Community Partner: Angels Among Us Pet Rescue

Angels Among Us Pet Rescue (AAUPR) began in February 2009 in Cumming, GA. Two friends and neighbors, LuAnn Farrell and Val Addington, realized there was a crisis in the southeast, and so many animals were finding themselves in high-kill animal control shelters with little chance of making it out. They decided it would be AAUPRs mission to Rescue One Until There are None. After receiving 501c3 status, the growth of AAUPR began.

While AAUPR was formed to help save the lives of homeless animals and find them loving families, the rescue efforts have profoundly influenced human volunteers and adopters as well. AAUPR has become known as the Angel Family, and it truly is. AAUPR is a community of nearly 1,000 caring, loving, wonderful humans who foster animals, volunteer, or often both. They reach out and help one another, attend family events, share joy along with the heartbreak of losing some of our very best friends, both animal and human, far too early.

Rescue organizational structures are as varied as the types of dogs, cats, and assorted other animals they save. AAUPR is foster based, which means once the dog or cat is picked up from the shelter, it is vetted and goes to live in a loving foster home. Here, the animal receives love, training, and often learns what its like to be a family member for the first time. AAUPR doesnt currently have a physical facility, and with only four employees, it is primarily run by volunteers. Most of the funds that are raised go directly toward vetting costs. The majority of funding has been made possible by using social media. AAUPR was one of the first rescues to use Facebook and write in the voice of the dogs and cats.

AAUPR is an all-breed rescue no breed discrimination. They take in all ages from puppies and kittens to seniors. From the beginning, AAUPR has tried to focus on the shelter animals that others overlook, or the medical cases that other rescues cant afford to treat. AAUPRs greatest reward is seeing these happy dogs and cats in their new homes and the joy they bring to their new family.

The organization often receives holiday cards from adopters proudly showing their new family member sleeping by the fireplace without a care in the world. The difference between these photos and what the rescued animal looked like in the shelter is usually worlds apart. AAUPR is the bridge between what was and what can be. Every dog and cat have a family out there somewhere. It is AAUPRs goal to help them find each other.

Fosters are needed in the greater Atlanta area, but if you own a computer/smart phone, many other volunteer opportunities can be done from virtually anywhere in the U.S. For information about fostering, adopting, volunteering, and/or donating, please visit AngelsRescue.org, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or write to P.O. Box 821, Alpharetta, GA 30009.