Atlanta Humane Society Planning Shelter in Alpharetta

The Atlanta Humane Society's Mansell Road campus in Alpharetta may be opening around the end of the year, but a spay/neuter clinic and an open house will give visitors a preview of what's to come.

On Wednesday, May 25, a mobile spay/neuter clinic will roll in to perform the surgeries at a lower cost. Appointments must be booked in advance, and patients will also receive complimentary rabies vaccinations and microchips. (See flyer accompanying this article for details.)

And, in just a few weeks on Saturday, June 4, from 3 to 7 p.m., community members, along with their pets, are invited to an open house featuring food, music, vendors and tours.

The AHS, in an effort to double the services it provides, settled on North Fulton after conducting demographic surveys of potential areas. Since the only animal shelters in Fulton County are the county animal shelter and the AHS shelter in Midtown, shelter officials thought North Fulton was a prime spot location-wise and for potential donors. AHS will move its headquarters into the North Fulton building, and plans on bringing some 50 new jobs to the area.

The shelter, which has already purchased the Ford dealership at 1565 Mansell Road, is in the midst of a $10 million capital campaign to raise funds to complete renovations. (The dealership has moved to an adjacent property.)

Leveridge says the shelter will hold a lot of community events involving area rescue groups, microchip clinic and kids programs on the spacious courtyard . "It will be a carnival atmosphere – something people will come to."

The building sits on seven acres amidst plenty of green space. The interior is open and airy, with the cats and dogs front and center.

Deborah Smith-Callahan, a Johns Creek resident who serves as cat coordinator for Angels Among Us Pet Rescue and who is working with the AHS to inform the community of the new shelter, is particularly excited about the cat room, where felines can be more themselves.

"I can't speak for all the rescue groups," she said, "but we should embrace this because it's a great opportunity for homeless animals. We don't have the resources to care for all the needs in the area."

Leveridge added, "We realize we can't do it by ourselves. We have to get everyone involved. Hopefully we can all work together. It's really just about helping the animals."

To schedule an appointment for the spay/neuter clinic on Wednesday, call 404-974-2885.