Community Involvement
Get involved today!
One of our goals at Young-Williams Animal Center is to be an active part of our community. We have several innovative programs that allow the public to engage with our animals through enrichment and education!
Doggie Day Trip
Spend a day with an adoptable dog! Doggie Day Trip allows you to do just that. Take a shelter dog to hang out with you at a park, downtown, your home or whatever suits your fancy!
- Dogs enjoy quality time, exercise and socialization outside of the shelter
- You’ll have a great time too! There is no commitment beyond simply spending the day together and having fun
- Participants must be at least 18 years old
- Dog must remain on leash, held by an adult, at all times
- Dog must be kept separate from personal pets
- Complete online application
- Return dog to the shelter by 5 p.m.
You will be provided with a leash and other necessary supplies for your Doggie Day Trip!
Tails of the Trail
Tails of the Trail is a 501(c)3 organization founded in Nashville, TN in May 2015. Their Mission is to exercise and socialize local shelter dogs, reducing kennel stress and euthanasia rates while increasing community awareness and adoptions. They offer publicly attended shelter dog hiking events throughout Middle Tennessee, and including Knoxville where they are partnered with us here at Young-Williams Animal Center. To participate in one of their events you simply need to join their Tails of the Trail-Knoxville Meetup group and submit your online RSVP for their next event at our Division Street location.
You can learn more about Tails of the Trail via their website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Paws for Reading
Paws for Reading is a program that helps both kids and special needs individuals in the community and our animals that are available for adoption. They practice their reading skills by reading to animals, and in turn, the animals experience the power of the human-animal bond and become more adoptable through socialization. At this time, Paws for Reading sessions are Mon-Fri only.
We ask that you commit to reading to our animals at least twice a month for a minimum of 6 months, and contribute a $10 donation to help cover the program’s expenses. The minimum age required for readers is 4 years old.
