Fulton County shelter saw 22% intake increase in 2024; adoptions, foster care rose as save rate climbed toward 90%
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Summary
Lifeline Animal Project, which manages Fulton County Animal Services, reported a 22% jump in intake for 2024, large gains in adoptions and a 75% rise in foster placements as staff work to keep the shelter population under its design limits.
Rebecca Gwen, CEO of Lifeline Animal Project, told the Fulton County Animal Welfare Board on Jan. 29 that total intake in 2024 rose about 22% compared with 2023, driven largely by dogs and an increase in cats since the new shelter is better equipped to house felines.
The intake spike was accompanied by gains in outcomes: Gwen said adoptions increased by “almost some a thousand animal increase in adoption,” and the shelter’s save rate rose to just under 90% despite the higher intake. “Given . . . the really huge increase in intake . . . I think the team really needs to be commended,” Gwen said.
Nut graf: The report presented by Lifeline, which holds the county contract to manage Fulton County Animal Services, showed both pressure and progress — larger numbers arriving at the shelter but higher adoption and foster activity that helped hold population growth in check. Board members and staff framed the changes as a combination of increased public visibility for the new facility, expanded programs and continuing staffing and capacity constraints.
Lifeline and county staff provided these key details during the board’s shelter-operations update:
- Intake: Gwen said intake rose about 22% versus 2023, with the largest increases among dogs and a notable rise in cats now that the new shelter can house them.
- Jurisdictions: Lifeline reported about two-thirds of intake comes from the City of Atlanta; a smaller share is attributed to unincorporated Fulton County and other municipalities.
- Outcomes: Adoption numbers rose substantially year over year; Gwen described the increase as nearly 1,000 additional adoptions. Transfers to rescue and Lifeline-facilitated placements also continued.
- Save rate and capacity: Lifeline reported the shelter’s save rate edged up and is “just slightly below 90%.” County staff said the shelter was designed to hold a maximum of 376 dogs and that exceeding that number would require placing animals in nonstandard spaces.
- Foster program and volunteers: Gwen said foster placements increased roughly 75% in 2024, helping relieve shelter crowding. Volunteer numbers were slightly down but total volunteer hours increased to nearly 14,000 for the year.
- Field services and return-to-home: Chris Emerson, field service director, said field services calls are concentrated in Atlanta and South Fulton. He reported an increase in returns-to-home (formerly called return-to-owner) and that field impounds remain the largest category of animal impoundments.
Staffing and equipment: Lifeline said staffing is improving; the organization noted changes to position counts since the contract was written and said some additional animal-care roles were added and filled. Gwen also said a mobile veterinary unit donated to Lifeline in early 2024 expanded mobile-vet visits compared with 2023, when Lifeline relied on a van and more limited services.
Board members asked staff to provide additional breakdowns in future reports, including types of service calls by jurisdiction and monthly call-category totals. Lifeline agreed to email the board if members send requests for specific breakdowns.
Ending: Board chair Frances Webster thanked Lifeline staff and closed the operations update by moving the meeting to the next agenda item. The board did not take any additional formal votes related to the operations figures during the Jan. 29 meeting.
