• News & Culture
    • Arts & Events
    • Great Reads
    • Atlanta 500
    • Block by Block: Stories from the streets that connect us
    • Women Making a Mark
    • Pride Guide 2022
  • Food & Drink
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • 75 Best Restaurants in Atlanta
    • 50 Best Tacos
    • 123 Things to Eat on Buford Highway
    • 50 Best Bars
    • Best Barbecue
    • Best Breakfast
    • The TOUR Championship Cocktail Contest
  • Home
    • Artists & Galleries
    • Design Advice
    • Design News
    • Gardens
    • Real Estate
    • Neighborhoods
    • Real Estate All-Stars
    • Sponsored: Preferred HOME Partner
  • Life & Style
    • Style
    • School Guide
    • Health & Wellness
    • Top Doctors
    • Top Dentists
    • Sponsored: Physician & Dentist Profiles
    • Buckhead Guidebook
  • Travel
    • Southbound
    • 50 Best Things to Do in Georgia
    • Hidden Georgia
    • North Georgia Mountains
    • Great Georgia Hikes
    • Jekyll Island
    • Georgia Travel Guide
    • Gilmer: Ellijay Visitors Guide 2022
    • Alabama Vacation Guide 2023
  • Best of ATL
    • Eat
    • Drink
    • Do
    • Buy
    • Readers’ Choice
  • Magazine
    • Subscription Center
    • Newsletters
    • Digital Editions
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Pitch Us
    • Advertise
    • Custom Media
    • Give Atlanta
    • Employment
      • Careers
      • Internships
    • Archives
    • Where to Find
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
      • Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2022
      • 2020 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Designer Showhouse
      • Atlanta Baby and Beyond
      • Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2019
      • DINES: A Taste of the City’s Best Restaurants
      • 2019 Modern Style Showhome
      • Best Burger Battle
      • Pinewood Forest Idea Home
      • 2018 Modern Style Showhouses
    • Event Photos
Sign in
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Create an account
Privacy and Cookies Policy
Sign up
Welcome!Register for an account
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy and Cookies Policy
Password recovery
Recover your password
Search
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Issue Archive
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Atlanta 500
  • Give Atlanta
  • GaBiz Magazine
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Create an account
Privacy and Cookies Policy
Create an account
Welcome! Register for an account
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy and Cookies Policy
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Atlanta Magazine Atlanta Magazine
Atlanta Magazine Atlanta Magazine
  • News & Culture
    • Arts & Events
    • Great Reads
    • Atlanta 500
    • Block by Block: Stories from the streets that connect us
    • Women Making a Mark
    • Pride Guide 2022
  • Food & Drink
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • 75 Best Restaurants in Atlanta
    • 50 Best Tacos
    • 123 Things to Eat on Buford Highway
    • 50 Best Bars
    • Best Barbecue
    • Best Breakfast
    • The TOUR Championship Cocktail Contest
  • Home
    • Artists & Galleries
    • Design Advice
    • Design News
    • Gardens
    • Real Estate
    • Neighborhoods
    • Real Estate All-Stars
    • Sponsored: Preferred HOME Partner
  • Life & Style
    • Style
    • School Guide
    • Health & Wellness
    • Top Doctors
    • Top Dentists
    • Sponsored: Physician & Dentist Profiles
    • Buckhead Guidebook
  • Travel
    • Southbound
    • 50 Best Things to Do in Georgia
    • Hidden Georgia
    • North Georgia Mountains
    • Great Georgia Hikes
    • Jekyll Island
    • Georgia Travel Guide
    • Gilmer: Ellijay Visitors Guide 2022
    • Alabama Vacation Guide 2023
  • Best of ATL
    • Eat
    • Drink
    • Do
    • Buy
    • Readers’ Choice
  • Magazine
    • Subscription Center
    • Newsletters
    • Digital Editions
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Pitch Us
    • Advertise
    • Custom Media
    • Give Atlanta
    • Employment
      • Careers
      • Internships
    • Archives
    • Where to Find
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
      • Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2022
      • 2020 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Designer Showhouse
      • Atlanta Baby and Beyond
      • Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2019
      • DINES: A Taste of the City’s Best Restaurants
      • 2019 Modern Style Showhome
      • Best Burger Battle
      • Pinewood Forest Idea Home
      • 2018 Modern Style Showhouses
    • Event Photos
Home Uncategorized Every one of us has a destination and purpose in our lives....
Sponsored

Every one of us has a destination and purpose in our lives. What’s yours?

By
Sponsored
-
July 26, 2021
512

 

You may think you know about animal rescue organizations, but Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters is someplace special. It’s a destination you have to experience for yourself, in your own way.  You can discover a new part of yourself at Furkids, perhaps not even in the way you expect. What makes Furkids so different, so special? It began with one homeless cat, and today continues with thousands of pet rescues and adoptions, volunteer opportunities, parties, meetings, special events–all contributing to saving thousands of lives every year.

Our First Destination: The Short Story

Furkids came to life with one woman’s determination to save a homeless mother cat and three kittens from being killed because they were homeless. Just 20 years ago, virtually all homeless animals in Georgia were killed—because no one wanted them. That woman saved those cats, and during 20 years, Furkids grew to become one of Georgia’s largest no-kill animal rescue, shelter and sanctuary for homeless cats and dogs. Some 55,000 injured, abandoned, lost, hopeless animals have been given the gift of a second chance at life. They passed through Furkids’ doors into the light of health, happiness, joy, loving adopted families and their own forever homes. But Furkids is more than a successful animal rescue organization.  Now, Furkids is a destination for animals and people who love them.

Destination Furkids

Furkids purchased nearly 10 lush acres of property at 5235 Union Hill Road in south Forsyth in 2018, with the goal of creating a haven for pets and animal lovers that is like no other. It began with the land—gently rolling trails, landscaped gardens, ponds, fountains and woods filled with birds, butterflies, fish and wildlife. The property originally was Wakoola Water Gardens, whose owners wanted to share the beauty of water as part of nature and show how water nurtures animals and people. Furkids saw the land as its own forever home, a nurturing place with large spaces and a healthy environment for Furkids animals; an inviting atmosphere for potential adopters and the community to interact with the furkids; and a peaceful, verdant locale for volunteers and visitors.

“Every one of us has a destination and purpose in our lives, and with the theme Destination Furkids, we have embarked on the journey to our destination—an imaginative, highly advanced animal rescue and shelter sanctuary combined with a human getaway and green space designed to revitalize the bodies and souls of animals and people,” said Furkids CEO Samantha Shelton. “Furkids is a destination where people can have so many options. They can have fun, live out their dreams, work better, save lives, make memories or improve the world by volunteering.”

Anyone who drove past the property during the past couple of years could watch its transformation begin. Furkids volunteers and professionals have been renovating the dilapidated main building, restoring and landscaping the acreage, repairing ponds, streams and fountains, and constructing a series of charming animal-service buildings. A stroll through the leafy campus today reveals a large, rustic headquarters building and cat shelter, multiple smaller buildings for animal care and housing, an outdoor event space, two large ponds, gardens, patios, waterfalls, fountains, woodland paths and several acres of undeveloped forest, where visitors are welcome to wander. Furkids is adjacent to the Big Creek Greenway and connected by a path, giving easy access to Furkids from the Greenway.

Right now, Furkids is renovating the original barn from the property into a special events venue for private parties and gatherings, which is expected to be completed by 2022. Ultimately, Furkids will complete the destination with new buildings including a cat shelter, a dog shelter, a veterinary clinic, a café and pet boutique, a pet cemetery and memorial garden, and a building for community events.

What’s Your Destination—Fun, Work, Personal Satisfaction?

You can plan a party, meeting or indoor or outdoor event; connect with the animals; take part in lifesaving activities including adoption events, foster events where you can learn about being a foster caregiver for a cat or dog in your home; take part in monthly low-cost vaccine clinics, yoga on the green and more! With approximately 1,000 active volunteers and a robust volunteer program for people of all ages, including children and seniors, there are lots of opportunities to be part of Furkids lifesaving work. Furkids volunteers are the backbone of the program and help in a myriad of ways including animal care, foster care, veterinary services, indoor and outdoor construction, landscaping, entertainment, consulting services, transportation, marketing, public relations, and event planning. Volunteering your time, creativity and skills makes a direct impact on you– and the thousands of homeless animals Furkids saves each year.

Kids are a big part of Furkids volunteers. From hosting donation drives, to becoming a shelter caretaker or reading and socializing with the resident cats, youth volunteer opportunities are proven to enrich social skills, increase empathy, and deliver the importance of civil responsibility.

Is it time to boost company morale? Are you leading your company’s efforts on social change? Searching for a perfect location for your next team building event? Check out Furkids’ lifesaving volunteer programs, educational talks, shelter tours and animal connections to further increase employee loyalty, engagement and productivity. Furkids supplies the backdrop, you bring the fun!

Coming Soon to Destination Furkids: An Event for Social Good

Want a unique event that also will make a difference in the lives of homeless and abandoned animals? Host your wedding, private event or company party at The Barn at Furkids, a rustic, 3,400-square-foot barn renovated to retain its original charm while serving as a state-of-the-art facility where all proceeds will benefit Furkids’ lifesaving programs! This venue will make your event gorgeous, beneficial and uniquely memorable.

You’re destined to leave a lasting impact on more than just your guests. To get a sneak peek, follow along at furkids.org as we build The Barn at Furkids.

We invite you to discover your own personal destination at Destination Furkids. Visit www.furkids.org and earn a top spot as a great human!

Advertisement
  • TAGS
  • Animal Action Rescue
  • animals
  • cats
  • dogs
tmcneel

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Crystal River manatees

A walk on Florida’s wild side (as told through a series of animal encounters)

Why I’m enraptured with Atlanta’s raptors

Why I’m enraptured with Atlanta’s raptors

Gopher Tortoises

South of Savannah, gopher tortoises find an island getaway

Follow Us

69,386FansLike
144,836FollowersFollow
493,480FollowersFollow
Atlanta Magazine
Since 1961, Atlanta magazine, the city’s premier general interest publication, has served as the authority on Atlanta, providing its readers with a mix of long-form nonfiction, lively lifestyle coverage, in-depth service journalism, and literary essays, columns, and profiles.

Most recent

Atlanta’s Lego Discovery Center reopens with new attractions—what to know before you go

March 31, 2023
Sine Die 2023

What passed and what didn’t during Georgia’s 2023 legislative session

March 31, 2023
A new rock-climbing park will preserve the legacy of a stone mason who became one of Georgia's first Black legislators

A new rock-climbing park will preserve the legacy of a stone mason who became one of Georgia’s first Black legislators

March 20, 2023

GREAT READS

Repurposing downtown Atlanta springs

The scent of water: Searching for hidden springs in downtown Atlanta

February 3, 2023
Abu Talib

Hell and high water: A harrowing journey from Myanmar to Clarkston, Georgia

February 1, 2023
Stop Cop City protestors South River Forest Atlanta

“The birds stopped singing”: Inside the battle for Atlanta’s South River Forest

January 20, 2023
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Issue Archive
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Business Forum
  • Privacy and Cookies Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • General Contest Rules
© 2023. All rights reserved.