The Atlanta Humane Society (AHS) is one of the Southeast’s most trusted animal welfare organizations, serving the community since 1873. As a no-kill shelter, AHS works with more than 60,000 animals each year through adoption, sheltering, medical care, and community outreach programs.
In 2016, AHS partnered with PetBridge to find a better way to connect with potential adopters and streamline communication. What began as a solution for collecting email addresses quickly grew into a vital adoption tool with the introduction of PetBridge’s Pet Alerts feature.
Before working with PetBridge, AHS faced challenges common to many busy shelters: keeping adopters informed while minimizing the strain on staff and volunteers. Visitors often asked if they could be notified when a specific type of animal, such as a small dog, a certain breed, or a kitten, became available. Without an efficient system, these requests were difficult to manage.
John Schraff, Web Developer and Online Strategist at AHS, explained the impact of adopting PetBridge:
“After PetBridge was implemented, both new email signups and donations increased—including double-opt-in opted-in emails, which shows a high interest in hearing from us. With those double opt-ins, we can send fundraising messages, adoption event announcements, and shelter updates with confidence.”
This improvement in communication meant AHS could not only grow its adopter audience but also build stronger connections with donors and supporters.
Ultimately, the feature that made AHS choose PetBridge was Pet Alerts. With Pet Alerts, potential adopters can sign up to receive instant notifications when an animal matching their preferences becomes available.
For AHS staff, this reduces the number of repetitive inquiries about specific animals. Instead of answering the same questions multiple times a week, staff could confidently tell visitors, “Yes, we can let you know.”
As Schraff put it:
“How many times a week does someone ask, ‘Can you let me know when you get a ______ that’s ready to adopt?’ It is so nice being able to say yes to that question.”
This tool not only streamlines operations but also helps adopters feel more connected and supported throughout their search for the right pet.
PetBridge’s Pet Alerts transformed how AHS approached adoption outreach. Key benefits included:
For AHS, these benefits translated into more adoptions, happier families, and fewer resources spent on administrative tasks.
While Pet Alerts supported adoption goals, PetBridge’s email integration also helped AHS grow its donor base. Double opt-in email signups created a reliable communication channel for fundraising campaigns, adoption event promotions, and operational updates.
This demonstrated that PetBridge could support not just adoption success, but also the financial stability and community engagement essential to a shelter’s long-term mission.
Since implementing PetBridge, AHS has continued to see growth in both community engagement and adoption outcomes. The collaboration shows how the right technology can make a measurable difference in a shelter’s ability to serve animals and families.
PetBridge’s founder, Nathan Williams, summarized it well:
“We design our tools to save shelters’ time, reduce stress on staff, and create better adoption outcomes. Working with Atlanta Humane Society has been a perfect example of how Pet Alerts and communication tools can support a shelter’s mission.”
The Atlanta Humane Society’s success with PetBridge highlights how technology can solve common shelter challenges. By automating communication, expanding reach, and reducing staff workload, shelters can spend more time on what matters most: caring for animals and finding them loving homes.
Whether your shelter is looking to improve adoption outcomes, build stronger donor relationships, or expand community impact, PetBridge provides flexible solutions that grow with your needs.
PetBridge is a leader in shelter management software, offering tools like Pet Alerts, adoption displays, Lost & Found solutions, and custom features designed to improve shelter operations. Our goal is to help shelters save time, reduce stress, and achieve better outcomes for both pets and people.
Take a tour of our features, explore our pricing options, and contact us today to learn how PetBridge can support your mission.
