Animal Shelter

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.
8875 Lorton Road
Lorton, VA 22079
Reasa Currier
Director

Department Resources

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Reading Tails

Reading Tails is a fun and engaging program where kids learn about the shelter 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—a dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig or even a mouse! 

Please note: 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. Due to the popularity of this program, we respectfully ask that each group attend one session per quarter to allow others the opportunity to participate!

For families looking for this type of experience, join us at our Lorton Campus for Paws and Read: A Summer Reading Program with Shelter Animals! Drop by our Lorton Campus anytime between noon and 2 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays, from July 16 to Aug. 22, to read near adoptable cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds. This program is open to individual families with children age six and older (group size is limited to six people or fewer). Learn more.  


Schedule: Offered on select Sunday evenings.

Locations: 

Michael R. Frey Campus 
4500 West Ox Rd.
Fairfax, VA 22030

Lorton Campus
8875 Lorton Rd. 
Lorton, VA 22079

Cost: Free

What to Bring: Kids just need to bring their favorite books and a flashlight. 

Registration: To register your group or family, please choose the shelter campus you want to attend: Lorton or Michael R. Frey Campus in Fairfax. 

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 Michael R. Frey Campus Group Registration 
Reading Tails Lorton Campus Group Registration

Reading Tails FAQ

If all the events say they are full, it means all sessions have been booked! Reading Tails is a highly popular program, and dates often fill up quickly. 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. Plus, the tour offers much to learn and see, and we like to emphasize the idea that reading to pets can be just as meaningful as physical interaction.

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