Ahimsa House Fundraiser Exceeds Expectations

Saturday evening, Ahimsa House, a charitable organization dedicated to helping animal and human victims of domestic violence, held a fundraiser at historic Glenridge Manor in Sandy Springs. One hundred forty people attended, and between donations, tickets, raffle, and silent auction, the charity raised ten thousand dollars, double what they had expected. 

"It was a fabulous evening and such a great opportunity to celebrate the growth of Ahimsa House," stated Executive Director, Dr. Maya Gupta. "In the seven years since our founding, we've provided over 19,000 nights of emergency shelter for pets in domestic violence situations, until they could reunite with their owners in a safe environment. We have a staff of only two, but we serve the entire state of Georgia, so the 'pawty' raised much-needed funds to help us continue our work and meet the sharp increase in demand for our services. Hearing our founder and several of our former clients speak about their experiences really reinforced for me the importance of the work that we do--as the only organization of our kind in the state, we save both animal and human lives by helping people *and* their pets escape abuse. Nobody should have to leave a pet behind to face abuse simply because domestic violence shelters don't allow animals."

One attendee, a female boxer mix named Nala especially enjoyed mingling with and getting petted by the human guests.  Ahimsa House helped her owner with veterinary care and accommodations after Nala was hit by a car so they could remain safe from their abuser.

Ahimsa House is headquartered in East Decatur Station. They accept donations, and they are participating the Toyota "Cars for Good" Facebook contest on July 3. The charity with the most votes that day will receive a hybrid Highlander.