Expo Gives Back
Volunteer and support the local community while at Expo!
Expo for a CAWS (Community Animal Welfare Service) Day
Animal Care Expo attendees will have the opportunity to join the team at Operation Kindness for our 4th annual Expo for a CAWS (Community Animal Welfare Service) Day on Thursday, May 6, 2027. This year's event will be a free wellness fair benefiting the local community.
Volunteer duties include check in, food distribution, animal handling, vaccine preparation and administration, microchipping, managing traffic and attendee flow, data entry and other general event support as needed.
Volunteer hours are from 7:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. CDT. Transportation to and from the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center is provided as well as a plant-based lunch. As a CAWS Day volunteer, you'll also have the opportunity to tour Operation Kindness’s facility.
Operation Kindness creates a kinder world for pets and the people who love them by providing lifesaving care, innovative programs and community resources. A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Operation Kindness operates a lifesaving animal shelter and programs to assist people and pets, including pet adoptions, lifesaving medical care for shelter pets, 24-hour care for neonatal kittens, affordable veterinary services for community pets, a pet food pantry, interstate transport, lifesaving shelter partnerships, disaster response support, foster care for vulnerable animals and volunteer opportunities.
If you'd like to participate in this year's CAWS Day event, you can sign up during conference registration. Space is limited, and volunteer spots will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to register early. Please note that CAWS Day and Learning Labs will be held at the same time, so you will need to choose between the two when registering.
Perk Up for Pets
Start your day with purpose and paws-itivity! Join us on Thursday, May 6 from 8:00-9:15 a.m. CDT, just before the Learning Labs begin for a feel-good morning of coffee, connection and community service.
We'll be crafting enrichment items like handmade toys, stuffing KONGs and creating other fun surprises to support a local animal shelter. It's a chance to do something good, meet amazing people and start your day with a pick me up!
No fee. No registration. All are welcome. Whether you're a morning person or just here for the coffee, your helping hands (and big heart) are welcome.
Please note, Perk Up for Pets will occur at the same time as CAWS Day, so you will be unable to attend both.
