Lifeline Animal Shelter & Control: Adoption Hours 2026

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Atlanta metro • Fulton County • DeKalb County • 2026

LifeLine Animal Shelter & Control: Adoption Hours 2026

“LifeLine Animal Shelter” does not refer to just one building. LifeLine Animal Project operates three major metro-Atlanta adoption locations: its private Community Animal Center, Fulton County Animal Services and DeKalb County Animal Services.

This distinction also matters for animal control. LifeLine operates the shelter divisions at the two county facilities, but government field-enforcement services are handled through Fulton and DeKalb County public-safety structures.

Adoption Hours Adoption Steps Animal Control
Quick answer: All three primary LifeLine adoption shelters currently publish Monday–Friday hours of 11 AM–7 PM and Saturday–Sunday hours of 11 AM–6 PM. Standard LifeLine adoption fees are $85 for dogs and $65 for cats, but 2026 has several ongoing fee-waiver programs, including free dog adoptions every Tuesday.
Dog adoption $85 standard
Cat adoption $65 standard
Every Tuesday Dog fee waived
Trial adoption Up to 2 weeks

What Is LifeLine Animal Project?

LifeLine Animal Project is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal-welfare organization based in metro Atlanta. It operates its own Community Animal Center and operates the public shelter divisions for Fulton and DeKalb counties.

Private LifeLine shelter

Community Animal Center

3180 Presidential Drive
Atlanta, GA 30340

General / clinic: 404-292-8800

Adoptions: adoptions@lifelineanimal.org

Fulton public shelter

Fulton County Animal Services

1251 Fulton Industrial Blvd NW
Atlanta, GA 30336

General: 404-613-0358

Adoptions: 404-613-0357

DeKalb public shelter

DeKalb County Animal Services

3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Chamblee, GA 30341

Shelter: 404-294-2996

Adoptions: 404-294-2165

Important control distinction: LifeLine should not be described as the government animal-enforcement agency. Fulton field enforcement moved under the Fulton County Police Department in 2025. DeKalb Animal Enforcement is a county public-safety function.

LifeLine Animal Shelter Adoption Hours 2026

The three main LifeLine adoption locations use the same normal public adoption schedule, although intake, veterinary and animal-control hours differ by facility.

Location Adoption / Visitor Hours Important Difference
LifeLine Community Animal Center
3180 Presidential Drive 		Mon–Fri: 11 AM–7 PM
Sat–Sun: 11 AM–6 PM 		Also houses LifeLine’s full-service veterinary clinic.
Fulton County Animal Services
1251 Fulton Industrial Blvd NW 		Mon–Fri: 11 AM–7 PM
Sat–Sun: 11 AM–6 PM 		Public pet intake: Mon–Fri 11 AM–5 PM; Sat 11 AM–4 PM; Sun closed.
DeKalb County Animal Services
3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road 		Mon–Fri: 11 AM–7 PM
Sat–Sun: 11 AM–6 PM 		DeKalb County Animal Enforcement is a separate county public-safety function.
Holiday warning: LifeLine publishes closures for New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve may have limited hours. Check the current official location and hours page before a holiday visit.

How to Adopt From LifeLine Animal Project

LifeLine does not place online holds on shelter pets, so an online inquiry should not be treated as a reservation. The strongest approach is to identify several possible matches before visiting.

Browse current LifeLine animals

Start with the official LifeLine adoptable pets page . Filter by shelter location, species, age, size and personality traits.

Check whether the pet is at a shelter or foster home

Shelter pets can be visited in person. If the listing says Foster Home, submit the online adoption inquiry from that pet’s profile. LifeLine says the foster parent should then contact you within approximately 72 hours.

Choose the correct shelter

Confirm whether the animal is at Fulton, DeKalb or the Community Animal Center. All three locations have different addresses even though LifeLine manages adoption operations.

Bring the required ID

LifeLine requires adopters to be at least 18 years old, provide a government-issued photo ID, complete a preliminary questionnaire and meet with an Adoption Counselor.

Meet the pet and discuss the match

Ask about behavior, exercise needs, medical history, other animals, children, training and adjustment after leaving the shelter.

For DeKalb, do not simply bring a resident dog for a surprise meet-and-greet. Current LifeLine guidance says DeKalb dog-to-dog meetings must be scheduled in advance through adoptions@dekalbanimalservices.com .

Complete the adoption

An adoption counselor reviews your information, takes the applicable payment and provides an adoption contract and pet information packet.

Confirm whether the pet can leave that day

A pet that has completed sterilization, vaccines, microchipping and any required stray hold can generally go home after adoption.

If the pet still needs spay/neuter surgery, LifeLine schedules that surgery before release at no additional adoption charge.

LifeLine Adoption Fees and 2026 Free-Adoption Programs

Adoption Category Current Published Fee 2026 Notes
Dog $85 Standard fee before a qualifying waiver or promotion.
Cat $65 LifeLine also lists two kittens from the same litter at $65.
Dog or cat over 7 years old Fee waived in 2026 Current 2026 senior-pet sponsorship.
Adopter age 55+ $40 Applies to eligible pets under age 7.
100 Club long-stay dog Waived Dogs waiting 100+ days may have sponsored adoption fees.
Tuesday dog adoption Free “Take ‘Em Home Tuesday” began April 21, 2026 and is offered at all three LifeLine shelters.
Temporary promotions are separate. LifeLine also runs short adoption specials throughout the year. For example, the August 2026 Clear the Shelters promotion is no longer a current October promotion. Do not use an old campaign graphic as today’s price.

What Is Included With a LifeLine Adoption?

Dogs

Standard dog adoption care

  • Spay or neuter
  • Microchip
  • Vaccinations
  • Heartworm test
  • Dewormer
  • Flea/tick prevention
Cats

Standard cat adoption care

  • Spay or neuter
  • Microchip
  • Vaccinations
  • FIV/FeLV combo test
  • Dewormer
  • Flea/tick prevention
After-adoption health benefit: LifeLine’s adopter support information says new adopters receive a VCA Healthy Start certificate for a free initial health visit and other benefits, subject to the certificate’s conditions and timing. Use your adoption packet and confirm eligibility promptly after bringing the pet home.

Lost a Pet in Fulton or DeKalb County?

LifeLine recommends acting immediately. Do not rely only on shelter websites or wait for someone to call you.

Report the missing pet online

Use LifeLine’s official lost-pet guide and report the animal through Petco Love Lost.

Search immediately around the last-seen area

Walk or drive the neighborhood, ask neighbors and delivery drivers, create flyers and use local lost-pet networks.

Visit the correct county shelter

LifeLine recommends visiting the county shelter within the first 24 hours and continuing to check. Staff can help you view areas not always visible online.

Email the county lost-and-found team

Fulton: lostandfound@fultonanimalservices.com

DeKalb: lostandfound@dekalbanimalservices.com

Stray-hold timing: LifeLine says stray animals are normally held 3 days, or 5 days when there is a known owner, before becoming fully available for placement. Because that period is short, repeated checking matters.

Found a Dog or Cat? Don’t Automatically Drive to a Shelter

LifeLine’s “Take 48” guidance encourages finders to try neighborhood reunification first when the animal can be safely contained.

Safe, friendly found animal

  • Check ID tags.
  • Have a veterinary clinic or shelter scan for a microchip.
  • Take clear photos.
  • Post locally and create a found-pet report.
  • Give the owner a chance to find the pet nearby.

LifeLine also offers the Friendly Finder program for eligible Fulton or DeKalb finders who can temporarily care for a found dog.

Injured, sick or dangerous animal

Do not put yourself at risk attempting to capture an aggressive or badly injured animal.

Use the appropriate Fulton or DeKalb government field-enforcement contact listed below.

For an immediate threat to human safety, use 911.

Follow LifeLine’s official found-pet micro-steps

LifeLine Animal Control: Fulton vs DeKalb County

“LifeLine animal control” is a common search phrase, but the actual enforcement agency depends on the county. Shelter operations and government field enforcement should not be treated as the same service.

Jurisdiction Official Contact Field-Service Guidance
Fulton County 404-613-0358
Option 2 		Mon–Fri 8 AM–7 PM;
Sat–Sun 10 AM–6 PM.
Field services are provided through the Fulton County Police Department.
DeKalb County 404-294-2996
Extension / option 2 		Use for animal service requests, bites, stray animals, injured animals, cruelty/neglect, welfare checks and dangerous-animal concerns.
DeKalb after-hours non-emergency 678-406-7929 DeKalb County publishes this non-emergency response line for after-hours/weekend/holiday animal enforcement routing.
Immediate public-safety emergency 911 Use for immediate threats to people or dangerous after-hours emergencies where emergency dispatch is required.
Do not use adoption hours as Animal Control hours. Fulton and DeKalb government enforcement schedules, shelter visitor schedules and public intake hours are different.

Need to Surrender or Rehome a Pet?

LifeLine currently states that its county shelters are critically over capacity and cannot accept immediate pet surrenders as a routine walk-in service.

Start with Community Support

Review LifeLine Community Support before surrendering.

Help may be available for food, behavior concerns, temporary housing, medical costs and rehoming.

Allow time for a response

LifeLine currently advises that surrender-related Community Support responses may take up to 2 business days.

Provide complete animal information

Share medical history, vaccinations, sterilization status, medications, behavior information and the reason a new home is needed.

LifeLine Veterinary Clinic: Hours, Appointments and Prices

Unlike many shelters, LifeLine operates a genuine public full-service veterinary clinic at its Community Animal Center.

Full-service clinic

LifeLine Community Animal Center

3180 Presidential Drive
Atlanta, GA 30340

Clinic: Mon–Fri 9 AM–6 PM
Weekends: closed

Phone: 404-292-8800

Email: clinic@lifelineanimal.org

Open the official clinic page and booking link

Spay / neuter clinic

LifeLine Southside / College Park

2533 Sullivan Road
College Park, GA 30337

Published hours: Mon–Thu 8 AM–5 PM

Surgery drop-off: 7:30–9 AM

Phone: 678-973-2881

Email: clinic2@lifelineanimal.org

Service Published Price Notes
Wellness exam $35 Routine wellness examination.
Medical exam $50 For sick pets and medical concerns.
Sick emergency exam $60 LifeLine publishes this clinic exam type for urgent sick-pet concerns; call first.
Individual vaccines $15–$25 Vaccine-specific pricing varies.
Low-cost vaccine packages $55–$105 Available at designated vaccine-clinic events.
Spay / neuter $90–$175 Published base rate depends on species, sex and dog weight. Additional conditions may increase the charge.
X-rays $150 Published price for three views; additional views are $75 each.
Dental cleaning Starting at $400 Extractions are determined after examination.

LifeLine Veterinarians and Medical Leadership

LifeLine publishes its veterinary team openly. Names below are included because they are listed by LifeLine, but this article does not assign individual appointment hours that have not been published.

Dr. Susan Brosman

Director of Medical Services, LifeLine.

Dr. Ian Flowers

Veterinarian, Fulton County Animal Services.

Dr. Siomara Acevedo

Veterinarian, Fulton County Animal Services.

Dr. Eve Gidion

Veterinarian, DeKalb County Animal Services.

Dr. Jaclyn Wotasek

Veterinarian, LifeLine Community Animal Center.

Dr. Brigit Villines

Veterinarian, LifeLine Community Animal Center.

Appointment note: A veterinarian being listed on LifeLine’s medical team does not mean that doctor is personally available for every public appointment. Use LifeLine’s official booking system to select the required service rather than trying to book a particular doctor from this article.

Trial Adoption, Foster Pets and Long-Stay Dogs

Trial adoption

Up to two weeks

LifeLine allows eligible dogs or cats to go home through a trial adoption lasting up to two weeks. The program helps determine whether the pet and household are a good match.

Foster pet

Meet pets already living in homes

Foster parents can often provide useful information about house manners, personality and everyday behavior. Submit the pet-specific inquiry online to begin.

100 Club

Long-stay dogs may be free

LifeLine’s 100 Club waives adoption fees for qualifying dogs that have spent 100 days or more waiting for a home.

Related Atlanta-Area Animal Shelter Guides

LifeLine manages more than one shelter, and neighboring counties have completely separate animal-control systems.

Fulton County Animal Services

For the Fulton-specific public shelter, field enforcement, intake and local fee details, see the Fulton Animal Shelter & Control guide .

DeKalb County Animal Services

For DeKalb-specific enforcement, lost-pet and Chamblee shelter information, see the DeKalb Animal Shelter & Control guide .

Atlanta shelter search

If your search started with the broader phrase “Atlanta animal shelter,” use the Atlanta Animal Shelter guide to distinguish Fulton from other metro agencies.

Gwinnett County

If the pet or animal-control incident is in Lawrenceville or Gwinnett County, use the Gwinnett Animal Shelter & Control guide rather than calling a LifeLine county shelter.

Official LifeLine and County Resources

LifeLine Locations & Contact Current shelter addresses, adoption hours, clinic hours, intake hours and department contacts. LifeLine Adoptable Pets Search current shelter and foster animals. Adoption Process & Fees Requirements, standard prices, senior discounts and free-adoption programs. Lost Pet Help Petco Love Lost, shelter visits and reunification steps. Found Pet Help Take 48, Friendly Finder and county-service guidance. Veterinary Care & Prices Exams, vaccines, dental care, spay/neuter pricing and appointment booking. Fulton County Animal Services Official county animal-service and field-service information. DeKalb Animal Services & Enforcement Official county service requests, bite reporting and enforcement contacts.

LifeLine Animal Shelter: Top 10 FAQs

1. Where is LifeLine Animal Shelter located?

LifeLine operates three primary metro-Atlanta adoption locations: Community Animal Center at 3180 Presidential Drive, Fulton County Animal Services at 1251 Fulton Industrial Blvd NW, and DeKalb County Animal Services at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Chamblee.

2. What are LifeLine Animal Shelter adoption hours?

All three primary LifeLine shelter locations publish Monday–Friday adoption hours of 11 AM–7 PM and Saturday–Sunday hours of 11 AM–6 PM. Holiday schedules can differ.

3. How much does it cost to adopt a dog from LifeLine?

The standard dog adoption fee is $85. Qualifying promotions can reduce or waive the fee, including free dog adoptions every Tuesday in 2026 under Take ‘Em Home Tuesday.

4. How much does it cost to adopt a cat from LifeLine?

The standard cat adoption fee is $65. LifeLine also publishes a $65 rate for two kittens from the same litter, subject to current availability and program conditions.

5. What do I need to adopt a pet from LifeLine?

Adopters must be at least 18 years old, present government-issued photo identification, complete a preliminary questionnaire and meet with an Adoption Counselor.

6. Can LifeLine hold an animal for me?

No. LifeLine says shelter pets are adopted on a first-come, first-served basis. An online or email inquiry does not place an animal on hold.

7. Who handles LifeLine animal control calls?

Animal enforcement depends on jurisdiction. Fulton County field-service requests use 404-613-0358, option 2. DeKalb County Animal Enforcement uses 404-294-2996, extension or option 2. LifeLine operates shelter services but is not itself the government enforcement agency.

8. What should I do if my pet is missing in Fulton or DeKalb County?

Report the pet through Petco Love Lost, search the neighborhood immediately, visit the correct county shelter, and email the relevant LifeLine lost-and-found team. Do not rely only on an online shelter listing.

9. Does LifeLine Animal Project have a veterinary clinic?

Yes. The Community Animal Center at 3180 Presidential Drive operates a full-service clinic with wellness care, sick exams, vaccines, spay/neuter, X-rays and dental services. Clinic hours are Monday–Friday 9 AM–6 PM.

10. Can I surrender my pet directly to a LifeLine shelter?

Do not assume immediate walk-in surrender is available. LifeLine currently says its shelters are critically over capacity and directs pet owners to Community Support and rehoming assistance first. Contact the appropriate Fulton or DeKalb support team before transporting an owned pet.

Independent guide: Animal-Shelter.org is an independent informational website. It is not LifeLine Animal Project, Fulton County, DeKalb County or an animal-control agency. Official LifeLine, Fulton County and DeKalb County sources were reviewed on October 21, 2026. Animal availability, promotions, clinic schedules, intake capacity and emergency routing can change, so use the linked official action pages for same-day confirmation.
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