Wildlife and nature

Animal shelters and rescues

Theater and dance

Rivers, parks and trails

Hunger and food

Schools and learning

Housing and homelessness

Community health

Mental health

Mentoring and foster care

Legal help and rights

Jobs and money help

Atlanta

The Triangle

Everywhere

The Collective Workshop

Royal Animal Refuge

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

Georgia Advancing Communities Together

Atlanta Writers Club

Cobb Collaborative

Bosleys Place

Jewish Fertility Foundation

Mondy Lamb

David Coats

Missy Orr

Patrick Walsh

Maryanne Volkringer

Bill Busby

Cynthia Bastos

Katherine Fisher

Monique Jenkins-Fuller

Chris Kearnes

David Keesee

Laura Leslie

Alex Mihajlov

Lola Bunny

Programs

Videos

About

Shelter

Last week we opened our doors for two tiny survivors. Today we'd like to introduce them to you. Say hello to Tutu and Mytho 🥹 Tutu and Mytho came from a cruelty case where they were living in filth and being deprived of food and water. And simple enough to say, the transition from that life to the shelter has been overwhelming for them. They don't understand why their lives changed over night. They don't understand that "better" is coming their way. Since arriving, we've been helping them decompress, catching them up on the care they've gone without, and providing comfort. Bit by bit, we've watched Tutu and Mytho go from frozen and shaking to pawing at the people they meet for attention. But now, the thing that will help them most is being in loving homes 🩷 Please, help us find that for them. Head to spcawake.org/dogs to learn more.

Social media exclusive 👀 You guys get to be the first to find out about Mosferatu, our newest arrival 🩷 "Mo" just came in from one of our partner shelters that was getting too full and needed help alleviating space. His owners were moving and could unfortunately no longer keep him, so now he's here with us hoping for another chance. We can already tell you he's a very good boy – he's nervous about being here but obviously very loving (and smart)! He's 3 years old, and since he's already neutered and microchipped, he is ready to go home right away! We're hoping that means a short stint at the shelter for this sweet guy, so he can get back to being the center of someone's universe. Since Mosferatu just got here, he isn't on our website yet – but if you're interested in adopting him, you can still get a head start by submitting an adoption survey to put him on hold. Just visit spcawake.org/adopt and search for his AID number in the adoption survey: A417308 🩷 With any luck, he'll be costume shopping with his new family by Halloween!

We knew this day would come. And while we are heartbroken, we're also so deeply and completely thankful ❤️ When we originally shared Thimble's story back in April, we knew her time would be limited. She was born with malformed kidneys, a terminal condition with no cure. We sent out a plea for someone who would love Thimble anyways – someone selfless and compassionate who would bear the weight of looming grief in order to give a special dog a happier life. You all spread the word. And Thimble's incredible adopter walked through our doors. Recently, Thimble's mom reached out to let us know her sweet girl had passed away. For the last 5 months, Thimble got to live in a home instead of the shelter. She enjoyed cuddles on the couch, lazy days sprawled out in the sun, and unconditional love from her mom. And that's exactly what Thimble deserved. Thank you to everyone reading this and everyone who followed Thimble's journey. Thank you for everyone who donated to support her care. And an extra special thank you to Thimble's mom: from all of us in this community, we are forever grateful that she had you ❤️

Brilliant blue eyes. Itty bitty legs. But no adoption... yet 🤞 For a month now, Styles has been stuck in the shelter environment, first with one of our partner shelters and now with us. He's been waiting to be chosen by that special person. Waiting to be noticed. But it seems that pesky little thing called 'luck' just hasn't been on his side. Styles is playful, friendly, and has happily gotten along with every human and canine he's met so far. He just needs some help turning his fortune around 💙 Please help us spread the word, show Styles he's loved, and find this boy the happy home he deserves! Think you may be Styles' happily-ever-after? Head to spcawake.org/dogs to learn more about how to adopt.

It's not uncommon for shelter pets to wear the scars of their past, but in Towhee's case, those scars are right on his face. Towhee was found at only a couple weeks old, struggling to survive on the streets. He was suffering from a rampant upper respiratory infection that had overtaken his eyes, his lungs – his whole little body. But thanks to your support (and a Good Samaritan with great timing who scooped him up), that's not where Towhee's story ended. Towhee was rushed to safety and for over a month now, he's been receiving treatment under the close supervision of our medical team. It's taken time, effort, and a lot of love. But we're so happy and relieved to share that Towhee is doing better and finally ready for a loving home! His eye may always be scarred but Towhee's just happy to be alive and he's ready to shower a new family with affection. Learn more about sweet Towhee at spcawake.org/cats 🐱

🚨 BREAKING: 27 lives were just saved from a capacity emergency. The last thing an overcrowded shelter wants to hear is “we’ve got incoming pets from a hoarding case bust.” And unfortunately, this situation usually results the euthanasia of a lot of pets already at the shelter because the shelter must create room for the incoming pets. But this is the point of partnership. So when things are dire, you have someone to ask for help. And your support is the reason we get to be that help. We just took in these 27 pets from one of our partner shelters in this exact crisis. The shelter was over capacity, with pets doubled up in their housing, when they got word that Animal Control needed to bring in the entirety of a hoarding case that had just been busted within their jurisdiction. These 27 dogs, cats, and kittens are a mix of those rescued from the hoarding case itself as well as those who were already at the shelter when the threat of euthanasia became immediate. Our team welcomed each pet one by one, getting them started on their SPCA Wake journey with softness, compassion, their first veterinary exams, and a spacious place to land. This is the point of partnership. These 27 pets now have their entire lives to look forward to – and while we work to help them heal and find loving homes, we continue to offer our partnership to shelters across the state. All because of you. To everyone who supports us: You are a hero for giving these 27 deserving animals the resources and compassion they needed when it counted most. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Results are in from Day 1 of Clear the Shelters 🥁 52 adoptions today!!! 🥳🎉 One day down, two to go! Today was an amazing experience – thank you to the hundreds of you who came out to visit our shelter pets. We are off to a great start and couldn’t be more excited to see what this weekend brings! Adopted today: - 12 cats - 32 kittens - 3 dogs - 5 puppies It’s been a feline frenzy over here! We are extra crossing our fingers for our dogs this weekend – you’ve got to come out and meet these wonderful pups! We look forward to meeting more of you and sending even more pets home this weekend! We’re open Saturday & Sunday from 11-6. Be sure to check out our website to help plan your visit at spcawake.org/cts 🐾 For now, we are all tuckered out and will be getting a good night’s sleep ahead of what we hope will be a very big day tomorrow! 💜🥳🎉 #cleartheshelters #cleartheshelters2026

Help us show these shelter pets that they're worth loving for exactly who they are ❤️ Starting tomorrow Friday Aug 7 thru Sunday Aug 9, adoption fees are 100% WAIVED for Clear the Shelters 🎉 And we've got pets in every shape, size, and personality. An incredibly affectionate cat? We've got that. Dogs that love other dogs? Yes! A pair of rat soulmates? They're right here. A dog that will let you dress her like a pig? 🐖 Absolutely and she'll smile happily the whole time. Regardless of their differences, all these pets have one thing in common: they're ready for a family and wishing for someone to choose them. Learn more about how to give them a home at spcawake.org/cts Can't adopt right now? You can still help by sharing the cuteness 🥰

Are you experiencing symptoms of being alive in 2026? There’s got to be a better way! Introducing, Clear the Shelters! For a limited time only, you can enjoy the companionship, lols, and anxiety-reducing effects of an adopted shelter pet for the unbelievably low price of $0 adoption fees! That’s right! This weekend, Friday August 7th through Sunday August 9th, all adoption fees are 100% waived! With Emotionally Responsive Companion Technology™, your new companion is guaranteed to improve quality of life and overall sense of well-being! Available in dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other exciting configurations! But hurry! This incredible offer ends Sunday, August 9 – prepare for your weekend visit today by going online to spcawake.org/cts *No purchase necessary because there is no purchase. Food, toys, and veterinary expenses not included. Adoption counselors reserve the right to help match you with the best companion for your lifestyle. Adoption appointment availability may be limited. Side effects may include a dedicated Instagram account for your pet, increased consumption of lint rollers, waking up to zoomies in the middle of the night, and a noticeable improvement in overall vibes. Please see spcawake.org/cts for details.

We tucked all the animals in, read them a bedtime story, and told them the good news: Next weekend is Clear the Shelters!!! 🎉 ALL ADOPTION FEES WILL BE WAIVED Friday Aug 7 thru Sunday Aug 9 🎉 These deserving pets are hoping their fairy tale will come true 💜 Imagine meeting the pet who's been waiting just for you. At our biggest event of the year, you'll have the chance to be part of something truly special. You'll meet incredible pets who are ready to fill your home with love. And if you adopt, you'll leave with a new companion, knowing you changed a shelter pet's life and gained a loyal best friend in return. Plan ahead and get all the #ClearTheShelters event details at spcawake.org/cts. Know you want to adopt but not sure on the animal? Complete a general adoption process now at spcawake.org/adopt to get a head start. #cleartheshelters2026 #animalshelter #petadoption

We need your help to pull off something special ❤️ Sherman has spent the last 96 days waiting for someone to choose him. In just four more days he’ll reach day 100. We want to break his shelter streak before he gets there. Somewhere out there is someone who has no idea they're missing a dog who will lean against them for every cuddle, happily follow them from room to room, and proudly bring them their shoes when he's ready for a walk (seriously, Sherman actually does this). It's not Sherman's fault he's been stuck waiting. He's affectionate, housetrained, eager to please, and adored by everyone who's gotten to know him. He's just waiting for the right person to see him. So let's make sure they do. Help us change Sherman's story before Day 100. Share this post, tell a friend looking for a dog, or come meet him yourself. Let's get Sherman home before three digits. 🐾 Learn more at spcawake.org/dogs

We just had the privilege of welcoming sweet Ares to SPCA Wake. He was discovered in a dumpster, in this near 100-degree heat, and brought in to the Nash County animal shelter. It seems this sweet guy was searching for food when he fell in and couldn’t get back out. Sadly, Ares’ back legs are in bad shape. He can only stand for a few seconds on his own, and he has significant muscle wasting. To make matters worse, we were told he’s also suffering from heartworm disease and lyme disease. When we drove out to the shelter to pick Ares up, he seemed shut down. But as you can see, he started cheering up during his ride back to the SPCA. When you look at that smile, know that you are the reason for it. Your support during our medical match is providing medical care and healing for this sweet, deserving guy. We know what Ares doesn’t – that before he knows it, he’s going to be feeling stronger, healthier, and experiencing true joy when the day comes that he joins a loving family and experiences all of the spoils of being a beloved family dog. On behalf of Ares and our team, thank you for every good thing that’s about to happen for him. ❤️

They say birds of a feather flock together, but these two weirdos didn't get the memo. Behold: Peppa Pig and Albie Einstein. Peppa is round. Albie is narrow. Peppa can see and hear. Albie most definitely cannot. Peppa snorts. Albie stares you down with unseeing eyes. But like yin and yang, they go together. They are the embodiment of perfect balance and harmony. More importantly, they love each other. So we’re dedicated to making sure they get to stay by each other’s side, with us today and when they leave for a loving home. Our mismatched peas in a pod aren’t quite ready for adoption just yet, but we knew we couldn’t keep such a charming duo from you 🩷

What the ear?! We've seen a lot of crazy ears in our days. But Picasso's ears are definitely the most...Picasso. His ears flip. They flop. Sometimes they stand up stiff as a board. But one thing is guaranteed: they will NEVER be doing the same thing at the same time. The result? A pup cuter than any abstract painting, happily vibing and showing off his unique listening apparatuses 🥰 Picasso has an adoption pending (yay!) but we felt we would be doing a disservice not to show you him and his award-winning ears 💜 We hope his adorableness brightens your day as much as it did ours!

His face says NO! ...But his lil raspy purrs say Yes please 🥺 It’s something else to be on the business end of a death glare from a cat with such heart-melting senior cat chirps. Louie is a paradox – a hard shelled candy with a gooey inside – and we love him for it. We knew you would too. What we don’t love is his current situation. Louie found himself here when his beloved owner, a senior woman, suddenly had to move into assisted living after a fall. Her caregiver made sure Louie made it safely to us – but of course, it’s never easy when your whole world turns upside down. On top of that, Louie’s sick. He’s been throwing up and losing weight no matter what we do. For a 15-year-old senior, weight loss like this is scary. We’re working hard to find out what’s going wrong and doing everything we can to stabilize him with supportive care in the meantime. Your donations are what’s making his medical care possible. But somehow, in spite of it all, Louie is just spreading his grumpy-faced love around ❤ Thank you for helping us take good care of Louie. It’s what his owner would’ve wanted, and it’s what he deserves. We couldn’t do it without you. PS: Louie isn’t available for adoption just yet. We need to help him get healthier first. But keep an eye on our website at spcawake.org/cats – we’re hopeful you’ll see his mean mug show up there very soon! If you want to help in the meantime, you can donate on our website. And if you’re not in a position to donate, we’re sure Louie would love some words of encouragement in the comments 🥰

Help us turn Toot's luck around! 11 adoptions have fallen through for Toot, mostly due to his shyness. He's wary when he meets new people, especially men, and unfortunately doesn't seem to understand the importance of first impressions – making finding someone to love him extra hard 💔 But the truth is he's a gentle sweetheart, easily won over with treats and calming words ❤️ All he really needs is some time to acclimate and learn that you're safe and within 10 minutes he goes from hiding on the other side of the room to sitting on your feet, longingly looking up at you for some lovin'. If you have room in your heart and home for a gentle soul looking for love, head to spcawake.org/dogs to get started on adopting Toot ❤️ And if you can't adopt, please help spread the word. We're keeping our fingers crossed that 12 is Toot's lucky number 🤞

We've got a rare case of The Orange 😳🧡

And he's off! 🎉🎉🎉 Yesterday, Toot experienced love at first sight with his adopter's son. But given his shyness, it was important for Toot to feel comfortable with everyone in the family. We watched and waited. And one by one, Toot chose each of them. It's like he knew that these were the people he'd been waiting for. Now, he's headed home and we couldn't be more excited for him. He's joining a family full of big hearts, endless love, and lots of care. We can't thank them enough for opening their home to him and giving him the love and patience he deserves. It took twelve tries – but Toot finally hit the jackpot ❤️ Thank you to everyone who spread Toot's story and helped find him this happy ending.

Dorotha is headed to New York!!! 🩷 Two weeks ago today, we shared Dorotha's story with you – how she'd lost her owner and then her home, before ultimately winding up on the shelter floor. From there, everything has been magic – because you all sprang into action. You spread her story so far it reached her future family across the country 🫶 The moment Dorotha's adopter read her story, he felt it was meant to be. His family's 14-year-old Great Pyrenees had recently passed away and they'd been aching to let a new dog into their hearts. He took a chance and a last minute flight from New York in the hopes that he and Dorotha would make a connection. We're happy to share that it was love at first sight. Dorotha's adopter said she was fantastic for the 12 hour trek back. "She enjoyed relaxing while I serenaded her to country music all the way home!" He let us know that Dorotha's been enjoying the couch, her new backyard, and the warm feeling of being in a loving home once again. Thank you, to each and every one of you, for the outpouring of love you showed Dorotha. Because of you, her story reached her people and she now has the lap-dog life she's always deserved ❤️

It's Ketchikan's turn 🥰 At only 7 months old, Ketchikan gave birth to her kittens. She was ownerless and alone, still a kitten herself in fact – yet suddenly a whole litter was depending on her. Thankfully, a Good Samaritan noticed the little feline family and reached out for help. Since arriving in our care, we've learned that Ketchikan is exceptionally loving. She's incredibly affectionate and she absolutely adores attention from people. It's unfortunate to realize that such a sweet cat has spent her short life surviving on her own or caring for babies. But now, we get to change that. Now that her kittens have found homes of their own, it's finally Ketchikan's turn. Her turn to have someone take care of her. Her turn not to worry about where the next meal is going to come from, or where it's safe to sleep for the night. It's her turn to be LOVED. If you've got a kind heart and loving home, Ketchikan needs you. Head to spcawake.org/cats to learn more about bringing her home.

She will stick her tongue in your ear 😳 Sunny Delight is affection on overdrive. All she wants is to be cradled in human arms 24/7. Sometimes she shows her boundless love by rubbing all over you. Other times she'll pepper your face with kisses and licks ❤️ Sure, she may on occasion aim her licks at your inner ear. But she's just being helpful! She knows how important ear cleanliness is and she's taking on the burden of upkeeping your hygiene. Who could ask for a better friend?! But she's also a senior, with a gummy smile and a limp from a previous leg break. So despite the fact that she offers a crazy, unfathomable amount of love, she's now been with us for over 2 months with no adoption interest ☹️ A cat this loving deserves a home that loves her back. Learn more about adopting Sunny Delight at spcawake.org/cats

We've got some awesome news! Adoption fees will be waived this weekend, Saturday Sep 26 and Sunday Sep 27, thanks to generous support from The Rescue Effect campaign! 🎉 We are FULL of so many amazing pets just waiting to find their people this weekend. If you've been thinking of adopting, this is your sign! Your best friend might just be here, ready to go home with you ❤️ Check out our adoptable pets at spcawake.org/adopt PS: Our Adoption Center is currently undergoing renovations, but we’re still accepting visitors! We have a temporary entrance set up and on-site signage that will point you in the right direction.

They're so tiny 🥹 Cider and Crumble were left at one of our transfer partner shelters and since the moment they arrived in our care they've been winning over our hearts with their pocket-sized adorableness. They're less than 6 lbs a piece so naturally our staff have been brainstorming all the different ways we can show off how perfectly petite they are. Dress them up in American Girl Doll clothes? Carry them around in the pouch pockets of our hoodies? Crochet them little hats? If you can think of any other ideas, please send them our way. Cuteness like this deserves to be maximized. Cider and Crumble are only 6 weeks old so they won't stay quite so itty bitty. But we'd bet our bottom dollar that no matter how much they grow, they'll still bring so much happiness to their future families. They aren't quite ready to be adopted just yet, but keep an eye on our adoption gallery at spcawake.org/dogs 💙 These teeny tiny kiddos will make an appearance there soon 👀

Which of you snuck in here and rubbed a balloon all over Maddie? 🎈 Because static electricity is the only explanation for why this 3-year-old dog looks like she had a run-in with a rogue electrical socket. Either that or she's just buzzing with excitement every time a new visitor stops by to see her. We love Maddie and Maddie loves us, but we know this ecstatic, vibrant girl deserves better than life in the shelter. We just need to find her person. You'll definitely be catching lightning in a bottle if you bring this girl into your life. Learn more about the bright light we call Maddie at spcawake.org/dogs

Collective

Collections

Account

Which of you snuck in here and rubbed a balloon all over Maddie?