Who is LifeLine Animal Project (LifeLine)?
LifeLine Animal Project is the leading non-profit animal welfare organization in Atlanta working to end shelter euthanasia. Since 2002, we have strived to assess the needs of Atlanta's animal welfare community and provided innovative, strategic resources in support our mission to stop the killing of healthy and treatable homeless animals. By caring for over 16,000 homeless animals each year, LifeLine is one of the largest animal welfare organizations in Georgia. Learn more about our lifesaving programs and locations.
What is your relationship with Fulton County Animal Services?
In March of 2013, LifeLine recognized that, if the organization's ultimate goal was to end euthanasia in Atlanta shelters, there should be a commitment to supporting communities and government agencies in the operation of those shelters.
LifeLine submitted a bid and was successfully awarded the contract to manage Fulton County Animal Services (FCAS). LifeLine staff are employed at FCAS to care for the homeless animals at the shelter. LifeLine also employs animal control officers who are responsible for enforcing animal ordinances in the community. FCAS is one of four LifeLine shelters in Metro Atlanta. Learn more about how we serve Fulton County.
What is your relationship with DeKalb County Animal Services?
Since beginning management of DeKalb County Animal Services (DCAS) on July 1, 2013, LifeLine has dramatically decreased euthanasia rates, increased adoptions, and improved the health of its shelter animals while also implementing direct community outreach to better the welfare of pets county-wide. LifeLine staff are employed at DCAS to care for the homeless animals of DeKalb County. DCAS is one of four LifeLine shelters in Metro Atlanta. Learn more about how we serve the people and pets of DeKalb County.
How is the work of LifeLine Animal Project funded?
The work of LifeLine, including the care of the animals and our outreach and community programs, is funded by individual donors, corporations, and foundations. The funding from county contracts provides support for basic care of animals during the counties' mandated stray-hold periods (3-5 days). All lifesaving programs outside of the scope of those contracts are the responsibility of LifeLine and our generous supporters. LifeLine is an IRS 501(c)(3) organization and donations to LifeLine are tax-deductible.
How much of our donations go to the animals?
Why can't I find LifeLine on either Charity Navigator's or Charity Watch's web sites?
You can find us on the site with our EIN number (010599278) but we are not eligible for rating due to the county funding we receive. Charity Watch primarily lists national organizations and we are focused on ending euthanasia and improving the standard of care for animals in metro Atlanta. We can be found on Guidestar.
LifeLine serves all of the neglected, abused or homeless animals in Fulton and DeKalb County. Our county shelters are open admission shelters, which we means we are contractually obligated by the county to take in any animal that comes in our doors. Most of our animals come in as stray animals. We also receive animals found by the public or surrendered by their owners. Our Fulton and DeKalb shelters also house animals seized as evidence in cruelty cases. Our Avondale and Ponce facilities add capacity to our county shelter programs and also house animals held in court cases as well as animals needing medical or behavioral rehabilitation. Currently, we receive an average of 40-60 new animals each day.
Why do you offer free adoption promotions?
LifeLine strives to implement and recognize best adoption practices at all of our shelters. Research and current LifeLine policies demonstrate that waived adoption fees do not reduce the value of the animal to the adopter. We all understand that placing animals with adoptive families is complex and that our ultimate goal is to save lives. Each fee-waived adopter is screened by our Adoption Counselors and required to meet adoption criteria.
Yes. LifeLine provides a complete medical examination, including spay/neuter, vaccination, canine heartworm or feline combo testing and a microchip, for every animal before adoption. This is a great value for adopters and ensures that adopted animals do not contribute to unwanted pets in our community.
What does it mean to be no-kill?
The nationally accepted definition for a no-kill community is a community that has a sustained live outcome rate from its shelters of over 90% or more. All healthy or treatable animals are adopted or placed with other rescue groups or no-kill organizations for adoption, and euthanasia is reserved only when medically necessary or when an animal behaviorally is not safe in the community.