Georgia’s largest no-kill shelter Furkids opened its new 15,000-square-foot Sutherlin Dog Shelter, intended to reduce animal stress and create a more humane environment.
Rather than cramped kennels, the Cumming, GA facility features a private room for each dog with a capacity of 135, grooming areas, play suites and yards, training and enrichment spaces, quarantine capabilities, and safer walking access.
“It’s remarkable. It is beyond my wildest hopes and dreams for these dogs and our organization. The outcome was greater than I could have imagined,” said Furkids founder and CEO Samantha Shelton.
She noted how peaceful the space is now that the dogs have private rooms compared to a dog run, in which the animals loudly react to people and each other. “What it means is, more lives will be saved because the dogs aren’t going to stay with us as long. We’ve been open two weeks, and we’ve already had great adoptions.”
With “public-friendly walkthrough areas, dedicated meet-and-greet spaces, workflow-driven operational design, separate indoor and outdoor enrichment areas for large and small dogs, resin flooring, turf yards, and specialized cooling technology,” the new space is designed to make the overall shelter experience more pleasant and welcoming, which will encourage increased adoption rates.
The Sutherlin Dog Shelter marks the largest expansion of dog operations in the organization’s 24-year history, as well as opens up the next steps of Furkids’ growth. The Giaquinto Medical Center will open at the end of July, and a Community Clinic is expected to open in 2027.
“What I want to show the world is that animal sheltering does not have to be sad, scary places,” Shelton said. “So many times I hear people say, ‘Oh, the shelters are so sad. I love what you do, but I can’t come. It will make me sad.’ Actually, you’re not sad here. It is just a very special place. It’s very peaceful, tranquil, and it’s just a special place for animals and people to connect.”
Since its establishment in 2002, Furkids has rescued and cared for more than 80,000 animals. The concept for the shelter began when Shelton rescued a family of kittens off her porch and was told by local animal control that they would likely be euthanized due to space restrictions at shelters. “It’s just a very worthwhile endeavor, and it’s been an amazing opportunity to dedicate my life to serving the community, and to helping these animals, and to encourage others to join us in the effort.”
Furkids is also the Southeast’s largest cage-free sanctuary for cats and is one of the only facilities in the religion that cares for FIV positive cats. With over 1,000 active weekly volunteers and Shiloh Gardens, Furkids’ flexible event space, the campus is a hub for community, animal education, and advocacy.
Shelton said, “I’m so happy to be able to fulfill the vision that I have for this nine-acre campus that’s going to be supporting the community in ways that we’ve never been able to before.”
