As we look back on 2025, LifeLine Animal Project is filled with gratitude for bright moments that have helped us weather another year full of challenges, successes, and bright lifesaving moments.
1. Snow Day = Lives Saved
On an exceptionally snowy weekend in early 2025, our staff and community showed up to help animals in need. Our community came in to give shelter pets a reprieve from the crowded shelter by temporarily fostering pets ahead of the snowstorm. The inclement weather shut down the city, but even when the shelter is closed, the animals still need to be cared for. Our incredible team stayed overnight to ensure that they were there to clean, feed, and provide the necessary care for the animals, even if we were snowed in.
2. Advancements in Spay/Neuter
It’s been another year full of initiatives and support for spaying and neutering! In partnership with Commissioner Michelle Long Spears and our friends at the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, Georgia Pet Coalition, Inc., and United Spay Alliance, we held another high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) training event at our Community Animal Center. Veterinarian trainers and trainees from all over the state came together and spent the day learning important spay and neuter techniques for dogs. This group spayed or neutered 18 dogs in one day, marking this event as one of the first dog wet labs of this kind in the country!
3. LuckyOne Lemonade Supports Atlanta's Animals!
This year, we were so grateful to be the recipients of an astounding $500,000 donation from LuckyOne Lemonade! The lemonade brand, created by Spirit of Gallo and Dave Portnoy who adopted the incredible Miss Peaches, is dedicated to helping animals in need and donated a portion of their sales to help save lives here in Atlanta. And a special shout out to our alumna Miss Peaches who made her Tonight Show debut.
4. DeKalb County Spay-A-Thons!
This year, we held two hugely successful spay-a-thons! Thanks to support from DeKalb County and Commissioner Michelle Long-Spears and the Georgia Pet Coalition, 195 pets received spay/neuter surgeries over the course of two days in May–164 through LifeLine and 31 through our partners at PAWS Atlanta. These events were the first of their kind in the Atlanta area, and we’re incredibly proud of what we accomplished together. Did you know that across our shelters and clinics, LifeLine spays or neuters on average 100 pets every single day? We’re committed to reducing the number of accidental litters that contribute to shelter overpopulation.
5. Record-Breaking Healthy Pets
Over 5,200 dogs and cats were provided FREE services through LifeLine’s Healthy Pets events in 2025! Healthy Pets are held in the spring and fall, ensuring that pets have access to free vaccines, spay/neuter surgeries, microchips, food and more!
6. LifeLine's first 5k was a spooktacular success!
Our very first Spooky Pooch 5k & Fun Walk was everything we hoped it would be and more! From the creative costumes to the happy pups and the amazing energy you all brought, these photos say it all: Atlanta showed up for the animals. We can’t wait to see you again next year.
7. 2 days, 100 dogs, all saved.
The first week in October was one of the most challenging of the entire year. Both our Fulton and DeKalb County Animal shelters were far over capacity, landing nearly 100 dogs on an urgent list. Our incredible staff, along with our lifesaving community of advocates and volunteers spread the word far and wide—Atlanta’s animals needed homes. In just two days every single dog on the largest urgent list ever was saved. A testament to the amazing work that can happen when we all come together to help our city’s animals.
8. Haverty's thinks dogs should be allowed on the couch!
We partnered with Haverty’s to help promote adoptable dogs from our DeKalb County Animal Services shelter. Our team and a few volunteers traveled to a warehouse for a special shelter pup photoshoot, and Haverty’s highlighted the dogs on social media! All the dogs have found their homes!
9. Pet Neighborhood Opens
This December, DeKalb County Animal Services officially opened the annex Pet Neighborhood, twelve additional units of housing for dogs at the shelter. We’re grateful to the advocates, county and commissioner Michelle Long Spears who helped see this project through from concept to completion.
10. Dogs about Town
Have you spotted LifeLine at any of your favorite spots around town? We’re were all over Atlanta this year! We hosted many events and are so grateful to all of the local businesses and partners that have helped shine a light on pets in need in our community.
As we reflect on these moments and more from this past year, we can’t help but be grateful for our incredible community who helps make miracles happen. Help us make next year even better by giving a gift that helps save lives this holiday season. From all of us at LifeLine, we hope you have the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year!
