Intakes and Surrenders

Compassionate Animal Intake

At the heart of our mission is the well-being of our four-legged friends. If you're a Fort Worth resident in need of support for animal intake, you're in the right place — we're here to help! If your pet was adopted from our facilities within the last 30 days, we're happy to assist, regardless of your location. For residents of unincorporated Tarrant County, please direct surrender inquiries to the Sheriff's office for the most accurate guidance.

Surrenders

Can’t keep your pet?

Initiate the process to surrender your pet to Fort Worth Animal Care & Control at the dropdown menu below.

Our partner Spay Neuter Network’s Pet Support & Resource Center will reach out to you via email with resources and applicable next steps.

I want to keep my pet, but I need help!

We're here for you. Check out our Pet Resource Guide HERE(PDF, 313KB) and additional community resources in the dropdown menu below:

FWACC Silcox Adoption Center Limited Opening

April 11, 2025 – Fort Worth Animal Care and Control is pleased to announce the phased opening of the Chuck and Brenda Silcox Adoption Center, beginning this weekend, for adoptions only.

This limited opening is part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health of our animals as we recover from a recent distemper outbreak, reduce the risk of euthanasia due to space limitations, and provide more pets with the opportunity to find loving homes.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Adoptions will be available with a scheduled appointment.
  Walk-ins may be accommodated. You may be asked to wait in your car until a staff member is available to assist you.
• Guests will be escorted to designated rooms with animals that have already been identified as low-risk and ready for adoption. 
• To ensure the health and safety of all animals, visitors will be asked to limit contact with the animals to avoid potential cross-contamination between kennels.
• If the pet has not yet been sterilized, adopters can still complete a deferred adoption and take their new pet home. The spay/neuter surgery will be scheduled for a later date.

Adoption Eligibility Criteria:

Only pets meeting the following requirements will be available during the soft opening:

• In FWACC care for at least 21 days
• Received two or more DAPPV vaccines in the past year
• Showing no symptoms of upper respiratory infection (URI)
• Five months of age or older
• Received a negative Distemper PCR test

If you’re interested in an animal who hasn’t yet met these requirements, you’ll be able to place an “adoption pending” hold, and take your new companion home as soon as they become eligible.

FWACC staff are continuing to evaluate on a daily basis when it will be safe to reopen the North Animal Campus to the public.

Thank you for supporting our mission and helping give these pets a second chance.

Dog Adoptions Resume at FWACC PetSmart locations

April 9, 2025 – Fort Worth Animal Care and Control is pleased to announce that dog adoptions are resuming at our PetSmart Everyday Adoption Centers. Healthy, low-risk dogs from our Silcox shelter will be transferred to our PetSmart EAC locations and made available for adoption.

FWACC staff, in coordination with our medical team, has set strict guidelines to determine which animals are considered low-risk and eligible for rescue or adoption. Each animal must meet the following criteria:

• Tested negative for distemper at least once
• Been in FWACC care for a minimum of 21 days
• Received at least two rounds of vaccinations (including booster shots)
• Been examined and cleared by our veterinary staff

To help prevent any potential spread of the Canine Distemper Virus, both the North Animal Campus and the Silcox Adoption Center remain closed to the public and volunteers.

FWACC staff has also begun processing adoptions that were approved or placed on hold before the temporary closure on March 24. Additionally, rescue partners may begin tagging low-risk animals they wish to pull from the Silcox Adoption shelter.  

Since the closure, FWACC has submitted more than 1,000 tests samples to an external lab to screen for distemper, with some animals being tested twice. Of the 68 dogs that tested positive, our veterinary team made the difficult but necessary decision to humanely euthanize 26 to alleviate their suffering and help prevent further spread of the virus among the hundreds of animals in our care.

We continue to evaluate the situation daily and are assessing a timeline for when it will be safe to reopen our shelters, welcome back volunteers, and fully resume normal operations.

We are deeply grateful to our community for their continued support during this challenging time.

FWACC Temporarily Closes Shelter Due to Canine Distemper Outbreak

March 27, 2025 – Fort Worth Animal Care & Control is temporarily suspending all new animal intakes and closing both shelter locations to the public due to an outbreak of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV). These measures are necessary to protect the health and well-being of the animals in our care.

On Saturday, March 22, a dog at our facility tested positive for this highly contagious, and potentially fatal disease. Further testing revealed a wider spread of the virus, prompting us to close both the North Animal Campus and Chuck & Brenda Silcox Adoption Center until further notice.

After consulting with our on-staff veterinary and medical teams, FWACC has made the heartbreaking but necessary decision to humanely euthanize several dogs that tested positive for CDV.

To prioritize the well-being of community animals, FWACC has decided to withdraw from all upcoming adoption events, including MEGA. However, the PetSmart Hulen and PetSmart Alliance Everyday Adoption Centers will remain open for cat adoptions only.

Additionally, volunteer opportunities are temporarily suspended until further notice.

To contain the outbreak and protect both shelter animals and the Fort Worth community, FWACC has implemented enhanced safety measures. All animals entering our shelter continue to receive vaccinations, and we are maintaining a strict vaccination schedule for vulnerable animals, including booster shots for healthy adult dogs. Any dog showing symptoms is being isolated and tested, while medical staff closely monitors all shelter animals to provide necessary care.

During this time, Animal Control Officers will continue responding to emergency calls involving dangerous or vicious animals, as well as reports of sick or injured animals. Due to urgent circumstances, we are kindly asking the community to help by safely holding onto found animals for a minimum of four days if possible. For guidance on reporting a stray, click here(PDF, 70KB).   

We appreciate the community’s support and patience as we work to restore our shelter operations safely.

FWACC Temporarily Suspends New Intakes Amid Canine Distemper Case

March 24, 2025 – Effective immediately, Fort Worth Animal Care & Control is temporarily suspending all new animal intakes as we work to manage a recently confirmed case of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and prevent any potential outbreak.

On Saturday, March 22, a dog at our North Animal Campus tested positive for the highly contagious disease. Following confirmation of the test results, our on-staff veterinarian conducted a thorough review and based on their professional recommendation, we have made the difficult decision to close the North Animal Campus to the public.

This precautionary measure is being taken out of an abundance of caution to protect the health and well-being of the animals in our care, as well as the broader community.

FWACC is currently testing a wider population of shelter dogs for Distemper, and lab results are expected within the coming days. In the meantime, this temporary closure will allow our team to focus on providing the highest level of care to the animals currently in the shelter and implementing necessary precautions to manage the situation. Staff will reassess the status on Thursday, March 28, and provide updates as more information becomes available.

We recognize the challenges this presents for our community as today marks the beginning of National Adoption Week. The Chuck & Brenda Silcox Adoption Center and the PetSmart Adoption Center at Hulen remain open for adoptions. Starting Tuesday, March 25, our PetSmart Alliance Everyday Adoption Center will also be open to the public.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we prioritize the health and safety of our animals. Animal Control Officers are continuing to respond to reports of dangerous, vicious, sick, or injured animals. Our team is committed to resolving this situation as quickly and responsibly as possible.

Together, let's ensure a bright future for all our beloved pets.

We encourage all pet owners to provide proof of current vaccinations when surrendering their pets to the City of Fort Worth. For more information, please contact the shelter at 817-392-1234.

Fort Worth Animal Care & Control encourages residents to explore rehoming options through their personal networks of friends and family before considering surrendering their pets to our shelters.