Get free pet food, vaccines, and spay/neuter at Fort Worth animal event

Animal News

If you think this puppy is cute now, wait until he falls down.

Animal shelters across North Texas are overcrowded right now, due to an increase in owner surrenders, and a group of animal rescues are coming to the rescue.

Several Texas-based animal welfare organizations are coming together on Saturday June 3, to offer a day of free pet food, vaccines, microchips, and spay/neuter vouchers to pet owners in Fort Worth.

The owner surrenders are a symptom of economic pressures and related issues such as food insecurity, which are up in Texas and across the U.S.

According to a release, in Fort Worth alone, the North Texas Food Bank estimates that 30 percent of the population faces challenges accessing nutritious food. These issues affect not only people, but pets as well - often resulting in families surrendering their pets to a shelter or to an animal rescue.

Fort Worth Animal Care and Control (FWACC), which receives animals from the area, has seen an increase in animals—more than 1,000 additional animals coming through its doors so far this ﬁscal year—with many exhibiting signs of illness easily prevented by vaccinations.

The signiﬁcant increase in animals has stressed resources that are already maxed out. FWACC for example, has faced a difficult crease in its "live release rate" - the percentage of animals that leave their care alive. Last year, its live release rate was at 96 percent and a year later, it has decreased to 87 percent.

Keeping pets at home where they have families who love them is a key component to preventing shelter crowding and the impact felt by the organizations who are faced with it.

The event is Saturday June 3, from 8 am-12 pm, rain or shine, and will take place at 1678 Rockwood Ln., across from Rockwood Park.

Organizations stepping up to help include Cowtown Friends of Fort Worth Animal Control; Spay Neuter Network; Dallas Pets Alive; The Love Pit; and SPCA of Texas.Partners: Fort Worth Animal Care and Control; Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank; Saving Hope Animal Rescue; and Rahr to the Rescue.

The event is supported by CUDDLY, a mission-driven company centered around the needs of rescued animals and the community focused programs that sustain them.

The British Emporium

The British Emporium presents Crowns, Corgis, Cycles, and Car Show

Crowns, Corgis, Cycles, and Car Show gives fans can a chance see some classic cars while giving owners a way to display their treasured car or motorbike. Awards will be given for “Best of Show.”

Corgi owners are encouraged to bring their pets in costume, whether it is something British-themed, Coronation-themed, or something different. There will be a prize for the best-dressed Corgi and another award for the best-dressed Corgi/Owner Duo.

While admission is free, attendees are asked to bring items for the GRACE Grapevine Food Pantry.

Photo courtesy of MUTTS Canine Cantina

MUTTS Canine Cantina presents LOVE Event

MUTTS Canine Cantina is kicking off the Valentine's Day festivities with its annual MUTTS Love Event, where visitors can trade the heart shaped chocolate box for new goodies from the local pet-friendly vendors, or even a new furever-friend with rescue groups on site. MUTTS’ Fort Worth location will have pups from Saving Hope – and any dog that’s adopted at MUTTS will receive a free one-year MUTTS membership. Whether you are walking out hand-in-hand or hand-in-leash, the MUTTS LOVE Event has Valentine’s for everyone. The event is open to the public, and non-members can purchase a day pass for entry.

Highly reputable Dallas-Fort Worth animal nonprofit expands hours

Animal News

A Dallas-Fort Worth nonprofit made up of compassionate veterinary professionals who are working to end pet overpopulation in North Texas by providing high quality, affordable vaccines, spays, and neuters is expanding its hours.

Texas Coalition for Animal Protection, better known as TCAP, has added days at two DFW locations:

TCAP Fort Worth will now be open for walk-in vaccines on Tuesdays.
TCAP Garland will now be open on Wednesdays.

They'll offer free rabies vaccines on Tuesdays in Fort Worth, as well as Wednesdays in Garland, every week in January.

TCAP was founded in November 2022 by Stacey Schumacher, whose vision was to end animal overpopulation by providing low-cost preventative services throughout North Texas.

"From the very beginning, Stacey knew that making spay and neuter affordable and accessible, she and her team could positively impact North Texas animal populations," their site says.

She started out with one clinic in Denton, where TCAP and its veterinary team built a reputation as a competent, effective high-volume clinic.

Eight locations
Since then, TCAP has opened eight stand-alone clinics, has established and maintained a M.A.S.H-style travel program, and has set up a weekend vaccine event program that services more than 40 locations each year, providing more than 630,000 low-cost spays and neuters, and more than 1,225,000 rabies vaccines.

TCAP also provides accessible and essential basic wellness services such as vaccines, microchipping, heartworm testing/ prevention, deworming, and flea/ tick prevention.

With each spay/neuter, Team TCAP eliminates the possibility of a litter of puppies or kittens without a home. With each low-cost wellness service provided, TCAP helps alleviate the cost of pet care for owners struggling to make ends meet. These efforts combined have resulted in keeping hundreds of thousands of pets in loving homes and out of animal shelters.

TCAP partners with like-minded groups of animal caretakers at city animal shelters as well as hundreds of animal rescue organizations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth.

Photo by Shelley Neuman

Willie Nelson-ZZ Top concert takes spotlight in this week's 5 hottest Fort Worth headlines

This week's hot headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this Christmas weekend? Find that list here. Searching for the best Christmas lights? Those lists are here and here.

1. Texas legends Willie Nelson and ZZ Top team up for concert at iconic Hill Country venue. Next April, "Shotgun Willie" will be a "Sharp Dressed Man." Taking the iconic stage at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, Willie Nelson and ZZ Top will perform together on April 14 and 15, 2023. The shows come before ZZ Top teams up with Lynyrd Skynyrd at Fort Worth's Dickies Arena on July 29, 2023.

2. Fort Worth's animal shelter holds event to get dogs out of the cold. Fort Worth is seeking help to solve a crisis at its animal shelters, which are brimming with pets. Fort Worth Animal Care and Control (FWACC) is facing a record-high population, and is inviting the public to come in and adopt or foster an animal. While one special event took place December 16-17, the initiative will be ongoing.

3. Fort Worth's award-winning Vietnamese restaurant Four Sisters to close. An award-winning Vietnamese restaurant in Fort Worth has closed: Four Sisters - Taste of Vietnam, the acclaimed, family-centric restaurant located at 1001 S. Main St. that is literally named for the owner's four sisters, has closed after four years. According to owner Tuan Pham, the restaurant's final day would be December 23.

4. Son of a Butcher restaurant with sliders & shakes to open in Grapevine. A restaurant that specializes in sliders is coming to Grapevine: Son of a Butcher, which currently has locations in Plano and Dallas, will open a new one at 480 W. SH-114, with an opening set for February 2023. This will be the biggest yet, with 3,405 square feet of indoor and pet-friendly outdoor dining space.

5. Vegan pastry and coffee shop opens in Fort Worth with best inspiration: mom. There's a new place to get vegan food and great coffee in Fort Worth: Called Von's Coffee Shoppe, it's a virtual restaurant operating out of Fort Worth Food Works, the restaurant hub at 3004 Cullen St., where it's serving vegan pastries, omelets, burritos, wraps, and soups. Von's was founded by Monique Farrell, a food & beverage veteran with more than 20 years experience in the hospitality industry who is taking her first step into entrepreneurship.

Barrio Dogs Facebook

Fort Worth's animal shelter holds event to get dogs out of the cold

Animal News

Fort Worth is seeking help to solve a crisis at its animal shelters, which are brimming with pets.

Fort Worth Animal Care and Control (FWACC) is facing a record-high population, and is inviting the public to come in and adopt or foster an animal.

According to Fort Worth Code Compliance Superintendent Nia Odgers, FWACC currently has more than 500 animals at their Chuck & Brenda Silcox location -- a facility that is only designed to house 334 animals long term.

The need is especially acute since some animals at the shelter are being kept outdoors, in areas that are designed to be recreational or temporary holds -- unsustainable with a cold front forecast for the next week.

Their goal is to get 150 medium and large animals adopted or fostered on December 16-17.

This program is being hosted at their Chuck & Brenda Silcox location located at 4900 Martin St. Fort Worth.

Beyond this weekend initiative, Odgers says there's an ongoing need for fosters and adopters in Fort Worth, where the current euthanasia rate is at an all-time high.

According to the City of Fort Worth’s Code Compliance Department in November 2022, the live release rate for dogs -- the number of animals getting out of the shelter alive -- is the lowest it’s been in five years.

Fort Worth's initiative echoes one that Dallas Animal Services, the city of Dallas' animal shelter, held from December 9-11, which saw more than 150 dogs get adopted or fostered.

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Best ways to celebrate your Pride throughout June in Dallas-Fort Worth

Have Some Pride

The month of June is designated as Pride Month to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and various groups and businesses around Dallas-Fort Worth are showing their support in a multitude of ways.

Here are some of the best ways we've found for members of the community and allies to participate in Pride Month in style. While some are specific events, other celebrations will occur all month long. Find even more events here.

Monthlong celebrations

Pride Month screenings at Rooftop Cinema Club
Rooftop Cinema Club on top of the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in downtown Fort Worth will screen a variety of films with LGBTQ+ themes or characters throughout the month of June, including Mamma Mia!, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Birdcage, Moulin Rouge!, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and The Devil Wears Prada.

Special Pride drink from Gong cha
Gong cha, which has seven stores in the DFW area, will donate a portion of every purchase of their special Lemon Ai Love Yu bubble tea to the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) in name of #Equalitea. The special Pride drink is a sweet and tart Lemon Ai Love Yu bubble tea with white pearls and (edible) glitter for some extra festive sparkle. The limited time promotion will run through June 30.

Luckys Pride Celebration
A Dallas institution off Oak Lawn Avenue for more than 35 years, Luckys has long been a supporter of the LGBTQ community. They'll celebrate Pride Month throughout June with a special commemorative T-shirt and a celebratory cocktail, the Pride ’Rita, featuring El Jimador Blanco tequila blended with Chambord, lime juice, and agave nectar.

Electric Shuffle Pride Brunches
Every Sunday in June starting at 12 pm, Electric Shuffle in Deep Ellum will host a Drag Brunch and donate 10 percent of those brunch sales to DIFFA. There will be big-name performers, a Drag Race Royalty special guest, high-tech shuffleboard, live DJs, and more. Additionally, $1 of each purchase of their new summer cocktail, the Prickly Pear Margarita, will be donated to DIFFA.

Pride events

Weird Wednesday Night Market + Secret Movie Screening
June 7, 5-10:30 pm: Fort Worth Community Cinema hosts a special Pride Month Weird Wednesday event at Southside Preservation Hall. The event will feature more than 35 food vendors (but it's BYOB), along with art, collectors, "retro preshow," and a screening of a secret Pride Month comedy at 8 pm. Admission is free, but they request “pay what you can” donations for entry into the movie. Register here.

Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum presents “Voices of LGBTQ+ Dallas”
June 7, 7 pm. The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is hosting “Voices of LGBTQ+ Dallas,” a special exhibition program for Pride Month highlighting trailblazers in the Dallas area LGBTQ+ community. The program featuring speakers such as Chris Luna and Naomi Green is already sold out, but the Museum’s current special exhibition, Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement, is on display through June 18.

Arttitude presents OutLoud: A Night of Pride
June 8, 6 pm: OutLoud: A Night of Pride is an inclusive event where artists and performers can fearlessly share their stories and experiences. The event will include poetry, burlesque, and a music performance by special guest Gina Chavez. At the Latino Cultural Center.

Dallas Wings Pride Night
June 9, 7 pm: Pride Night for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA. They'll be taking on the Phoenix Mercury, who feature Brittney Griner as their star player. All attendees at College Park Center in Arlington will receive a special rally towel for the occasion.

Arlington Pride Celebration
June 10, 5-11 pm: Arlington's Pride Celebration takes place at Levitt Pavilion, which will fill with vendors and performers including RuPaul's Drag Race Queens, Symone, Angeria Paris VanMichaels, Kennedy Davenport, and Lady Bunny will DJ. The event is family-friendly and (well-behaved) dog-friendly. Admission is free, but tickets are required for entrance.

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Pride in Bloom
June 10-11: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will highlight Pride Month with its second Pride in Bloom celebration, featuring a full weekend of LGBTQ+ artisans, entertainers, chefs, and small businesses. Visitors can shop items at the vendor market, pack or purchase a picnic, listen to live entertainment, and enjoy Gary Lee Price’s Great Contributors’ bronze exhibition. Admission to the Children’s Adventure Garden will also be free.

Dallas Arts District presents Pride Block Party
June 16, 6 pm: The Pride Block Party in the Dallas Arts District features a variety of activities at the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and Crow Museum of Asian Art, and throughout the district. Activities include gallery tours, drag performers, comedy, dancing, and a fashion show.

LGBTQ SAVES Youth Pride Picnic 2023
June 17, 10 am-2 pm: Designed as a youth-centered Pride event for LGBTQ individuals 24 and younger, the festivities include a free picnic lunch and activities in Trinity Park. Participants are invited to invite their family or chosen family, but tickets are required. Ticket priority will be given to LGBT+ youth. Volunteers are needed, too. Register here.

Dallas Comedy Club presents "Stand-Up for Hope"
June 17, 5 pm: Stand-Up for Hope is a stand-up comedy show featuring all-LGBTQ performers and benefiting Dallas Hope Charities, which helps provide food, shelter, and services that instill dignity, stability, and Hope For All. Hosted by Stefan Newman, host of Queer Factor, the event will feature performances by Kim Wadsworth,Kerry Day, Charlotte Parker, Lucia Hardaway, and Jamie Zeske.

Ride for Pride
June 24, 9 am: Ride for Pride is a four-mile bike ride down the Katy Trail and back, starting at Reverchon Recreation Center. There will also be Health and Safety fair from 10 am-2 pm.

Holiday sensation Lightscape returns to Fort Worth for 2023 with new displays and pricing

Planning ahead for the holidays

Fort Worth's biggest holiday sensation of 2022 is coming back for a second year, promising to be even better than the first: Lightscape walk-through holiday lights experience will return to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, November 17, 2023-January 1, 2024.

Tickets are on sale now for FWBG members and go on sale to the general public Friday, June 9, according to a release.

The 2023 edition is being "reimagined" with 80 percent newly designed displays, organizers say. The popular Winter Cathedral and Bluebonnet displays will return.

“You may think you’ve seen Lightscape, but you’ve never seen this Lightscape," says Patrick Newman, CEO and president of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, in the release. “This is a celebration of the holiday spirit and a way for families and friends to come together to create a new holiday tradition with long-lasting memories – we like to call them emotional souvenirs.”

There's also new pricing for 2023, set based on feedback from the first year, Newman says. Although ticket prices are not yet available on the FWBG's website, organizers tease in the release that they just might be cheaper. (Admission for 2022 ran $28-$30 for adults and $18-$20 for children ages 3-12. FWBG members received $5 off of each ticket. Prices did not include parking, which ran $15-$20.)

According to the release, off-peak tickets for 2023 will be as low as $15 for adult members of the FWBG. Guests also can purchase an "Anytime Access" ticket that includes parking, flexible arrival times, and a dedicated check-in line, they say, although pricing is not yet available.

“This year members receive a deeper discount with $8 off each ticket, a great incentive for attending Lightscape at a lower price while also receiving free year-round Garden admission,” Newman says.

Lightscape, produced by the Fort Worth Botanic Garden in association with Sony Music and Culture Creative, made its North Texas debut in November 2022 and immediately attracted sell-out crowds as the most Instagrammable holiday experience in DFW.

The event immersed visitors in more than a mile of holiday light and music displays incorporated into the natural landscape of the garden.

A CultureMap review of the experience said, "What makes Lightscape different from other modern Christmas light attractions is that it’s not a constant, over-the-top, bombastic blast of LEDs. There are high-lights and low-lights, moments of razzle dazzle and moments of quiet contemplation. Parts are whimsical, parts are worshipful."

Lightscape creators aim to build on the success of last year’s inaugural show, organizers say, and are hard at work on new displays created exclusively for Fort Worth.

View All Listings