2025 Accomplishments

Their lives are in our hands.

Dog Saved: Lady
Dog Saved: Jennifer
Dog Saved: Ronald
Dog Saved: Leon
WITH YOUR HELP

In 2025 FOTAS, working with the Aiken County Animal Shelter staff, saved 4,459 dogs and cats through adoptions, transfers, and community cat TNR programs.

Every adoptable animal saved

Increased Live Release Rate

With the dedication and help of the Aiken County Animal Shelter staff and FOTAS volunteers, the Shelter has decreased the euthanasia rate for animals received at the shelter.

In 2009, the euthanasia rate was over 91%; in 2025, the euthanasia rate was 5.2%, and every adoptable animal was saved.

So Much Heart

29,000 Volunteer Hours

In 2025, FOTAS volunteers donated 29,000 hours of their valuable time to help save more lives!

Each year, new initiatives and committees continue to ‘grow’ our organization and help more animals.

The bulk of our work falls to our army of volunteers who give of their time, resources, skills and ‘heart’ to make the lives of the animals entering the Shelter better and prepare them for a new permanent and loving home.

Our volunteers are the heart of FOTAS and we thank each of you for all you do.

FOTAS Volunteer Jeri with Orion
Noteworthy 2025 Accomplishments

Together we…

Funded the needed new puppy isolation room for wellness which opened in 2025.

FOTAS and Aiken County, in partnership, funded and organized the spay/neuter surgeries of 1,382 TNR community cats and 536 pets owned by citizens in need of financial help totaling 1,918 animals fixed.

Organized 98 out-of-state transfers with established partner shelters funding incurred foster and transport expenses and saved 1,065 dogs and cats in need.

Home to Home, FOTAS’s online network program helping our community pets in need of new homes stay out of the shelter while finding a new family. Pets move directly from one home to another. Free to Use, Free to Adopt.

Funded the costs for the needed new P.A.W.S building which opened in 2023.

Outreach funding for veterinary expenses and food to help keep pets in their home and out of the shelter.

Dogs Playing for Life enrichment program.

Supplemented adoption fees for veterans and active military personnel.

Supplemented the shelter’s medical budget to provide both preventative and rehabilitative medical care for hundreds of animals including treatment of 205 adoptable heartworm-positive dogs through FOTAS’ Save a Heart, Have a Heart Program.

Funded the Dogs Playing for Life team for shelter staff three-day training in 2025.

Paid for flea and tick treatments for hundreds of adoptable shelter dogs and cats.

Set up and maintains offsite adoption annexes at Petsmart Aiken for shelter adoptable cats.

Funded and purchased numerous humane runners and dog houses for citizens in need of financial help to get their dogs off the chain and comply with Aiken county’s tethering ordinance.

Funded soft surgical cones for surgery recovery.

Provided toys and blankets for every shelter dog and cat, as well as leashes, collars & interactive feeding toys.

Funded leashes and cat carriers for every adopter.

Funded and provided pet food and needed veterinary care for citizens in financial need.

Continued our partnerships with Aiken Senior Services (Meals on Wheels) and ACTS (Area Churches Together Serving) to assist with pet food needs for their clients.

Established a transfer program to “no kill” shelters all over the country and funds incurred transport expenses as well as purchased needed FOTAS transport vans.

Expanded Social Media

We have continued to expand our presence on social media, with over 50,500 Facebook followers and 12,300 Instagram followers. We hope you’ll follow us, too.