are donation based).
• YOU provide the basics – your home, exercise, space, socialization and love.

You can view our dashboard of pets currently available for foster by clicking here. Please note: this list is updated frequently, but some animals may have already found their forever or foster homes!

Please email FWACCfoster@fortworthtexas.gov if you have any questions.