TOURS OF OUR CAMPUSES
At the Atlanta Humane Society, we believe that education is the key to the prevention of cruelty and neglect of our animal companions. Tours of our Shelter are one of the educational tools we provide at AHS. The fee for tours is $25, payable in advance by credit card (call 404-974-2899 to give your credit card information) or by cash or check when you arrive for the tour. Donations above the fee, and donations of wish list items are always appreciated.
Tours (5 years to adult) of the Atlanta Humane Society’s animal shelter are available for groups of six or more. Tours last about 45 minutes, depending upon the involvement level of the participants. Included in the program are age-appropriate discussions about sheltering, animal welfare, and community involvement, and a walk-through of the animal containment areas of the shelter with a chance to pet animals safely. Tours are most valuable when used as a supplement to a pet care program in the classroom, but are available for scout groups, school clubs, church groups, and civic groups as well. Please plan on bringing one adult chaperone for every 5 children (age 10 and under) to make this experience best for everyone.
Depending on the location you wish to visit, tours are available by appointment on the following days/times:
Howell Mill Campus (981 Howell Mill Rd. NW, 30318)
Tuesdays between 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (last tour begins at 4:30 p.m.)
Wednesdays between 11:00 a.m. and 6 p.m. (last tour begins at 5 p.m.)
Weekends: There are no guided tours offered on weekends at this location. Your group is welcome to visit on a weekend (or a weekday other than at the guided tour times above) and do a self-guided tour, provided the following rules are followed (for the health and safety of participants and animals):
- Children ages 5 and up, please
- One adult per every 4 children, minimum
- The maximum number of participants is 20 children plus accompanying adults
- No touching of animals is allowed on self-guided tours (accompanying adults must make this rule clear before entering the shelter and must supervise children carefully)*
- No food or drink in animal areas, please
- Children must use “inside voices,” not run, and be mindful of others
- Please heed the staff’s instructions if they have any for your group
- Weekends are very busy adoption days; please be mindful of the staff’s need to help adopters and that we have a small space. Thank you!
To schedule a tour at HOWELL MILL, email education@atlantahumane.org.
Mansell Road Campus (1565 Mansell Rd., Alpharetta, 30009)
Days and hours vary at this location. To schedule a tour at our Mansell location, please contact the Manager of Community Relations at mansellvolunteer@atlantahumane.org. Hours and availability are a bit more flexible here, though the same rules apply for self-guided tours.
Tours usually book 2 weeks in advance.
Thank you!
*Why aren’t we allowed to touch animals on self-guided tours?
The pets awaiting adoption at our facilities are temperamentally sound and healthy, as far as we know. But we cannot predict how animals will act when children interact with them, so we prefer that touching be restricted to potential adopters and guided tour groups. In addition, frequent touching presents a health hazard for our pets, especially younger animals, whose immune systems are already compromised by the natural, unavoidable stresses of the shelter environment. One of our biggest challenges is keeping the pets from developing minor germ-borne illnesses while they are in our care, as no one wants to adopt a sick animal.
In short, the Atlanta Humane Society welcomes the public to visit, but we are not a petting zoo. We are an animal adoption facility, and the animals’ health and safety (and the safety of staff, volunteers, adopters, and visitors) are important to us. Thank you for understanding, and for doing what’s best for the animals.
Is your group interested in assisting the AHS’ mission? Kids can’t volunteer officially until they are 16 years old (some positions require individuals to be at least 18 years of age), but many groups elect to participate in our wish list donation tour. Groups hold a drive of any size (it can be as small as one item brought from home for each troop member, or as large as a church-wide, neighborhood-wide, or school-wide affair–it’s up to you) to collect money and/or items from our wishlist. The group schedules a tour and brings the items with them when they come. It’s a great way to do something positive for animals and kids at the same time. For more information, call 404.974.2899 to schedule, or email us at education@atlantahumane.org.
