Furkids is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), no-kill, cage free animal shelter, founded in 2002 by Samantha Shelton. Ms. Shelton was compelled to start a no-kill shelter after finding a stray mother cat and kittens and was unable to locate a shelter to take them in. She was spurred to action because of the challenging pet overpopulation problem that exists in Georgia.
Furkids began as a network of foster homes conducting adoptions primarily through the PetsMart Perimeter location. In 2003, we were invited to partner with a second PetsMart adoption center in Smyrna. We moved into a third PetsMart location in Midtown Atlanta in 2006.
From rescuing 216 animals in our first year to 481 in 2005, we have always provided the best food, medical treatment and social environment for the animals in our care. At the end of 2004, Furkids secured the lease of a 5,000 sq. ft. facility. In April of 2006, renovations were complete and we officially opened the largest cage-free cat shelter in Georgia. Our new shelter allows us to increase the number of cats and kittens rescued and provide a colorful, cage-free, one-of-a-kind environment for our cats. Our dogs remain in foster homes until adopted. We are also one of the only shelters in the Southeast that has a room dedicated to cats with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) with a capacity for 15 cats.
Furkids is inspected and licensed annually by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and further adheres to additional recommendations from the Humane Society of the U.S. All of Furkids animal care procedures exceed state requirements.
A unique organization that is run almost entirely by volunteers, Furkids has one full-time employee. Over 65 volunteers take care of our animals weekly. Trained adoption counselors provide adopters with professional, individualized assistance to help them match an animal to their unique needs, and Furkids serves as a resource to the adopter for the life of the animal. As of August 2006, close to 1,600 animals have found permanent homes through our rescue and adoption efforts.
Furkids has grown significantly over the past four years. More than 200 animals are cared for each day by our volunteers. Since 2002, approximately 2,000 animals have been saved. More than 5,000 people a month visit our website, and Furkids fields, on average 50 phone calls and emails per day.
A 501(c)3 organization, Furkids' annual budget is $150,000. Furkids has been confirmed as one of the top charities in America, by Independent Charities of America. All money to support the shelter comes from individual donors and is tax deductible under IRS code.
The adoption fee for one cat is $125, or $200 for two. The adoption fee for a dog is $225. All animals have complete (up to their current age) medical care, including vaccinations and sterilization. All animals have the following vetting included in their adoption fee:
The first step towards meeting and/or adopting a cat is filling out an application. You may download & print our adoption application here. You may then fax your application to 866-811-3373 or email it to adopt@furkids.org.
To submit an online application, please go directly to our website (www.furkids.org). You will see an icon in the upper left part of the screen named Adoptable Cats. When you click on this icon it will take you to a page where you will see the pictures and bios of all our cats. Under the picture of the first cat you see, you will see a link where you can apply for a cat. Please click on the first link you see as it doesn't matter which cat’s picture it’s under - you will be asked to fill in the name of the cat you’re interested in anyway.
If you have provided us with all necessary information. You may expect to hear from us by phone or email within a 72 hour period in most circumstances. It will slow down the process if you do not give us your veterinarian's phone number, etc., so please...be sure your application is complete. If you need to send us additional information, you may email it to adopt@furkids.org. Be sure to tell us which cat you were interested in.
Thank you for your understanding and your interest in a Furkids Cat(s)!!
Our cats are ready to meet you at our new shelter in Doraville or at the any of our three PetsMart locations!
Furkids PetsMart Locations:Cats at the adoption centers are available for you to meet during normal store hours. Rescue volunteers are available on weekends to meet with you or you can contact us to arrange for a volunteer to meet you at one of our stores during the week.
In order to help the community further, Furkids would like to have our own stand alone shelter which would include a low-cost, high-quality spay/neuter clinic open to the public.
