Discover the latest with Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement!

APRIL 2026

Greetings!

Learn about center happenings, community events, pet ownership tips, animal adoptions, and more!

CENTER NEWS

Quiet strength, big impact: MVP Tim Noh
We’re proud to honor Tim Noh as the 2025 MVP for Gwinnett County Community Services! As the Facility Operations Assistant, Tim has been a pillar of strength through many challenges, from disease outbreaks and facility closures to construction and tough shifts.

Tim works with care and compassion to get the job done and support his team. Thank you, Tim, for making us stronger and brighter every day.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Purrs & Paws: A Kitten Shower | April 25

11:00am – 1:00pm | Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center | Free

Discover how to care for a newborn kitten in this hands-on class. Registration is encouraged.

Cat Enrichment Lab | April 25

11:00am – 3:00pm | Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center | Free

Enjoy interactive activities and feline fun inside the kennel!

Yappy Hour: Microchipping! | May 4

5:00pm – 8:00pm | Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center | Free

Stop by for pet tips, learn about the importance of microchipping, and meet adoptable animals with free microchips for the first 10 attendees. All adoptions fees are waived during Yappy Hour!

PET TIPS

A tiny bite, a big risk: Preventing heartworms in pets

April is Heartworm Awareness Month — a reminder for pet owners to protect their animals from this serious, mosquito-borne disease.

While we guide adopters through the treatment process for heartworm-positive dogs, prevention is easy with these helpful tips:

Keep your dogs on heartworm preventative
Schedule annual testing
Remove standing water in your yard

The itch stops here: Flea and tick prevention

Springtime means sunshine, walks, and pesky little freeloaders like fleas and ticks. Here are some tips to help with prevention:

Use prescribed flea and tick preventatives year-round.
Check pets daily, particularly after romps in parks or woods.
Brush pets regularly.
Keep grass short and remove leaf piles where pests hide.
If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers or a tick tool and monitor your pet.

SUCCESS STORIES

Pack leaders and foster heroes

Our former pup Valentina, now named Coco, is the leader of the pack in her new home.

She knows exactly when dinner is, loves racing her furry siblings down the stairs, and entertains the family with her playful energy. Sometimes the best leaders are the ones who steal your heart — especially when they come with a little heart-shaped tuft on their rump!

Our sweet girl Dolly is happily settling into her new foster home, enjoying the companionship of two canine pals. Two foster families stepped up to help as a tag team.

Our first foster provided immediate short-term care for Dolly while she was recovering from surgery; our second family extended her foster stay indefinitely. Thank you, foster heroes!

HELPING HANDS

A little bottle, a lot of love

Our first bottle baby of 2026 arrived here as a tiny one- to two-week-old kitten. With no mama cat in sight, we turned to our devoted foster Trisha Troester, who has helped over 50 shelter kittens.

Thanks to her round-the-clock care, this kitten is growing stronger and more playful each day. It’s a beautiful reminder that even the smallest life can flourish with love.