84 Shelters in Georgia Achieved No-Kill in 2025

New Data Best Friends Animal Society Shows Continued Momentum as New Bill Expands Access to Rabies Vaccines
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A newly signed Georgia law aimed at expanding access to rabies vaccinations is expected to help keep more pets out of shelters by making it easier for residents to get preventative care and keep their pets healthy at home. The news comes just as new data from Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national nonprofit organization whose goal is to end the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters and make the country no-kill*, shows that Georgia residents remained committed to saving the lives of pets in shelters last year.  

The momentum is supported by new legislation expanding access to care. House Bill 1408 authorizes licensed veterinary technicians to administer rabies vaccines under veterinary supervision, expanding access to preventative care and helping keep pets safely in their homes. Faster access to vaccines is also expected to shorten length of stay for shelter pets, as dogs can be vaccinated more quickly and become eligible for adoption sooner, one of the most significant operational benefits for shelters. Best Friends supported the legislation as part of ongoing efforts to improve the saving of dogs and cats across Georgia.  

“House Bill 1408 is a commonsense step that expands access to critical veterinary care and helps more families keep their pets healthy and at home,” said Representative Beth Camp. “By removing barriers to rabies vaccinations, we are not only protecting public health, but also supporting animal shelters and the communities working to save more dogs and cats across Georgia.” 

Best Friends thanks Governor Brian Kemp, Representative Beth Camp, the House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership, and Senator Carden Summers for their leadership in advancing House Bill 1408, along with partners including the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA), Georgia Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association (GVTA), Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), and Georgia Department of Agriculture (DOA) for their collaboration and commitment to expanding access to care for their collaboration and commitment to expanding access to care. 

The policy progress comes as Best Friends data shows Georgia shelters saved 148,800 dogs and cats, a 2.4% increase from 2024. While overall pet intake rose slightly, the number of pets killed remained relatively stable. Georgia’s overall save rate held steady at 79.8%, reflecting sustained progress while highlighting opportunities to save more lives.  

Additional findings from Best Friends’ 2025 Georgia dataset include: 

  • 84 of 162 shelters achieved no-kill, and of the remaining not yet no-kill shelters, 30 had less than 100 additional pets left to save to achieve no-kill 

  • 19,800 additional pets need to be saved for Georgia to achieve no-kill, which could be achieved if one in 200 additional households chose the adoption option 

While nationally, the number of cats killed in shelters has dropped by nearly 73% over the past decade. In Georgia, cats remain an area where more progress is needed. In 2025, 75,900 cats entered shelters and just under 80% were saved. This is a 3 percentage point decline in cat save rate from 2024. Meanwhile, dog save rates improved by just over 2 percentage points over the same time period.  

“Georgia continues to move in the right direction, with an overall save rate of 79.8%, however, the data shows there is still more room to save adoptable cats and dogs," said Aurora Velazquez, East Regional Director, Best Friends Animal Society. “Expanding foster programs and encouraging adoption will help accelerate progress statewide.” 

Georgia’s progress comes as national momentum continues to grow. The national save rate reached 82.5% in 2025, and 68% of shelters nationwide are now no-kill, an all-time high. 

“Best Friends is working to make the country no-kill and it’s incredible to see the continued momentum in Georgia to help save every healthy and treatable dog and cat,” said Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society. “Nationally, more than two out of three shelters are already no-kill, putting a future with no homeless pets within reach. We urge people to positively impact the lives of dogs and cats in their community by adopting, fostering, advocating, and volunteering with local shelters and rescue groups.” 

Best Friends’ annual report on national shelter data includes all of the nearly 4,000 shelters in the country. More than 80% of shelters in this report have collected and current data (12 consecutive months in the last 24 months), with the small remainder being estimated from historical and community data using a method approved by two independent peer reviews. Check out the organization’s latest data HERE.    

Best Friends continues to call on Georgia residents to adopt their next pet instead of purchasing from a pet store or breeder. 

For more information, visit bestfriends.org. 

*No-kill is defined by a 90% save rate for animals entering a shelter and is a meaningful and common-sense benchmark for measuring lifesaving progress. Typically, the number of pets who are suffering from irreparable medical or behavioral issues that compromise their quality of life and prevent them from being rehomed is not more than 10% of all dogs and cats entering shelters. For any community to be no-kill, all stakeholders in that community must work together to achieve and sustain that common goal while prioritizing community safety and good quality of life for pets as guiding no-kill principles. This means cooperation among animal shelters, animal rescue groups, government agencies, community members and other stakeholders, all committed to best practices and protocols. 

 

About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America's shelters and making the entire country no-kill. Founded in 1984, Best Friends runs lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 6,000 shelters and rescue organizations. From our headquarters in Kanab, Utah, we also operate the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary — a destination that brings our mission to life for thousands of visitors each year. We maintain the most comprehensive animal sheltering data in the country and make it accessible to the public — empowering communities with critical insights into the needs of their local shelters and how they can help. We believe every dog and cat deserves a home. And we believe that, by working together, we can Save Them All®.