BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions
Volunteers Welcome
Do you love animals and want to give back to the Houston community in a meaningful way? Volunteer at BARC Animal Shelter.
Our tiered volunteer program is designed to help you get involved quickly while building your skills over time. Volunteers are grouped by experience level and time spent at the shelter, so you’ll always feel supported as you learn and grow.
We offer four volunteer tiers: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and BARC Buddies. The BARC Buddies tier is a great option for those who prefer not to handle larger dogs but still want to make an impact.
No prior animal handling experience? That’s okay. You’ll have opportunities to learn from experienced volunteers and participate in training courses along the way. Already have experience working with animals? We take that into account and will place you in the tier that best matches your skills.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Volunteers must be 13 years of age or older.
Volunteers 13-15 years old must always volunteer with a parent or guardian. Volunteers 16 -17 years old can volunteer on their own after attending orientation with a parent or guardian. Only an adult can handle the animals at BARC, so the parent or guardian must be in control of the animal at all times.
You must be at least 18 years or older to handle most pets in the shelter. Minors can still participate in other activities that don't require direct animal handling such as enrichment building, animal photography, etc.
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BARC Volunteers are not required to contribute a minimum number of hours in order to stay registered, but you may be moved to an inactive status if you don't spend at least one shift every three months at the shelter. Inactive volunteers can always return right where they left off without having to reapply!
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BARC Animal Shelter can validate community service hours, but those hours are handled through our Animal Enforcement Office instead of our regular volunteer program. Please contact our volunteer coordinator at BARCvolunteers@houstontx.gov to be directed to the appropriate department.
- BARC hosts group volunteer events Fridays and Sundays in four hour time slots. Please fill out the form to provide us with more information. For any questions, please contact our volunteer coordinator at BARCvolunteers@houstontx.gov.
We Love Our Volunteers
GET INVOLVED
SIGN UP ONLINE
Sign up to volunteer at BARC online by creating your MyImpactPage.com account. Fill out the profile information and complete the initial registration as a volunteer.
ATTEND ORIENTATION
Once you have completed sign up, log in to MyVolunteerPage.com to register for orientation. Volunteer orientations are held Saturday mornings at BARC and include a tour of the facility.
MEET STELLA'S
PET OF THE WEEK!
As longtime advocates for rescue dogs, 95.7 The Spot's Grego and his dog, Stella, are teaming up to spotlight a different BARC dog in foster care each week, helping them find a loving forever home. Sponsored by Superior Subaru of Houston, this segment is dedicated to giving these amazing pets the exposure they need to meet their perfect match.
Check out who’s this week’s featured foster pup by clicking the link below and share to help them find a home!
BARC Information
Houston, TX 77026
Call 3-1-1 for more information
Get Involved
