Tag: pets

Almost 19 years ago, a colleague walked over, and from the look on her face, I knew she was up to some mischief. She engaged in small talk before she got to her point. She told me that a friend had found a litter of kittens under their front porch; the friend had rescued the kittens, but the mom had made an escape. I knew immediately where this was going.

Given Big Boi’s status as one of the most eclectic and subversive musicians in modern history, it would be disappointing if his taste in animals wasn’t a little idiosyncratic—and his relationship with two Eurasian eagle-owls thoroughly ticks that box. Hootie and HOO-Dini, the brother-and-sister pair named after the 1994 Outkast song and legendary escapologist, respectively, have been part of Big Boi’s life for seven years.

Over the years, Atlanta residents have made plenty of headlines with their exotic pets, often when said pets escape, generating hullabaloo and amusing—or terrorizing—the surrounding neighborhood. Here’s a look back through history at some of Atlanta’s most memorable pets and the chaos they’ve caused.

While most house pets live a life of absolute leisure—the average dog spends half its day asleep—a select few are destined for greatness. Across Atlanta, animals of all stripes serve double duty as both beloved pets and hardworking helpers. Here are a few of the city’s most industrious pets, photographed with their caretakers, who told us about life on the job for these working critters.

Dark eyes peer at me through the glass. A little nose wiggles, and long, floppy ears perk up as I coo hello. I’m visiting the Georgia House Rabbit Society, a rabbit rescue and grooming and boarding facility in Kennesaw. Most of the other 120-odd rabbits at the Rabbit Society are available for adoption. Many rabbits end up here after being purchased as Easter gifts and quickly abandoned. Others are surrendered by owners who are moving out of the country or under financial pressures.

Jessica Lawton had recently started her job as a field service officer with Fulton County Animal Services in 2022. The job is part law enforcement, part animal caretaker. Lawton responds to calls for the stray, sick, and injured; cases of abandonment, pet hoarding, and cruelty; and instances of distressed, trapped, or vicious animals.

When Atlanta magazine profiled dog whisperer Michael Quattrochi in 1985, he was something of a trailblazer. For one, he believed in training puppies rather than adult dogs. And he didn’t use choke chains or harsh reproaches. Quattrochi is marking his 50th year training dogs; we reached out to catch up and learn more of his secrets for turning unruly pups into our best friends.

The actor on stage can’t seem to find his mark. It’s a Friday night at Dad’s Garage, and we’re here to see him do some improv, but instead he trips over his long limbs and rushes off the stage before the scene can even start. The actor in question is a white Great Dane mix with black spots named Oden: He’s one of four adoptable dogs from the rescue organization Angels Among Us who have joined Dad’s Garage cast members onstage for the show Puppy Prov.

On a Sunday in October, members of the unhoused community gather in the Big House Guitars parking lot on the corner of Cheshire Bridge and Lavista Roads. There, the Elizabeth Foundation, a nonprofit service organization, lays out two spreads—one with food, the other with warm clothes for the upcoming cold and wet winter. Veterinarian Dr. Kristen Schmidt is also there to help. Through the nonprofit Project Street Vet, Schmidt provides free veterinary care to pets of unhoused individuals in Atlanta.

Want to start running with your dog? Here's some tips from local experts to keep them happy and healthy.