Can’t adopt? Then volunteer to cuddle!

By Beth Leermakers

People who volunteer with cats are greatly appreciated — by the people and the cats. This recent Facebook post, from the Commerce Animal Shelter staff, warmed my heart: 

“We surprised our sweet Ms. Laura on her birthday [with balloons and a present]! She volunteers her time and is our favorite kitten and cat cuddler. She loves helping them to be more social and adoptable. Though she mainly works with kittens she also holds puppies for pictures and is always willing to help however we need her. Thank you for volunteering and Happy Birthday, Ms. Laura!” 

There are many opportunities to improve the lives of shelter and community cats. Shelters and rescue groups need people to socialize, photograph, transport and foster cats and help with adoptions. Organizations that support community cats need feeders and assistance with trap-neuter-return (TNR).  

DFW-Area Shelters

Dallas Animal Services (bedallas90.org/home/volunteer-opportunities/; DASvolunteer@dallas.gov; 1818 N. Westmoreland Rd., Dallas). DAS offers these cat volunteer opportunities:

Cat socialization: Socializing cats helps them become more adoptable. Playing with and petting the felines greatly improves their quality of life while they’re waiting for homes. 

Fraidy Cat Team: The Fraidy Cat Team provides enrichment and socialization for cats who are scared and shut down due to shelter stress, making them more adoptable. 

Photographers: If you can take great photos with your phone’s camera or a DSLR, DAS needs you. Phone Fur-Tographers and Pro Fur-Tographers help save lives! Terrific pictures attract adopters, foster parents and rescue groups. 

SPCA of Texas (spca.org/support-us/volunteer/ways-to-volunteer/; 2400 Lone Star Drive, Dallas; 214-742-7722). The SPCA needs volunteers to socialize and/or photograph cats at the shelter. 

Some volunteers care for cats living at PetSmart stores in Dallas [Lakewood, Uptown/City Place and Greenville Ave., Dallas, providing basic care (cleaning litter boxes; feeding, watering and interacting with the cats) or assisting with adoptions (interacting with cats and counseling potential adopters). 

Operation Kindness (operationkindness.org/volunteer; 3201 Earhart Dr., Carrollton, TX; 972-418-7297). Volunteers provide enrichment and socialization for cats. Volunteers provide kitten nursery support for underage kittens, helping with bottle feeding, sanitation and socialization of the little ones.

Rescue Groups

Many cat rescue groups need foster parents, adoption counselors (for cats at PetSmart or other stores) and people to transport cats (e.g., from the shelter to the foster home, or between foster homes and vet appointments). Go topetfinder.com to find DFW-area rescue groups, and/or check out these local groups:

A Voice for All Paws: avoiceforallpaws.com/volunteer-application/ 

New Beginnings Cat Rescue: nbcrtx.org/volunteer-opportunities 

Community Cats

These organizations support community (feral) cats in the DFW area: 

Feral Friends Community Cat Alliance: feralfriends.org/volunteer/. Feral Friends actively assists the DFW community in reducing feline overpopulation through an aggressive TNR program and an adoption program to find homes for tame cats. 

Team Feral volunteers work with concerned individuals to assist thousands of feral cats in our community through low-cost sterilization, loaning humane traps and providing education and support. 

Dallas Pets Alive (dallaspetsalive.org/volunteer/). DPA has a Trap, Neuter, Release Cat Team. TNR volunteers help DPA reduce the feral cat overpopulation by assisting and educating the community about outdoor cats. 

Addison Cat Crew (addisoncatcrew.com/volunteer). Volunteers feed community cats, assist with trapping for TNR, fundraise, and participate in community outreach, fall clean-up and winter prep, and special projects.

Prefer to Work with 

Big Cats? 

In Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center (insyncexotics.org/volunteer/; in Wylie). In Sync Exotics welcomes volunteers. Upon approval, people who meet certain requirements can guide tours, feed and/or train the big cats, or serve as cat companions. The rescue center also needs people to take on the dirty work: wash bowls and buckets, clean enclosures and prepare animal diets. 

If you can’t go to a shelter or rescue group, you can support homeless cats from home. Share social media posts, plan fundraisers, donate items from the Amazon wish list, and/or do administrative work from the comfort of your living room. Put out fresh water (in your yard) for the community and outdoor cats and wildlife. 

Most animal shelters gratefully accept newspapers (for cat kennels), used towels and blankets, kitty litter, cleaning supplies and cat toys and treats. Rescue groups appreciate donated food, kitty litter, treats and toys, carriers, cat trees/perches and other items. Call or email and ask what’s on their wish list. 

Thank you for making a difference!