More than 300 dogs and cats arrived Tuesday at their new -- and hopefully temporary -- home in Alpharetta where the Atlanta Humane Society (AHS) has opened a new campus on Mansell Road.
The Saturday opening marks the first such expansion in the organization's 138-year history.
With the new location -- there is also a 65,000-square-foot facility on 3.5 acres of Howell Mill Road -- AHS president William Shaheen said they will be able to double the number of adoptions and spay/neuter surgeries performed annually.
Up to 138 dogs and 176 cats can be sheltered in the 32,000-square-foot facility, which features a canine recreation area consisting of four quarter-acre enclosed free runs with eco-friendly XGrass Pet turf. Cats can roam freely in four rooms. The ventilation system facilitates 12 to 14 air changes per hour to minimize the transfer of airborne diseases, and a new security system requires fingerprint access to animal and clinic sectors.
A staff of 35 working with about 100 volunteers will provide services including adoptions, pet-facilitated therapy, pet loss grief counseling, pet behavior counseling and animal training.
AHS estimates 400 to 500 adoptions at the new campus this month and 6,000 adoptions in 2012.
In April, AHS acquired a former car dealership for $6 million and has since worked on repurposing the 7-acre space.
On Saturday, north Fulton mayors will join Shaheen and others for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a day of grand opening activities to include raffle drawings, facility tours, pets with Santa photos, food and, of course, adoptions.
Event preview
Atlanta Humane Society Mansell Road Campus Grand Opening. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Free. 1565 Mansell Road, Alpharetta. www.atlantahumane.org.
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