Young-Williams Animal Center

Cause For Paws 2023
2023-11-16 18:30 - 23:00 UTC | Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 Worlds Fair Park Dr., Knoxville, TN, 37916, United States
We are so excited to celebrate our 9th Annual Cause for Paws on Thursday, November 16 at the Knoxville Museum of Art.
This signature event is an annual highlight as we celebrate our important lifesaving work, share our successes and give you a glimpse into the future of Young-Williams Animal Center. Enjoy cocktails in the garden, seated dinner, entertainment and special appearances from some of our furry friends. We promise an evening filled with happy tails.
As the municipal shelter of the City of Knoxville and Knox County, the shelter takes in more than 11,000 lost, unwanted, abandoned and neglected animals each year and depends on animal lovers and fundraisers to provide the best quality of life while these pets are in the shelter’s care.
We could not do our important work without your help and hope you’ll join us for this fun evening.
Learn more, become a sponsor and purchase tickets at: www.young-williams.org/c4p

Giving Tuesday
2024-12-03 00:00 - 23:59 (America/New_York) | Young-Williams Animal Center, 3201 Division Street, Knoxville, TN, 37919, United States
On December 3, 2024, people all around the world are coming together to tap into the power of human connection and strengthen communities and change our world. It’s time to unLEASH your generosity, and help homeless pets in our community! Join us in making a huge impact for Knoxville, and the people and pets who live here on Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past 11 years, this idea has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
About 11,000 animals come through our doors each year, and we rely on financial contributions from the community to give them the care they deserve. Here’s where you come in. We need your help to reach each of our $10,000 goal.
This Giving Tuesday, we’re calling on all animal lovers to donate and spread the word. Join the giving on December 3 here.
Thanks so much for helping us care for the nearly 11,000 animals that come to us in need of shelter each year. Our mission can only be achieved with the support of our community of animal lovers, like you!

18th Annual Mardi Growl
2025-03-01 11:00 - 15:00 UTC | TN
Save the Date: Our 18th Annual Mardi Growl is coming to World’s Fair Park on Saturday, March 1, 2025!
Calling all pet owners, animal welfare advocates, and people searching for a fun family-friendly time! Young-Williams Animal Center invites you to the 18th annual Mardi Growl – Knoxville’s favorite pet parade and party – on March 1, 2025. Our famous pet parade will kick off in the Old City at 11 a.m. and travel on foot to World’s Fair Park. Register your pet for the parade, or join the thousands of spectators along the route.
After the parade, let the good times roll at our pet festival with nearly 100 pet-loving vendors, food trucks, live music, games, and more. Save the date and bring the whole family down for a dog-gone good time. Mardi Growl is one of our favorite traditions and benefits the more than 11,000 pets that need Young-Williams Animal Center’s care each year. Show off your creativity and your pet’s personality by competing in costume contests, shop from local vendors, and celebrate our shared love for pets.
Mardi Growl wouldn’t be paws-sible without generous sponsors and vendors. Show your support for animals and promote your business by sponsoring Knoxville’s largest pet party! Contact mardigrowl@young-williams.org for more information.

Cause for Paws 2025
2025-11-13 18:30 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 Worlds Fair Park Dr., Knoxville, TN, 37916, United States
We are so excited to celebrate our 11th Annual Cause for Paws on Thursday, November 13 at the Knoxville Museum of Art.
This signature event is an annual highlight as we celebrate our important lifesaving work, share our successes and give you a glimpse into the future of Young-Williams Animal Center. Enjoy cocktails in the garden, seated dinner, entertainment and special appearances from some of our furry friends. We promise an evening filled with happy tails.
As the municipal shelter of the City of Knoxville and Knox County, the shelter takes in more than 11,000 lost, unwanted, abandoned and neglected animals each year and depends on animal lovers and fundraisers to provide the best quality of life while these pets are in the shelter’s care.
We could not do our important work without your help and hope you’ll join us for this fun evening.
Learn more, become a sponsor and purchase tickets at: young-williams.org/c4p

2026 Mardi Growl
2026-03-07 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | TN
19th Annual Mardi Growl

Saturday, March 7, 2026

Mardi Growl is one of our favorite traditions and benefits the more than 11,000 pets that need care annually at Young-Williams Animal Center. Show off your creativity and pet’s personality by competing in costume contests, shop from local vendors and celebrate our shared love for pets. Mardi Growl not only raises funds through parade registrations and sponsorship opportunities, but it also celebrates our pet-loving community and the businesses who make our work possible. If you love pets as much as we do, don’t miss our 19th Annual Mardi Growl.
Calling all pet owners, animal welfare advocates, and people searching for a fun, family-friendly time! Be part of Knoxville’s biggest pet parade! The paw-rade starts in the Old City at 11 a.m. and will go through the streets of Downtown Knoxville to World’s Fair Park. Register your pet to participate in the parade, or join the thousands of spectators along the route. The total parade route is approximately 1.2 miles and ends at our festival on the Performance Lawn at World’s Fair Park. After the parade, have a dog-gone good time at our pet festival with nearly 100 pet-loving vendors, food trucks, live music, games, and more. Registration opens soon!
Mardi Growl wouldn’t be paws-sible without generous sponsors. Our 19th Annual Mardi Growl is presented by Zoom Room. Zoom Room dog training classes are specially designed to encourage dogs to build confidence and success as they master new behaviors in a simple, step-by-step process. They utilize only positive dog training methods, which your entire family can easily practice and embrace.

Kitten Shower & Foster Program Open House
2026-04-11 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Young-Williams Animal Center, 3201 Division Street, Knoxville, TN, 37919, United States
It’s kitten season and we’re expecting…thousands of kittens in need of lifesaving care! With tiny babies already arriving, we need your help to welcome them.
Join us at our Division Street location for a fun, family-friendly Kitten Shower and Foster Program Open House. Come hang out with adorable kittens, learn more about the YWAC Foster Program, enjoy games, activities, light refreshments and more! Please bring a gift for the shower for a chance to win a door prize. Most needed items include: kitten pate, kitten milk replacer, warming disks, nursing bottles, miracle nipples and gift cards.
Event Highlights:

Drop-off donations will be accepted all day
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Learn about fostering dogs and puppies
2 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Learn about fostering cats and kittens
Name a kitten or puppy with a $10 donation
Enter our T-shirt design contest for a chance to win a $50 gift card

Support Kylie’s Foster Fund:
All monetary donations to the Foster Program from April through July will benefit Kylie’s Foster Fund. In loving memory of Kylie Roberto, your continued generous donations will provide warmth, comfort and hope to foster kittens in need. Since its inception in 2024, Kylie’s Foster Fund has raised nearly $35,000 for Young-Williams Animal Center. Donate or learn more, please visit https://www.young-williams.org/kylie.
