PAWS Atlanta is a private, not-for-profit animal welfare organization founded in 1966, originally as the DeKalb Humane Society. PAWS Atlanta provides love, nutrition, medical care and basic training to enrich the lives of homeless animals until permanent, safe homes can be found.

Mission
The mission is to build a community of caring, by people helping pets and pets helping people.

Services
PAWS Atlanta offers pet adoption services, low-cost vaccinations, spay and neutering, discount health preventatives, behavioral training, a pet dental clinic, a pet food bank and education through community outreach.

PAWS Atlanta is governed by a board of directors. and has a staff that is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the shelter. The shelter is composed of administrative offices, a small and large dog area, including indoor and outdoor dog runs, a cat cottage where the cats are kept cage-free, an animal treatment center, an animal intake and quarantine area, a small veterinary clinic and a three-and-a-half-acre walking trail, including an off leash area. PAWS Atlanta invite you to visit PAWS Atlanta to see what PAWS Atlanta have to offer.

PAWS Atlanta receives no funding from federal, state or county governments; the vital services PAWS Atlanta offer to the community, are made possible by the thoughtful generosity of the supporters, grants and fundraising. 

No-Kill Philosophy
The no-kill philosophy is very simple. It means that PAWS Atlanta gives all of the animals in the care, the attention they need and deserve. Only terminally ill or extremely aggressive animals who have been evaluated as such by independent, certified trainers will be euthanized. PAWS Atlanta does not euthanize a cat or dog due to space constraints.