Category Archives: Service Dogs

Adopted dog Snowflake is now a certified therapy dog

I am a Great Pyrenees. On July 14, 2020, I was adopted by Biz and Eddie Mann from the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS). At that time, I was way too skinny at 84 pounds and thought to be 3 years old. My fur was matted and short, but they thought I was lovely. They […]

Working Together to Save Veterans and Homeless Dogs

Memorial Day is a holiday to honor the more than one million men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military. However, it is also a time to think about the people who made it home but are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other war-related mental health conditions. These military […]

County Shelter dog Kira was ‘something special and rare’

Maybe the most amazing thing about Kira was how ordinary she seemed at first. A stray Shepherd/Boxer mix brought into the Aiken County Animal Shelter in 2012, she was vulnerable and helpless like so many others coming through the door. Joseph and Brandie Henry, both U.S. Navy veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), saw […]

Abandoned Shelter Dog Now Comforts People in Need

Beth and Gary Bode adopted Buck, a two-year-old Retriever mix, from the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) nine months ago on Halloween. They had lost both of their chocolate Labs to age-related maladies in 2015 and weren’t sure they were ready to go through the pain of loss again. But there was something special about […]

Service dog Blue brings blessings to veteran who adopted him

Wherever Reverend Bill Kline goes, Blue is close by his side. A veteran who suffers from many health problems, Kline adopted the four-year-old, 62-pound Siberian Husky just three months ago from the County Shelter. However, the pair quickly developed a strong connection and now Kline can’t imagine being without his large canine companion. “Blue’s my […]

Every day is Veterans Day at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications This Friday, November 11, is Veterans Day, a time for us to pay our respects to those who have served in our military. For a 24-hour period, Americans stand united in honor of our veterans and the good work and sacrifices they have made for our country. But […]

County Shelter animals give comfort and aid to U.S. Veterans

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director “There is a special bond that dogs and humans share,” says William Collins, a local U.S. veteran who served overseas.  “A dog can make a huge difference in a person’s life.” The dog that changed William’s life is a four-year-old, shepherd mix named Buddy that he adopted from the Aiken […]

The Redemptive Power of Spontaneous Love

By Joanna Dunn Samson, Vice President On the morning of New Year’s Eve, Matt Cummins called his wife Meghan at work to tell her he was going to the Aiken County Animal Shelter to check out the dogs. He didn’t intend to adopt a dog from the shelter—after all, they were waiting for a purebred […]