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Viewing the dogs at Athens-Clarke County Animal Services

Athens-Clarke County Animal Services now advertises the shelter animals! To find a new friend, go to their online listing of dogs or drop by the shelter (125 Buddy Christian Way in Athens). Since dogs in foster homes or with Project Homebound are not housed on-site, please call the shelter ahead of time if you’d like to meet a specific animal.

Please act quickly!

The Athens-Clarke County Animal Services shelter is a municipal, open-admission shelter. This means that it takes in owner surrendered animals from Athens-Clarke County residents and stray animals found by county residents or found in Athens-Clarke County limits whether or not there is available space (owners looking to surrender animals may be asked to schedule an appointment to do so but if you cannot hold onto the animal until the scheduled time, let staff know–they will work with you).

At Athenspets we are firm believers in having open-admission shelters; animals without another safe place to be need a place they can go instead of being left to wander and struggle to survive on their own or being hastily given to someone who will not have their best interests in mind. However, this means that critically injured animals, terminally ill and suffering animals, and aggressive animals are admitted and generally euthanized. In addition, because animals are admitted even when there is no available space at the shelter, at times they euthanize healthy, nonaggressive animals, including those that would make great pets but that are struggling in the high-stress shelter environment.

As a result, adopters and rescues need to act quickly, to help ensure space is available for the animals that need it or so that your application is at the top of the list to adopt or rescue the animal in which you’re interested.

Provided veterinary care

All dogs receive DHLPP and bordetella vaccination, basic deworming, microchipping, and heartworm testing on impound. Dogs that test positive for heartworms are only available for rescue, foster, or foster-to-adopt arrangement (more information is here); they may be adopted after they are treated for heartworms (at county expense). Most dogs are also vaccinated against rabies and all are spayed or neutered prior to adoption.

Adoption & rescue process generally

Information about ACCAS’s adoption and rescue process can be found on the county website. Online applications and applications during the stray hold period are no longer accepted, and rescues cannot place an application on an animal the first day it is available.

Because about half of our adoption applications fall through, it is worth putting an application on the dog of your choice, even if you’re not first in line!

Adoption fees

Normal adoption fees for dogs are:

$150: Dogs under 25lbs and puppies 6 months old or younger.

$25: Dogs over 25lbs and over 6 months old.

$50: Project Homebound Program Dogs

Email animalservices@accgov.com with any questions about adoption fees.

Applying to adopt a dog

See the county website for information about adopting. Online applications and applications during the stray hold period are no longer accepted, and rescues cannot place an application on an animal the first day it is available.

Not sure who you want to adopt?

Drop-in hours at the shelter are Tuesday-Saturday from 11-4 and Sundays 12-3. It is closed to the public on Mondays and holidays. Because many of the dogs are in foster homes, if there is a particular dog in which you might be interested, you should contact staff ahead of time at 706-613-3540 or animalservices@accgov.com.

Adopt a dog from the Project Homebound Training Program

Looking for a smart, socialized, well-trained dog? The Project Homebound Dog Training Program is a partnership between Athens-Clarke County Animal Services, Athens-Clarke County Department of Corrections, and Athenspets. These dogs are trained and socialized by pairs of Returning Citizens under the supervision of Adriana Grassi-Moseley, of Georgia Dog Trainer, LLC

Learn more about Project Homebound Dogs here: https://athenspets.net/project-homebound/

Bring your dog to the shelter to pick a new best friend

We recommend bringing any household members the dog MUST get along with to the shelter for a meet-and-greet prior to adoption. This includes household dogs (they must be up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations and wearing a current rabies tag), young children, and elderly household members. Staff can help you make a great match!

Rescuing a dog

In Georgia, only rescues licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture can take transfer of animals from a shelter if the transfer occurs in the state of Georgia. If you are an out-of-state rescue interested in helping with out our animals, please email info@athenspets.net for information about how we can help you become a rescue partner.

Georgia licensed rescues interested in helping: please send a copy of your GDA license to animalservices@accgov.com.

There are no pull fees and no restrictions on which animals a rescue may pull except that rescues may not pull an animal the first day it is available for adoption other than those designated as “rescue only” (generally because of behavior, medical condition, or if the animal is too young to be altered).

If you are interested in rescuing a “rescue only” dog but need help with expenses, email info@athenspets.net to see if sponsorship could be made available. Other animals may have private pledges of sponsorship as well, which amounts are listed here.