There will be a little more hope for homeless animals this month, thanks to two new no-kill shelters opening in the metro area. Both are among the first California-style shelters in Georgia , designed to showcase animals in a cheerier, more homelike setting.

Furkids, a group dedicated to saving homeless cats, is having a grand opening this weekend for its shelter near Doraville in Gwinnett County . And Southern Hope Humane Society, the group that runs the Fulton County animal shelter, is opening an annex in Roswell where the animals will stay until they find a home.

Furkids is a group founded by a woman spurred to action after a mama cat carried three kittens into her yard five years ago. Samantha Shelton thought it would take just a few phone calls to find a safe haven for her visitors but quickly discovered she was wrong.

"I couldn't find any group willing to take them, everyone was so full," Shelton said. "I had no idea how bad the pet-overpopulation problem was in Georgia ."

Shelton decided a no-kill shelter was needed, so she organized a group and started with foster homes but worked toward her goal of a shelter. Work got under way, with mostly volunteer labor, last June.

Unlike the depressing cement holding facilities many associate with "animal shelter," the Furkids shelter is bright and comfortable for both cats and people. There are 11 large rooms full of shelves, cat condos, beds and toys where the cats can interact and play. Only sick or quarantined cats are caged.

"I really wanted the environment here to be very warm and inviting," Shelton said. "And I wanted a cage-free shelter, because cats are very social and love to be together."

The new Southern Hope Roswell Pet Adoption Center also has an upscale, classy look. Warm lighting, painted woods and wire-free "dog suites" showcase animals from the Fulton County animal shelter downtown. The shelter was designed by Vern Yip, formerly of "Trading Spaces," who adopted two dogs from Fulton County Animal Services in 2005.

"A lot of people don't want to drive all the way downtown, and they also get overwhelmed by the sheer number of animals here," said Susan Feingold, executive director of the Fulton County shelter.

While dogs and cats taken into the Fulton County shelter can be killed if not reclaimed or adopted, those transferred to the Roswell shelter will stay until placed, Feingold said. They hope to find homes for up to 500 animals a year through the new facility. When Southern Hope Humane Society took over the Fulton County shelter three years ago, the kill rate was about 85 percent, but they have worked steadily to reduce it, and it now sits at about 46 percent, Feingold said, adding, "We're counting on this new shelter to drop it even more."

Both groups are looking for shelter volunteers and foster homes to keep quarantined or special-needs animals, like nursing mothers. Shelton said Furkids won't have regular hours for adoption until they are adequately staffed. Instead, people can make an appointment to come to the shelter to choose a pet.

Shelton said Furkids also still needs donations to buy cages for the quarantine area, and they're looking for vets who can donate a few hours a month to do routine work at the shelter.

The animals at both shelters come spayed or neutered, with all their shots and worming, and any other medical problems have been addressed before adoption.

"All they need is a loving home," Feingold said.