Furkids’ Favorite 10 Moments of 2021

There’s no doubt that 2021 brought unexpected challenges for everyone...

And with challenges comes change, triumph and opportunity. At Furkids, we can confidently say we became a stronger organization for our animals because of each unexpected challenge that 2021 brought us.

So with gratitude and smiles we share with you our favorite 10 moments of 2021; moments of triumph, change, love, and (best of all) new opportunities to save lives:

1. Furkids adopted out 400+ more animals in 2021 than 2020

As of this writing, Furkids has adopted out 4,192 animals in 2021. This means thousands of families in our community are cherishing new best friends, sharing more smiles, and love with deserving animals. Thank you for adopting from Furkids!

2. Furkids transported 497 animals rescued in the South to new homes in the Northeast and Midwest via our Interstate TransFUR program

Thanks to new northern partners like Northshore Animal League, The Little Guild, NH Humane Society, Humane Society and Shelter SouthCoast, and more, our efforts both saved animals that otherwise would have lost their lives, and supported no-kill shelters like ours!

3. Furkids welcomed new faces and friends to our mission

After another year of the relentless march of Covid-19 that brought shortages in staff and volunteers, we happily welcomed back school, community and corporate volunteer groups that featured new faces and relationships built on our lifesaving mission.

4. Furkids answered the call of many traumatic lifesaving opportunities

One opportunity included saving 41 cats brutally stuffed into an unventilated UHaul traveling across the country in a horrific hoarding case. In a matter of days, our team and fosters stepped up to save them. Today, 35 of the 41 have been adopted into loving, fur-ever homes!

5. Furkids helped hundreds of pet owners provide life-saving vaccines and care to keep their animals safe and healthy

Through our monthly low-cost vaccination and microchip clinic, and free vaccines generously given by Petco Love in the months of November and December, we treated 737 cats and dogs for various medical needs including vaccinations, microchipping, and more.

6. New Regressive FeLV room

Recently, we created a newly designated, regressive FeLV room at Furkids’ Headquarters for our FeLV kitties who are beating their own odds. This room is for kitties that have been infected with FeLV+, but they do not carry an active viral load. Because of our efforts over the last few months, we have seen 10 of these special cats get adopted! Furkids has over 40 cats in our program today with FeLV.

7. Furkids broke ground on headquarters expansion

This winter, we officially began renovating The Barn at Furkids that will open on April 9, 2022, to host the Furkids 20th Anniversary Celebration! Beginning in the spring of 2022, this event center, complete with space for 400 people and a catering kitchen, will be available to rent for receptions, parties, meetings, events and more to bring in valuable revenue for our lifesaving mission.

8. Furkids created new staff positions to expand our organization in 2021

Despite staffing and volunteer shortages in 2021, Furkids persevered through those challenges and was able to create three new positions to further our lifesaving efforts: Transport and Community Programs Manager, Placement Specialist, and Social Media and Email Marketing Specialist!

9. Furkids had our most successful Paws for Cocktails fundraiser in history

We couldn’t have pulled off such success for this annual event without the love, generosity and kindness of all our participants. Not to mention celebrity guest, Morgan Fairchild, championing Furkids and attending the event all the while!

10. Furkids won the Give Atlanta Challenge for the fifth year in a row

Last but not least, another testament to each one of our supporters for their amazing generosity. Winning this fundraising competition meant a hefty cash prize and several advertising opportunities in 2022 for our organization, which greatly benefits our homeless animals in need.

With so many wonderful moments to reflect on in 2021, we look ahead to 2022 when Furkids will be celebrating our 20th Anniversary!

Help us ring in the new year and begin celebrating this milestone by purchasing your discounted early bird ticket for our 20th anniversary celebration on April 9th, 2022! This celebration is an opportunity to come together with like-minded animal lovers, including celebrity guest speaker, Jackson Galaxy, and celebrate the thousands of animals we've saved from abuse and abandonment while raising funds to save thousands more. We hope to see you there!