10 of the most tail-wagging pet shelters in metro Atlanta

If you’re looking to add a furbaby to your family, consider adopting from a local shelter that works tirelessly to rescue homeless pets in need of loving homes. Adopting a dog or cat in need is a compassionate act that will bring joy and companionship to both you and your new pet. And if you simply can’t adopt, these pet shelters are always in need of volunteers and foster families.

Support your local community by adopting, fostering or providing any additional support to loving dogs and cats in need at the following 10 pet shelters in Atlanta.

Angels Among Us Pet Rescue

With so many stray dogs and cats in metro Atlanta abused, abandoned or sadly unwanted, Angels Among Us Pet Rescue works to relieve shelters of animals and focus on a foster system to ensure that they have the loving care that they are meant to have. Angels Among Us works to educate people on the responsibilities of pet ownership and the plight of many animals who have unfortunately ended up in shelters because of abuse.

Website: angelsrescue.org; Contact: 877-404-5874

Atlanta Humane Society

The Atlanta Humane Society is one of Atlanta’s premier pet shelters, serving Atlanta for 150 years with a mission of connecting homeless animals with good homes and providing neglected animals with safe spaces. In addition to matching animals with their fur-ever families, Atlanta Humane Society also provides veterinary services and community resources.

Website: atlantahumane.org; Contact: 404-875-5331

Best Friends Animal Society - Atlanta Chapter

Best Friends Animal Society started in Utah and has many chapters around the country, including in Atlanta. They focus on saving the lives of homeless pets by focusing solely on foster homes, without the need for physical animal shelters. Meet your new “best friend” through a virtual meet and greet with the animal’s foster parent.

Website: bestfriendsatl.org; Contact: 404-815-6680

Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue

Unfortunately, one of the most misunderstood breeds is the pitbull and Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue works to advocate for the livelihood of this caring yet misunderstood breed. Their mission is to promote responsible pitbull ownership, educate about the breed, fight legislation that works against pitbull ownership and of course, find loving homes for homeless pitbulls (and other dogs).

Website: friendstotheforlorn.org; Contact: 866-962-3883

Furkids Animal Rescue

Furkids operates a cage-free, no-kill shelter for cats and dogs, providing them with a nurturing environment as they work to provide them with their “fur-ever” homes. In addition to animals located in the brick-and-mortar Furkids shelter locations, Furkids also has partnered with PetSmart and Petco to create more shelter space for homeless animals and has a prominent foster system across the city of Atlanta. And calling out all thrift shoppers out there – Furkids operates multiple thrift stores with proceeds going towards shelter and animal needs.

Website: furkids.org; Contact: 678-624-1003

Good Mews Animal Foundation

If you’re a cat person, you might find your purr-ever friend at Good Mews Animal Foundation, a shelter that focuses specifically on cats. In addition to being a cage-free, no-kill cat shelter, Good Mews has a program called HALO that puts animals who need medical care in loving foster homes so they can be treated in comfort.

Website: goodmews.org; Contact: 770-499-2287

Lifeline Animal Project

Lifeline Animal Project is Georgia’s largest nonprofit animal welfare organization that provides a lifeline (as the name suggests) for homeless animals by working to end shelter euthanasia. They match homeless dogs and cats to fur-ever families while providing wellness care and ensuring accessible pet care for families, helping decrease the rate of pet surrenders.

Website: lifelineanimal.org; Contact: 404-292-8800

Mostly Mutts

In addition to providing dogs and cats (mostly mutts, as the name implies) loving foster homes until they find fur-ever families, Mostly Mutts also provides available training classes, school field trips, retirement home visits, a “Read to Dogs” program for children, seasonal hikes, and internship opportunities for high school and college students.

Website: mostlymutts.org; Contact: 770-272-6888

PAWS Atlanta

Find your new best friend at PAWS Atlanta, where “people help pets and pets help people.” Paws Atlanta believes that people and pets bring out the best in each other, and their services include pet adoption, foster services, vaccine clinics, a pet food bank, community education and more. Their facilities include a free-roaming cat cottage, as well as smaller and larger areas for dogs to play, along with a 3.5-acre walking trail and off-leash area.

Website: pawsatlanta.org; Contact: 770-593-1155

ReLeash Atlanta

Pet abandonment happens for any reason, usually through no fault of their own. ReLeash Atlanta aims to save these dogs who are in need of help. ReLeash provides veterinary services and then puts the dogs into foster homes so that they can live happy lives until they find their fur-ever family. ReLeash focuses specifically on dogs and takes all types of breeds, big and small.

Website: releashatlanta.com; Contact: adopt@releashatlanta.com