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February Photo Challenge: Love Bugs! 💕

Calling all volunteers! Our February photo challenge is here, and we’re all about capturing the love. For Love Bugs, we want photos of our dogs showing their affectionate side—think kisses, cuddles, tail wags, or simply looking adorable with heart-themed props.

Snap those heartwarming moments and share them with us for a chance to highlight our pups in the sweetest way possible. Let’s spread the love and help these dogs shine!

Submit your photos by the end of February to participate! 

Want to play matchmaker? Help out with Meet and Greets!

We’re looking for volunteers to help with Meet and Greets—a crucial part of connecting potential adopters with their future furry family members! During these sessions, you’ll assist by bringing dogs out to the play yard and helping showcase their personalities to prospective adopters.

This role is all about creating meaningful connections and helping our pets shine outside the kennel. If you’re a people person and love spending time with dogs, this is the perfect opportunity to make a difference!

Interested in lending a paw? Sign up here today! You do have to be canine trained to participate in this opportunity.

Calling All Grooming Pros!

Exciting news—our grooming station is officially up and running! Before we can open this opportunity to our volunteers, we want to ensure everyone is properly trained on grooming techniques and safety protocols. That’s where you come in!

If you have dog grooming experience, we’d love to connect with you about potential training opportunities. Your expertise could play a key role in helping us prepare volunteers to provide much-needed grooming for our shelter pets.

Reach out to us at DASVolunteer@dallas.gov to learn more. Together, we can make our furry friends feel their very best!

Save the Date: Ticket to Ride!

Mark your calendars! On February 14th, we’re gearing up for a Ticket to Ride transport event, helping 50 of our dogs on their journey to new opportunities. To make this happen, we’ll likely need volunteers on February 13th and the morning of the 14th to assist with walks, transport prep, and more.

Stay tuned for more details, but if you’re ready to jump in and help, we’d love to have you on board!

Interested in short-term fostering for this event? Reach out to the foster team at DASFoster@dallas.gov to learn more.

Let’s make this Valentine’s Day one for the books!

Help Us Stock Up: Treats and Water Bowls Needed!

Our furry friends at the shelter could use your help! We’re running low on treats and water bowls, two essentials that keep our pets happy, hydrated, and healthy while they are in our care.

Donations can be dropped off at the shelter during regular hours or shipped directly to us from your favorite retailer. Every contribution makes a big difference!

Thank you for supporting our shelter pets—you’re helping make their stay a little brighter!

It's a wonderful way to ring in the new year with joy and relaxation, helping create a soothing environment for our furry friends.

Sign up here for a daycation today and help us hit the next big milestone. Thank you for being the reason behind so many happy tails!

Reminder: If you’ve completed your canine training, no appointment is needed for a Daycation! We just ask that you send us an email or text before you come by so we can have supplies ready.

Mark your calendars! We're kicking off 2024 with our Volunteer Town Hall on Monday, January 22, at 6 PM. This is your chance to connect with fellow volunteers, hear updates about Dallas Animal Services, and get an exclusive look at our goals and exciting plans for the year ahead.

We'll also have a fun interactive activity (hint: brush up on your DAS trivia!) and plenty of time for questions, feedback, and ideas. Whether you're new to volunteering or a seasoned pro, we’d love to see you there!

Volunteer Shout Out! 

Every newsletter we try to randomly select an active volunteer to recognize for all of their hard work! This month, we would like to shout out Susan Finlay. Thank you for everything you do as a volunteer.

Do you have any pets at home?

No pets at home. I just foster dogs.

What is your favorite volunteer position?

My favorite position is the running program. I have been doing it since December 2019. I became a Sunday lead in 2021.

What is your favorite part about volunteering with DAS?

I really enjoy just spending time with the dogs and selfishly getting puppy time when I don't have a foster at the house. I have also made some great friends from volunteering.

Do you have a favorite DAS story to share?

There was a dog, Toby, he was in and out of the shelter a couple of times and at the time I met him he had been at the shelter for 4 months. Poor Toby was super anxious, high energy, wild child at the shelter (barking, jumping and trying to dart out of his kennel) but loved going on runs with the running groups.  Well, Toby won a ticket to ride and I volunteered to foster him for the few days before his plane ride. You can do anything for 48 hours to save a life, I told myself. Well, it turned out Toby was the perfect house guest. Never had to crate him, just played with his toys, and enjoyed cuddling with me. I was actually sad to see him leave. Toby taught me that the dog's personalities aren't always reflected in the shelter environment. He taught me that if you take a chance, you might be pleasantly surprised. 

Welcome New Volunteers!

Welcome all of the new volunteers who have joined us since the last newsletter!

Jacob B. | Jasmyne B. | Brianna C. | Rohan D. | Victoria D. | Kelvin E. | Isabelle G. | Angie H. | Marcy H. | Tommy H. | Delanie J. | Mattie L. | Jennifer L. | Ranajit M. | Leah M. | Alyssa M. | Jack M. | Katelynn O. | Juan P. | Jacqueline P. | Desiree P. | Taylor R. | Alex S. | Niharika T. | Stephanie U. | Aileen Z. | Brit Z.

Dallas Animal Services, 1818 N Westmoreland, Dallas, TX 75212  |   Website
Contact: DASpio@dallascityhall.com