We've been here before and the visits have been wonderful. We go for the Vaccine Clinic. All staff are great. Friendly, supportive. These people are there on a Sunday morning before 8:00, ready to do their jobs. One of the most impressive things is the organization of the whole process. Everyone is focused on whatever task they have. It's crowded, lots of dogs and people. Yet the experience for me was of organized efficiency. Staff communicate continually, with each other and all the people waiting. I really can't stress enough about what a completely successful visit I had. Again, I thank the awesome staff. read more

Paws is such a wonderful organization who are doing great work to save animals. It's such a thankless job, but the staff and volunteers are truly angels on earth (and so kind!!). I am a first time foster and have been working with Christa, the foster coordinator at Paws, to find a foster match for my home and with my current dog. Christa has been incredible, very communicative and responsive, and is so personable and has such passion for what she's doing which beams just from her. The foster process has been so easy and they've made sure me and my dog are comfortable the entire way through! I'm excited to be a foster for a long time with Paws. Thank you for all the work you do for the community, but more so for the animals as well. read more

They offer low cost vaccines. But once you get there. Sign says cancelled. Not doing this again

I came looking for a pet cat to adopt when i got there i had to let myself through the entrance gate. It wasn't no one there to greet me. The office sit in the back. I walked to the office and ask about cat adoption. The lady at the desk seem like she didn't want to be bothered so she pointed me to the part they had the cats in. I got to the cat building & it was 4 rooms but i barely workers in sight. I didn't just wanted to walk in there. You would think rules would be in place. I finally found someone and they told me I could go in the rooms. Im like okay.. i went to each of the rooms but the last room was to much to bare. One cat was locked up because she doesn't like other cats which is understandable. The other cat was sleeping and the last cat was trying to run out the door. I finally got him to come around and he played with me alittle then i felt teeth & nails. I had to shake my arm just to get him away. It was no worker in sight. If you know he have mood swings why not put him in the cage... read more

PAWS Atlanta - Scratches - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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I kept bugging the hubby about getting a little furry friend. He finally relented and off we went to search for a boy fur baby. I believe PAWS is one of the oldest (if not THE) no-kill shelter in Atlanta. The staff at PAWS are super friendly!!! They take your license, have you complete a quick form, and ensure all members of your household are there or can confirm they are pet friendly. Also, PAWS doesn't smell terrible like some other unnamed shelters we went too. The animals are treated very humanely. We saw quite a few smaller dogs, but one caught our eye. He was so sweet and beautiful. We've since renamed him and have gotten him checked out at the vet, where he received a clean bill of health. The adoption fee is $250, but for those who would complain regarding price, many of these puppy mills disguised as stores charge far more. Moreover, the animals are microchipped, spayed/neutered, fed quality food, and are on heartworm and flea medicine. When we are ready for our next dog, we will be adopting again from PAWS! read more

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They may know how to treat animals, but they sure in hell don't know how to treat people. very matter factly, rude and ingenuine. i would rather pay for a dog off the streets, than to deal with unprofessionally rude people. some people will give a dog a bone, but not give a starving human, a cup of water. this shelter has been in dekalb county for years and it's been years since i stopped by because i was in no need for a pet, however, it will be a number of years before i stop by again. strongly do not reccommend. read more

I'm so happy I followed up with this shelter to locate my new fur baby, Tiger. He walked right up to me when I walked in the door. OMG! I love him already and its only been a week!!! The online application was easy! It just took awhile for them to review it and approve me. The facility was clean and orderly. The staff was friendly and efficient in getting my "walking papers" together. I initially thought the price was a bit high considering the cost of another facility but once they told me what it all included I knew it was a great price. Would definitely recommend using this place to find your next pet. read more

PAWS Atlanta - Look at my Tiger! Those eyes were practically begging me to take him home! And I did! So happy! He's a joy to have! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

I can't begin to express my love and respect for everyone at PAWS Atlanta. Everyone puts their hearts and souls into every pet that comes to their shelter. The shelter is well maintained and it keeps getting better, thanks to a lot of hard working people and donations from supporters. The passion for rescuing, saving, and finding pets their forever homes is obvious from the moment you meet anyone who works or volunteers at PAWS. PAWS does a lot for the community of pet parents as well. They offer food drives and medical care, for those pet parents who may have fallen on hard times. PAWS is a staple in Atlanta. I'm so proud to be a little part of helping this amazing organization, through donations, so they can continue their awesome work! read more

PAWS Atlanta - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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No kill shelter, they pay for heart worm treatments and other ailments a dog may have coming into the shelter. This place takes all animals, even when people abandon their pets loose in their parking lot. They also have a foster care program for certain animals. We fostered an older dog until his death, and adopted two more that we have in our happy home. The workers here really care. If you need a pet, adopt! Please don't leave your animals in the parking lot though. If you need a place to give them, give them here. But talk to the shelter workers, it isn't a crime to need to give an animal to a shelter. I say this because sometimes the animals left in the parking lot will run into the street and get lost or hit by a car. Paws has a drop box now if you absolutely need to leave your animal without a word. But please leave the animal in a cage, or at the very least tied to the drop box so they don't run off and get hurt. It's always best to just talk to the workers though. read more

PAWS Atlanta - Happy Yote and Keeva from Paws! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

I've heard of PAWS Atlanta for quite some time, but I never made the effort to actually get involved. It wasn't until last month (August 2018) when my dog died from a tumor (4 yrs old.), that I searched for PAWS. Not only would volunteering help bring love to animals, it would definitely help me cope with the loss of my Rottweiler. Volunteer Sign-Up: The volunteer process is EASY. Go online to their website and complete the volunteer form. This asks for basic information as well as what you'd be interested in doing as a volunteer. There are different options, but I selected dog care, cat care, and photography. I love dogs and I'm a photographer, but I selected cats as well to use this experience to be around them more and see if I like them or could see myself as a kitty owner. * Once the form is submitted, you'll receive an email, followed by another email that tells you to sign up for an orientation. In order to be an official PAWS Volunteer, it is required that you take orientation. Orientation is held at PAWS Atlanta every Saturday morning at 10:30am and lasts about two hours. You only have to go to ONE orientation. Orientation: Once we arrived to PAWS, we were taken to the outside trailer, where the room is set up "office meeting" style. Upon arrival, you must sign a waiver. They email them and ask you to print them, but they'll pass out copies if you don't have yours. We then had an ice breaker, where everyone introduced themselves, how we heard about PAWS, and what ultimately brought us here to volunteer. After that, our host have the history of PAWS, what they do as a organization, and what we'll be doing as volunteers and other safety issues. After the orientation, we were taken on a tour of the campus. Cats: First on the tour was the cat facility. For obvious reasons, the cat facility is separate from the dogs. Inside, there are different rooms that holds several cats for different needs. For example, one room is called "Weight Watchers" where all the kittens inside are considered over weight, another room holds cats that have been at the facility for over a year, another room holds kittens, etc. There was even a cat segregated in the hallway completely by itself. We were told this cat had FIV, the cat version of HIV and that it doesn't affect humans. After getting the rundown, we were given 15 minutes to play with cats, which my wife and I spent that time in the kitten room. Definitely fell in love with sooooo many kittens! If you're low enough to the ground, they'll jump on your back. I could've stayed in this room ALL DAY. I really didn't want to leave. Dogs: There are two dog facilities on the PAWS campus, one for the small-medium dogs/pups and one for the large dogs. We first went inside the small-medium dog facility and these pups were adorable. I literally wanted to adopt TWO on the spot. I'll never forget Perry. She was this cute Pitbull Terrier mix that couldn't keep my fingers out of her mouth. Once I fell in love, we were taken outside to see the grounds of where volunteers are allowed to play with the dogs, walk them, etc. Next was the large dog facility. THIS room was way more intimidating. These HUGE dogs looked like they wanted to bust through their cages and eat us. I've never heard so many deep barks in my life. I felt like a visitor in a psychiatric ward looking through the window of each patient, while monitoring their activities on a clipboard. I'm sure these big guys and gals are just as friendly, but I think I'm gonna babystep my way into those big'uns. Overall, we had a great time at PAWS Atlanta. I'm DEFINITELY coming back at least weekly. After the tour, we could basically do what we wanted, so we went back to the cat facility and played with more kittens. I'm almost 100% sure we'll eventually adopt a pet from here, but in the meantime, this is definitely a great way to practice being pet parents. read more

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It's easy to see why PAWS has such a good reputation. They're very passionate about their work, and they seem to manage themselves very well. I took an alumni group here for a day of service. Phil showed us around and squared us away with various service tasks. Phil is the man. According to Phil, PAWS is the largest no-kill shelter in the southeast. They put real time and energies into their animal-caring duties, making sure each adoption process goes as well as it can possibly go. And the facility really is impressive. They have created an excellent space to shelter and care for their animals. I also learned that in addition to their shelter duties, PAWS Atlanta also offers low-cost vet-clinic services. If you're into animal causes, I would totally recommend volunteering here. read more

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I'm really happy that I found this shelter. They were so kind, and the cat I got was shy at first but then very Active and playful, they gave me a free bag of cat food a free toy for the cat I really recommend this shelter! read more

PAWS Atlanta - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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absolutely great charity and shelter. Ive fostered and adopted. The vet they use is great and its so lovely to know there are such kind and caring people in the world. Support this charity even if you cannot take a pet. read more

PAWS Atlanta - Gumby the foster cat. 10 year's old. 4 teeth.. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

I've volunteered and fostered four dogs from PAWS Atlanta, and all four of them have been so precious and well-behaved (and luckily all of them have been adopted)! The amount of love and dedication the staff and volunteers give to the animals and this organization are insurmountable. The shelter is well-kept, and there's an on-site veterinarian who helps with the animals' health issues. The adoption fee for dogs is $250 ($150 if you're 65+) and for cats is $100 ($50 if you're 65+). It may seem expensive, but since PAWS is a non-profit, no-kill shelter, these "elevated" costs go towards food, shelter, vet costs, etc. PAWS is truly a special organization, and I recommend to anyone thinking of adopting to check out PAWS Atlanta. P.S. Attached are pics of the four dogs I've fostered read more

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I was told that my application "looked good" but then it seemed like every dog I asked about, there was a reason why I couldn't adopt it. Dogs that are listed as cat friendly on the website(I have cats) I was told weren't friendly with cats. When I asked if I could possibly be able to come in to view the dogs in person, the question was just not answered. I don't understand. It seems like they don't want the dogs to be adopted? Idk. The prices are insane as well for shelter animals. I put 2 stars because they are a no kill shelter. read more

I have volunteered at PAWS and ended up (very quickly) adopting a dog from them as well. I realize people can be upset/shocked about the $250 fee. It's a steep number, yes. But I'm not sure we always think about how much money it takes for these shelters to keep a single animal alive. Every dog is microchipped, and every animal spayed/neutered. So just for a dog, that runs about $100. Then you have vet care. Most animals coming in aren't in the best health. My girl had ear infection and needed a tooth removed, and they are on heart worm medication. To give you an idea, my Vet in the ATL area cost me $340 for a visit, ear infection meds, and heart worm meds. After just the initial Vet visit and microchip along with spay/neuter, you're already around $250 if not over. PAWS then has to feed them. The way I see it...some animals are adopted through quickly; others are there for long periods of time. That $250 adoption fee helps to offset the costs. My girl was there for 7 months. Her food and Vet visit alone cost me over $250 for the first 4 months I've had her. I realize it seems like it's a lot of money, but it helps to cover costs of keeping these animals alive. And yes, once you add on what you need to purchase for your new animal, it's a lot upfront. But we are adopting to save a life. I think PAWS, and most shelters, do the best they can. Might people be snippy? Sure. They can be everywhere. Does the waiting are smell? A little, because it's a hallway up from where the dogs are...some of which are still adjusting to their "new" surroundings after being abandoned and have accidents in their crates. It's not a glamorous shelter, but they genuinely care for the animals and I appreciate that. So does my baby who was left at the gate one night last February, and taken care of until I found her in September. Rescue life is the best life. read more

I have been volunteering at paws for almost a year with my brother. We started as just a fun activity to do on our free weekends. Well, two weeks ago, I walked in with no intention to adopt. Went straight to the puppy area and that is when I saw her. We locked eyes and it was puppy love at first sight! I knew I had to make her, (Roxy), a part of my family. The adoption process was so smooth. I give major props to Michele (admin/adoption caretaker). She was so helpful and always has been when I have volunteered. We have had Roxy for almost three weeks now and we couldn't be happier!! She is the most precious baby and we are all very happy. We took Roxy to our vet and the doctor said she was very well taken care of at Paws and a very healthy pup. I hope you consider Paws when in search of your furry companion. You won't regret it. Adopt! Don't shop! read more

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I recently adopted my friend, Winslow, from PAWS Atlanta after volunteering there through work. You can check out their "inventory" of adoptable cats and dogs on their website before you visit. Not only do they offer low cost spaying and neutering at their clinic, but from time to time they offer vaccination and microchip specials. They have an amazing staff there with the best interests of the animals in mind. read more

PAWS Atlanta - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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Sanderson ("Andy"), a Katrina kitty, came from PAWS. Rescued from the hurricane, she was homeless. At the time, the Cat Cottage was chock full of kitties and we almost came home with two. The adoption process went as smooth as Andy's belly fur - and there's a lot of that because Andy is somewhat volume-challenged. Since then, we've stopped in a couple of times to check out the dogs too. PAWS has a great operation and when we finally decide to bring another dog into our home - if the right one is available - I'll be pleased if it comes from PAWS. read more

In 2009, I adopted a cat named Georege from here. I later renamed him Oliver. He was a teenage cat. I leaned down on one knee and came running to me. Then I adopted a kitten whom I call Sullivan. This place is excellent. Great staff. Thank You to all of the staff. In my Will...YOUR business is the SOLE heir. Have a Blessed Day. :-) read more

PAWS Atlanta - Oliver. Ain't he beautiful? - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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The three-page adoption application is filled with baited questions, such as the following: "What percentage of time would you allow your cat to spend outdoors and what percentage would you allow them to spend indoors?" If you put anything other than 100% indoors and 0% outdoors, they deny you adoption. So after an hour of jumping through hoops including having them call and speak to my landlord on the phone, they denied me adoption because I would be willing to let my cat outside. They made me leave and now I can't adopt a cat there ever. I understand that there are arguments on both sides, but you'd think they would try to educate someone as to why they have that policy rather than just making them leave. Seems kinda ridiculous to me. On top of this, the staff in the office are straight up rude. I mean, they're supposed to be a top notch adoption facility. Is this really that horrible of a place to work that they have to treat people that way? read more

I will never ever forget my horrible experience with these people at Paws Atlanta. The staff were not friendly and the heavy set lady that works the front desk always had an attitude and was rude. I was shocked to see them on a reality building makeover show some years ago. They put up this sad story about how their building needed remodeling and this was the reason people weren't going there to adopt their animals. I almost screamed at the TV. Their horrible attitudes and horrible customer service keeps people away. It certainly deterred me from adopting an animal there! I sent my application in by mail for which they lost. Upon inquiring about it, the heavy set lady that works the front desk (Heather) got rude and simply said they are very busy and things like that are unavoidable. She offered no apology, instead brushed me off and answered the phone. Well excuse me, I'll simply take my business elsewhere and I certainly did! Also be forewarned about their deceptive pricing. They might as well be animal breeders with those ridiculous adoption prices. read more

Today I volunteered at Paws Atlanta and it was a great experience. It is amazing work that they do here for animals. Hearing the story behind how they got started was very inspiring. The dogs were so sweet and lovable. The staff was awesome and very welcoming of volunteers. Be careful when you volunteer, you'd probably fall in love and leave with a few dogs of your own. I will definitely be returning!! Great place for team volunteer events. read more

I decided to bring my daughter to this facility because I've heard so many good things about it. I actually applied to be a foster here and decided to go check out the dogs myself. It was a busy place, which I was glad to see. There was not many options for non-shedding dogs unfortunately. There were lots of dogs there that I could easily take home, and I got to walk a couple of them just to see how they were with me and my daughter. The facility had a really nice large area to go and walk the dogs. It made me feel so badly because I could tell so many other dogs wanted out of the cages. It's hard to leave and not take all of them home. They also have cats as well, but I am allergic so I stayed away from that side of the shelter. I like that they are a no kill shelter. I know someone mentioned the dogs being pricier to adopt, but when you think of the cost of housing and feeding and caring for these animals without homes, I don't mind giving every cent of it and more to help them continue to do their duties and care for these adorable animals that just need love and are looking for a home. read more

PAWS Atlanta - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

I have visited this "so-called" no kill animal shelter last year back in (November/December) looking to adopt a dog as a new playmate and sibling for my current dog. I went to their website and looked at all of their available dogs, after finding one that I liked...I decided to make the drive over there to spend time with her and see how she walked on a leash. The dog that I found on their website and liked a lot was a beautiful brindle female. I believe she was a Greyhound mix as she was tall with a very slender build. They would not bring her out and allow me to see how she would react and get along with my current dog at all. After visiting with her the first time, I decided to come back for her the very same week on a Saturday to adopt her. I came back that Saturday morning and I had arrived 20 minutes early before their regular scheduled opening time. I filled out their ridiculous three page long paperwork. The overweight lady that was working the front desk looked over my adoption application and told me that there is just one red flag on my adoption application. I asked what it was and she said that it is the part where I answered "yes" to rehoming a dog. I waited a whole entire hour in their foul smelling main lobby after filling out their ridiculous three page adoption application all to be denied adoption. I asked for the reason why I was being denied adoption and their reason and answer to me was that they did not want to risk the dog being brought back and because I had rehomed a couple of dogs due to certain circumstances. So, I said "okay" and walked off their property. In my opinion, it should not have taken them one whole our to tell me the reason why they were denying me adoption. I also should not have been kept waiting and sitting in their foul smelling lobby for a whole hour just for them to tell me that they're denying me adoption. When I arrived there the first time, I saw dog poop in the kennel runs of the large dogs that looked like it hadn't been picked up and cleaned up in days. It was truly and absolutely the most grotesque, disgusting, and vile thing that I had ever had to witness. There were also puddles on the floor of their dog area when I was there. Their adoption fee is $250 and that to me is absolutely ridiculous. For a non-profit organization, they seem to not see anything wrong with charging $250 to adopt one of their dogs. I absolutely do not and would not ever recommend this place when looking to adopt. I recommend going else where like Lifeline Animal Project. read more

I recently visited PAWS and was amazed at the dedication of the staff to the health and welfare of the animals in their care. I volunteer in an out of state shelter, so I have some knowledge of the inner workings. PAWS is awesome! If an potential adopter is turned down for a reason - you can believe it's for a reason with a good cause behind it. These animals have been thru enough in their lives already. Keep up the great work PAWS! Loved your walking trail for the dogs as well as the window boxes in the cat cottage! Definately a place to find your forever fur baby. read more

We brought our cats today to the low-cost vaccination clinic to get them microchipped. Only $25 each, and everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful. The techs worked like a well-oiled machine, and the injections were over before kittehs even knew what happened. We did have to wait outside in the staging area, so if it's really hot out, you might want to check to see if they still do that. But it was a great service at a great price, and I was really impressed. They do the clinic roughly twice a month - check their website for details. Get your pet the vaccinations they need! read more

Bad Foster Service: I fostered a dog from here for 1.5 months. I potty-trained him, taught him basic commands, have grown to love this dog in these 1.5 months. The foster coordinator, Ellee, was completely rude and curt with me the entire time. For example, I told her I was interested in adopting him, I just wanted to wait a couple weeks to see how he behaves after being neutered. Also, he got along well with my dog but I wanted to check if he had aggression with other dogs. WEDNESDAY (not even a week after his surgery, his wound is still fresh, mind you) she tells me "can you bring the dog in Saturday to meet an adopter? I'm like, "okay I guess foster parents don't get preference in the adoption process?" I think to myself, okay whatever I will just bring him because maybe it's a family with kids and a huge yard. I arrive. No "hey how are you doing" or "how was Sam after his surgery?" Not even a "Thank you so much for fostering him all this time, can you tell me anything you learned?" She just says to a volunteer "Hey, you're a volunteer, take this dog". And that was that, they ripped him away and I didn't even get to say goodbye to the little puppy. Other staff are amazing. Five stars to them. But I will go to Lifeline now where they have better foster coordinators. read more

I figured it was about time I wrote a review since I have been here twice now in dire need of vet care on a budget. The first time was ~6 years ago when my puppy needed her lady bits snip snipped because she went into heat then random strangers kept asking if i wanted to breed her(why breed/buy if you can adopt?!). A lot of practices wanted to charge an arm and a leg so i looked around and found PAWS. They also micro-chipped her during that visit. Now, my puppy is 7 years old and I noticed 2 of her teeth were loose. I frantically called my vet and the base fee was wayyy over my budget. I asked around and someone suggested PAWS again so i called them up and happy to find out it was more along the lines of my budget. Thankfully they're open on weekends so they were able to get us in ASAP and now her teeth are bright and clean. I typically get them cleaned during pet dental month in February where vets offer a discount but I totally forgot this year(I know...bad pommy mommy). Only thing I didnt like was the lady at the front desk when I dropped her off in the morning. The crew during the pick up were great though it would have been nice if they provided any after cleaning instructions. read more

PAWS Atlanta is a no-kill animal shelter. I imagine it takes a whole lot of money to keep this shelter running, and therefore, the adoption prices for animals are higher than those of county animal shelters. If you adopt a loving animal, your money will go towards a note-worthy cause. PAWS Atlanta is cleaner than the other shelters that characteristically smell like urine and feces. The volunteers and staff are incredibly friendly. If you're looking to adopt an animal or volunteer your time, you should definitely check out PAWS Atlanta! read more

The staff and volunteers here are excellent, and they offer great programs for your pet. I'm super pleased with how PAWS has treated me and my dog, and I trust their knowledge and capability for any help, advice or recommendations they offer. read more

PAWS Atlanta - How much longer for these shots, Dad? #lowcostclinic - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

I picked up the love of my life one August day while on the stray path to find popcorn just over 2 years ago. When I picked up my dear chihuahua Rosie, she was well-fed and well cared for by the wonderful staff at PAWS. I was able to take Rosie (then Fancy) on a walk around the garden area behind the adoption center. I remember it being a super seamless process to adopt. They provide all the information you could possibly need as well as a phone number to call for any issues. I believe it was less than $200 to adopt my pup but I think it varies by animal. Go! Take dogs on walks and pet/play with the cats! read more

We love paws and what they do! I've known about paws for over tens years and have visited several times over the past tens years. I even had my cat (not purchased/adopted from paws ) neutered their. They have reasonable rates and a good staff. read more

PAWS Atlanta - We love paws! Especially the kitties - Animal Shelters Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

There are not enough words to explain how wonderful PAWS was to myself and my pup. He had major health issues that needed to be addressed before adoption, and PAWS went above and beyond to help me accommodate not only the medical issues, but they worked with my schedule. They are overly friendly and are so encouraging and educational. PLEASE RECUSE FROM PAWS! they put their heart and souls into what they do, they are incredible. Laura is one of the kindest people, as well as Harriet. Truly an incredible shelter! Thank you, PAWS! read more

My main beef with PA is their deceptive pricing. You go on line to find out the what a service cost and then find out there are additional fees that they don't tell you about. The price you see SHOULD be the price you pay - it's not! There are always hidden fees!!!!! PAWS ATLANTA - be honest and forthright with you prices. People don't like surprises. Stop being like AT&T. I went there thinking I wd save a few bucks for a simple test that I needed ASAP, but I ended up paying more than at my vet. read more

The previous reviewers all said it well. Don't want to be a broken record so fresh facts: -This place is great to volunteer with if you want some major karma points. You can go any day of the week and just roam around, walking any dog you want or chilling out in the cat house. The cat house is an actual house with about 5 different rooms of cats that get along surprisingly well with each other. If you have any experience with cats whatsoever, you know most of them will be sleeping and ignore a visitor, but there are always a couple that will vy for lap space the second you sit down. And I know this is being ageist, but the last room, designated the "Kitten Room," is happiness. This is where the younger cats are placed. Don't wear nice pants, kittens are rough on fabrics. Okay the dog area: there's an indoor area with kennels for smaller dogs (which means I can control the beast) and an outdoor area where they usually keep the larger dogs. Pick out your pup for the day and go out to the gated park area. It's a nice spot, woodsy but small (probably to easily catch escapees), and includes a small field. The dogs get a little exercise and the chance to sniff the pee of a hundred dogs before them. Another great feature for volunteers: you can be a "foster" parent. This means that animals that need extra care can be sent home with you to take care of until they are adoptable. The vast majority of the time these are animals that are only 6 weeks old or so. They can't get their shots until 8 weeks of age, and they're at a very critical age, so home care is preferable. When I was a kid, we did this several times. It was not too hard, mostly because my mom did the real work. We kept them in a room with low traffic, and there were several of us to take turns playing and feeding them their liquid food. Then I tried this in a one bedroom apartment with a boyfriend. We kept them in the bathroom. The only bathroom. What a freaking mess. One of them got into a tiny crack in the sink cabinets, and we had to literally cut some of the wood off to scoop it out. This was the day they had come home with us. :) And even though they're potty trained, their bodies really should be nourished by mama cat's milk, so their stuff can be a bit messy. Yeeeah. Also, twice we had a kitten in the litter pass away on us. The first time I guess my mom dealt with the burial. The other time we'd already sent it back to the shelter because it was having a rough time. This is a horrible experience, but you take the good with the bad. One last thing: spay and neuter your pets! PAWS is a no kill facility, but with all the strays out there they can't take them all in. Which means they have to go to other "shelters"... read more

PAWS Atlanta (formerly the Dekalb Humane Society) is a no-kill shelter. They have been a no-kill shelter for many years. The upside is that there is no financial or time limits on a pet's life. The downside, of course, is that they sometimes reach capacity and can no longer take other animals. PAWS is doing the right thing though. They also offer low-cost spaying & neutering. If you are looking for a pet, you can find one here who truly needs a good home. read more

They are the best, I strongly recommend them if you are looking to adopt a dog or a cat.

Cat cottage is great. The cats are free to move around their assigned room and socialize with other cats and human visitors as well as play with toys. Much better than cats stuck in a cage all day. Also super easy to play with many cats and find the right one. read more

Amazing place, really friendly staff, well kept grounds, very good people to work with and adopt from. Also, for the exceptional care of their animals, they have a very low adoption fee and even offer discounted spaying and neutering through their clinic. I highly recommend this agency to anyone who is interested in adopting or would like a great place to volunteer at. read more