Volunteer to save the lives of pets in Houston

With millions of animals in shelters around the country hoping for families of their very own, one of the most valuable gifts you can give is the gift of your time.

You can make a difference for the cats and dogs in Houston by volunteering. You can lend a hand from home or help out in person at one of our events.

We’re in need of a wide variety of help — everything from working at events to matching adoptable pets with families. Whatever your interests and talents, you can make a tremendous difference in the lives of homeless pets here in Houston and around the country.

What to expect

After you complete your application and profile, you will receive an automated email with details about volunteer opportunities and sign-up instructions.

If you’ve volunteered with Best Friends before, you probably have a volunteer profile already. If you need help reactivating your account (inactive profiles are deactivated after six months), please email houstonvolunteer@bestfriends.org for assistance.

Once you submit your application and complete a training, you'll have access to the full list of volunteer opportunities – everything from animal care to transports.

Please note that depending on the volunteer opportunity, minimum age may vary. The first step in viewing and signing up for these opportunities is to fill out and submit the application for volunteers under 18.

Volunteer opportunities

There are so many ways you can make a lifesaving difference for dogs and cats through volunteering, and we can help you to discover the opportunity that’s right for you.

Below are some special opportunities for Houston area residents. Please email houstonvolunteer@bestfriends.org if you have questions about these ways to help.

Kitty committee

There are two Petco stores in the Houston area that have space for adoptable cats. Our volunteers go into the stores to take care of these cats and help with adoptions.

Medical support volunteers

Medical support volunteers are responsible for making up surgery packs, which contain supplies needed for surgeries.

Adoption ambassadors

Best Friends adoption ambassadors help match homeless animals with new families.

Community cat program volunteers

As part of the community cat volunteer team, you will be critical to the success of our trap-neuter-vaccinate return (TNVR) program. Best Friends provides all the training, information and equipment you need.