Furkids Relocating Headquarters, Cat Shelter To Forsyth County

CUMMING, GA — After having rented space in Doraville for the past 15 years, Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters is moving its Doraville cat shelter and headquarters to a home of its own—a large campus in Cumming. The Furkids dog shelter will remain in its current location in Alpharetta for the time being.

The Furkids headquarters and cat shelter are on a 10-acre property that offers more space and a healthier environment for Furkids animals to live; a more inviting atmosphere for potential adopters to interact with adoptable pets; a beautiful, peaceful, green space for volunteers and visitors; and more room for Furkids to expand its lifesaving programs.

Furkids rescues homeless animals and provides them with the best medical care and nurturing environment while working to find them a forever home.

The Furkids foster program will continue with in-home foster services provided by generous volunteers and staff.

The new Cumming headquarters, cat shelter and adoption center will be at 5235 Union Hill Road and open in mid-October. The operations at the Doraville cat shelter will ramp-down through the end of the year. Furkids cats will be housed temporarily at an existing building at the Cumming campus headquarters while the organization raises money to build a new cat shelter on the property.

The Furkids dog shelter will remain in its current location in nearby Alpharetta. The dogs will periodically visit the Furkids headquarters campus for adoption and volunteer events.

Furkids will maintain cat adoption centers at Atlanta area Petco and PetSmart stores, and is opening a new, multi-purpose satellite center on Holcomb Bridge Road in Gwinnett County.

Furkids will maintain its TransFUR program that transports Georgia’s homeless animals to no-kill shelters in northern states where they are highly adoptable.

At the same time, Furkids is opening a new, multi-purpose satellite center on Holcomb Bridge Road in Gwinnett County for adoptions of kittens and young adult cats, as the new location for the FurTales reading program, as a clinic for Furkids to provide low cost vaccine and microchip services, and where foster caregivers can pick up supplies and meet with staff members and other Furkids volunteers.

Ultimately, Furkids plans to consolidate its dog shelter into the new property, along with other programs and services for homeless animals and the people who love them. The long-term Furkids vision has included buying property and consolidating its cat, dog, veterinary, adoption and administrative functions into one destination center. Relocating the cat shelter is Furkids’ next step in achieving this vision.

For now, Furkids is urging adopters to open their hearts to a feline Furkid. Furkids is asking prospective adopters to act now and open their homes to Furkids cats who would rather have a forever home than endure a move. 100 cats need homes immediately, the group said.

“We shelter approximately 200 cats, and our greatest need is to find forever homes for them, rather than moving them to a new shelter,” said Furkids founder and CEO Samantha Shelton. “There are many ways people can help a homeless cat. Will you make room in your home for one cat who desperately needs the security of your family? If you can’t adopt, can you provide a temporary foster home for a cat? Can you donate just $20 per month to feed a homeless cat? Can you volunteer to help us build out our space, work on the landscape crew or socialize with cats who need friends? We are open to new people and ideas!”

In 2018, Furkids bought a 9.11-acre parcel, originally developed and operated as Wakoola Water Gardens. The wooded and landscaped property includes mature trees and flowering perennials, birds, butterflies and koi, along with walking trails that meander around ponds, streams, waterfalls, and fountains. With the help of donors and volunteers, Furkids has been repairing and renovating existing structures and restoring the gardens and waters. Unlike the Doraville cat shelter, the Cumming shelter includes a large, screened-in area where cats can safely enjoy fresh air and sunshine.

“In 2019, Furkids celebrates its 17th anniversary, and we are marking the occasion by fulfilling a long-term vision of owning and operating our own facilities—of having a home of our own,” Shelton said. “This lush, expansive property exceeds our greatest expectations. But Furkids was only able to buy and renovate its new shelter and refresh the surroundings with the support of hundreds of donors and volunteers, including corporations, dedicated individuals, and volunteer groups from churches, schools and scouts. Their donations of money, material, resources, labor and sweat equity are beyond measure, having helped us repurpose a beautiful piece of property into a one-of-a-kind sanctuary in the Southeast for homeless animals. We could not be more grateful for the support our donors, volunteers and staff have provided.”

Operating hours at the Furkids cat shelter in Doraville will continue through the end of 2019. Hours at Furkids at Union Hill Road will be every weekend, starting Oct. 12. The team in Cumming will feature open houses for visitors to tour the shelter and learn more about Furkids and opportunities to volunteer, adopt and support.

More information is available at www.furkids.org.