Kristi Butler, founder of Street Paws Animal Rescue in Locust Grove
LOCUST GROVE - For Kristi Butler, helping animals has never been just a hobby. It is a calling.
Butler founded Street Paws in 2012 after years of volunteering with the Henry County Humane Society. One night after leaving a meeting, she encountered a large frightened stray dog she later named Rio. Caring for him opened her eyes to something bigger. Entire groups of feral animals were living nearby with no one looking out for them.
That moment sparked what would eventually become Street Paws, a nonprofit rescue dedicated to helping feral and abandoned animals across Stockbridge and Locust Grove.
Today, the no-kill rescue operates from its shelter at 109 Bethlehem Road in Locust Grove, providing food, medical care, and safe shelter for animals that might otherwise be overlooked.
“These animals just need patience, trust, and someone willing to give them a chance,” Butler says.
Like many rescues, fundraising has become more difficult in recent years. To help continue their mission, Street Paws is inviting the community to come together for an evening fundraiser that supports the care of the animals they rescue every day.
Spayghetti & No Meatballs Dinner Fundraiser
Saturday, March 21, 2026
3 PM to 8 PM
McDonough Presbyterian Church
427 McGarity Road, McDonough
Tickets and details: streetpaws.org/events