AARF Pet Central Tries to Recover Losses After Burglary

AARF Pet Central, a homeless pet adoption, resource and retail center, has delayed its scheduled opening in downtown Stone Mountain after thieves stole critical equipment and supplies last weekend.

Nearly $5,000 in construction tools, computer equipment, fixtures and pet supplies were taken from the 4,000-square-foot facility at 6570 James B. Rivers Drive sometime between 6 p.m. on Friday, May 6 and 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, says AARF Executive Director Susan Leisure. Thieves broke a lock and slipped in through a side door. Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact Stone Mountain Police at 770-879-4980.

Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends, Inc. (AARF), a nonprofit animal rescue organization, raised more than $230,000 in private and corporate donations to purchase and renovate the building. Volunteers donated sweat labor, including painting walls, installing floors and designing pet play areas.

The grand opening was initially scheduled for March, but construction delays forced the group to push back the date until June. This latest snag has delayed the project by another two to four weeks, Leisure estimates.

“The thieves hurt our organization, pet owners and the city as a whole,” she says.

Once the facility is open, AARF plans to immediately rescue more than a dozen cats from the overcrowded DeKalb county animal shelter for an in-house cat adoption center at AARF Pet Central.

The facility will also host weekend dog adoption events, obedience training, an educational Kids N Kritters Clubhouse, microchip clinics, grooming stations and a retail store.

During the renovation period, several community members have stopped by to inquire about low-cost vaccines and to post flyers for their lost pets. That only confirms that the organization’s services are sorely needed in this area, says Leisure.   

On Saturday afternoon, Leisure was still riding the high of conducting an in-home visit for a cat adoption and rescuing a heartworm-positive dog from the DeKalb shelter. Joined by another AARF officer and their latest rescue, a Cattle Dog-Jack Russell Terrier mix named Junebug, they arrived at the facility to find the side door ajar and many pieces of equipment missing, including a Mac computer, a miter saw, a 10” ladder and an iPod. Shocked and angered, Leisure was also thankful that no animals were being housed at the center at the time.

“Everybody is vulnerable in this economy,” she says, matter-of-factly. “If we had to figure out that we needed to upgrade our security system, better to do it now.”

Buoyed by the outpouring of public support — the group has raised $1,500 in donations since the weekend incident — AARF will hold a volunteer day on Sunday, May 15 from noon to 4 p.m. at the James B. Rivers Drive facility. Monetary donations can be sent through the organization’s website, www.aarfatlanta.org.

AARF is also seeking construction tools (a list of specific equipment is available on the website) and Home Depot, Lowe’s or Wal-Mart gift cards to replace the stolen items.