Animal Services

CONTACT INFORMATION: Open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12-5 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays 12-7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Mondays. Please note: We take our last adoption application 30 minutes before closing.
4500 West Ox Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Reasa Currier
Director

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Reading Tails

Reading Tails is a fun and engaging program where kids learn about FCAS and improve their reading skills by sharing bedtime stories with shelter pets! The program includes a behind‑the‑scenes tour of the shelter and plenty of time for participating kids to read a bedtime story to a shelter pet of their choosing, whether it’s a dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, or even a mouse.

Reading Tails is offered on various evenings at both our campuses. Be sure to check the exact date and time.

Registration Information

Reading Tails is currently open for group registrations only (e.g., Girl Scout troops, school groups, or similar organizations). Groups must include 8 to 20 total attendees, including children and chaperones. For safety reasons, we are unable to accommodate groups larger than 20 people.

  • Registration: To register your group or family, please choose the campus you want to attend.
  • Cost: Free
  • What to Bring: Kids just need to bring their favorite books and a flashlight.

Visit our event page below to see our upcoming Reading Tails sessions at each of our campuses!

Upcoming Sessions

To ensure everyone has a chance to participate in the popular Reading Tails program, please limit your booking to once per quarter. Thank you for your understanding!

Reading Tails FAQ

This program is very popular, and dates tend to fill up quickly! If a date does not appear on the registration page, it means that session is already full. We don't maintain a waitlist or schedule appointments for Reading Tails. We encourage you to check back regularly for any openings or cancellations.

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate specific date requests for large groups.

We do not maintain a waitlist for Reading Tails! It is first-come, first-served.

We kindly ask that you notify us at least 48 hours in advance if you are unable to attend. Please contact our team at DASCommunications@fairfaxcounty.gov.

All you need to bring is a flashlight and a book or two depending on how quickly your child reads and the type of book they are reading. However, if you forget these items, we do have a limited amount of these supplies available at the shelter!

Though we make every effort for each group to meet and interact with a shelter pet, we cannot guarantee it as part of the program. There’s plenty to see and learn on the tour, and we always emphasize how meaningful reading to pets can be, even without physical interaction.

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